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Club loyalties will be called into question this week as two neighbouring clubs with a long history square off in a crucial Counties Power Game of the Week as Patumahoe Troydon Patumahoe Hotel travels to Rugby Park to face Waiuku Brian James Contracting.

The two clubs have a long history of players moving back and forth from one club to another and a healthy rivalry between the rural clubs exists.

Waiuku co-coach Buck Manning played over 100 premier games for Patumahoe before a stint with Waiuku later in his career.

He lives in Waiuku and has been involved with the club at age group coaching before a move into the premier side this season.

“It is a bit weird and I cop a bit of crap out this way because of that [Patumahoe connection],” Manning said. “It is all tongue in cheek kind of stuff and I can handle it.

“It is a bit weird though. Patumahoe is dear to my heart as well but we need to get over the line against Patty.”

Waiuku surprised a few teams with a first round upset win up the hill against the defending champions Bombay. They lost to Karaka in the first game post lockdown but bounced back with a gritty yet ugly win over Papakura last week.

Patumahoe started with a pre Covid-19 win over Onewhero Summit Homes but have fallen to Manurewa Kidd Contracting and Pukekohe Mitre 10 Mega in the past fortnight.

Manning knows Patumahoe will be desperate to avoid a third-straight loss.

“It isn’t going to be easy but we are looking forward to it,” he said.

“We have got a little bit of work to do at training this week to iron out some of those creases.

“It is a sprint in this comp the way it is this year. You have to take everything and can’t afford to lose. It is a big weekend for us against Patty.”

The match gets underway at 2.45pm at Rugby Park.

The inform Pukekohe Mitre 10 Mega outfit will host Ardmore Marist South Auckland Motors at Colin Lawrie Fields in an intriguing contest. Top-of-the-table Manurewa Kidd Contracting hosts Onewhero Summit Homes while Papakura travels to Bombay.