Bulldogs fans above a certain age will never forget the moment Terry Lamb hoisted the premiership trophy after the 1995 grand final.
The skipper had inspired his side to victory in a supposedly unwinnable match against a red-hot Manly team that had lost just two games all year.
Lamb was expected to retire after the match, and while he eventually opted to go around for one more year in 1996, the pain of a 1994 grand final defeat to Mal Meninga's Raiders drove the Bulldogs to victory.
Thirty years on, the '95 heroes have reunited as a new squad closes in on their own slice of history.
Match Highlights: Bulldogs v Sea Eagles
"The finals campaign was special," former hooker Jason Hetherington told 42025.com. "We were outsiders going into every game we went into.
"As each week came, we grew more belief and confidence and by the time we got to Manly we were teeming with confidence. Manly had a great year but we believed we could do it.
"We thought it was Baa's [Lamb's] last game so when we got there, we wanted to send him out on the fairytale script. We'd felt the pain from the year before against the Raiders. That was Mal's fairytale written for him, we wanted to do it for Baa.
"It was a great performance, a great win and it's what we all play for, to win a grand final."
The Bulldogs will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their shock 17-4 victory over Manly when the two sides face off on Sunday afternoon.
Canterbury have moved their home game to Allianz Stadium, the scene of the triumph, will wear a throwback jersey and will hold a reunion before the game. All bar two members of the side are expected to attend, with former players flying in from as far as Queensland and New Zealand.
While the 1995 premiership remains one of the proudest moments in the Bulldogs history, just two members of the current squad were alive to witness the match.
Lamb, however, remains a fixture around Belmore and was brought into address the playing group on Wednesday morning.
For a club that prides itself on celebrating history, it was the perfect opportunity to link a past triumph with the 2025 side's bid to create a slice of history of their own.
"Baa spoke about how connected they were," Bailey Hayward said. "Things weren't going well in the season and Manly were going really well that year.
"It didn't matter to them how good Manly were, they were focused on themselves and how connected they were. We can definitively take a leaf out of their book with that."
"It's a historic game for our club, being the only team outside the top four to win a comp. It's inspiring to us, it's going to be a massive day, celebrating 30 years with all the old boys there."
Match: Bulldogs v Sea Eagles
Round 21 -
home Team
Bulldogs
3rd Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
7th Position
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
While much has changed in the past 30 years, there are plenty of similarities between the two sides.
Chris Anderson's men were forced to navigate the Super League war as it threatened to derail entire clubs' seasons.
The off-field drama led to some rocky performances on the field, before they clicked into gear at the back end of the campaign.
This year's side has also dealt with plenty of external noise, largely surrounding the recruitment of teenage whiz Lachlan Galvin and the flow-on effect to the playing group.
On the field, the two sides were built on a foundation of a relentless defensive attitude. A hard-nosed forward pack provided the platform for talented backs to dissect opponents.
Lamb was the standout, but John Timu and Matthew Ryan were tackle-busting centres and Clive Churchill Medallist Jim Dymock was a crafty lock.
Dymock will have torn allegiances this weekend, given he currently works as an assistant coach for the Sea Eagles.
Current centres Stephen Crichton and Bronson Xerri have combined to form a dangerous combination, while Matt Burton can break a game open and Viliame Kikau is a destructive force on the edge.
Clive Churchill Medal winner: Jim Dymock - 1995
"What I like about this team is they're not relying on one particular player, which is how we were," retired prop Steve Price said. "We had some superstars in our team but if those guys got shut down, someone else would step up.
"The other thing I like is there wasn't a whole lot of people who thought we could win the comp. When you listen to the experts today talk about premiership favourites, they talk about the Bulldogs and they're in the top four, but think they've still got a little way to go to be a serious premiership contender.
"We proved those guys wrong and this side keeps on proving the disbelievers wrong."
The Bulldogs may be honouring their triumph over Manly on Sunday afternoon, but the Sea Eagles won't be passive observers to the celebrations as they look to spoil the party.
The 1995 loss still lingers as a what-if moment in the minds of former players, with Geoff Toovey viewing it as the one that got away.
"They had lost the year before so they were a bit more experienced than we were in that area," Toovey said. "A few things went their way on the day and they were too good for us."
The Sea Eagles have found form in recent weeks, winning three in a row and making a major statement with a tense victory over Melbourne last Saturday.
Toovey learnt a valuable lesson in the 1995 defeat and said last week's result is a timely reminder that it doesn't take much to upset a rival in a competition as tight as the NRL.
"We were the favourites and it just goes to show you've got to turn up and play every minute of every game," he said. "Otherwise the competition is so tight, you can lose even though you're the favourite.
"Anyone can win on the day, particularly in those crucial matches like the '95 grand final. If you don't turn up, you're going to get beat."
This week's 30th anniversary celebrations have provided the Bulldogs with a chance to reflect on the legacy left by the 1995 premiers.
It's also provided an opportunity to discuss the legacy the current squad wants to leave.
It's one, they hope, that starts with the club's first premiership since 2004.
"We [want to be known as a side] based on hard work and defence," Hayward said. "We work together and we work for each other. We're a hard, gritty team and we base our success off the little things.
"If we score points, we score points, if we stop tries, we stop tries, but we work for each other. That's our biggest thing. If we can show that love and connection for each other, then good things will happen."
