It won\u2019t be just the Bulldogs\u2019 1995 premiership-winning team reuniting this weekend \u2014 the cheerleaders will also come together 30 years later to dust off their pompoms and perform.<\/p>\n
The Dogs are going all-out for their anniversary celebrations. Players will enjoy a special dinner on Saturday night with the 2025 squad and will then be presented on-field before Sunday\u2019s blockbuster clash with the Manly Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, cheerleaders have travelled from far and wide \u2014 even New York \u2014 for this once in a lifetime opportunity to reminisce what one said was \u201cthe best years of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\n The concept has been months in the making. <\/p>\n When current choreographer Ashleigh Andrews got the green light from the club in January she enlisted the 1995 choreographer, Claire Scott and between the pair they\u2019ve pulled together a routine that will feature both the \u201895 and \u201825 squads. <\/p>\n \u201cClaire\u2019s amazing \u2014 she actually remembers all of her choreography from 30 years ago,\u201d Andrews told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got her to come into one of our training sessions first and we had a lot of fun learning all of the 1995 choreography. It was quite intricate, it\u2019s so different to what we do now. <\/p>\n \u201cWe combined past and present choreography to make the routine and from there we\u2019ve had all the ladies come in and join us.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s been three official rehearsals for Sunday\u2019s performance, including one in costume on-field at Belmore Sports Ground earlier this week. <\/p>\n The 1995 Bulldogs cheerleaders with the current squad at their rehearsal at Belmore Sports Ground. Source: InstagramSource: Instagram<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve done a replica of the 1995 costume to add that nostalgia to the performance,\u201d Andrews said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were a bit tricky to replicate because materials that were available 30 years ago are not available now. But the Sapphires will be wearing the replica costumes on game day to honour the \u201995 ladies. They\u2019re excited to wear them and showcase them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was such a significant chapter in the club\u2019s history and the cheerleaders were a part of that. <\/p>\n \u201cCheerleaders have been around for 61 years in the NRL believe it or not and they are such big role models in the community \u2014 there\u2019s so much more than what you see on Instagram. <\/p>\n \u201cIt also shows that cheerleading is a part of Australian sports history and it should be showcased and should be honoured.\u201d<\/p>\n The replica costume of the 1995 cheerleading outfit that The Sapphires will wear.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n The 1995 ladies have stayed in touch over the last 30 years witnessing weddings, babies, divorces, illnesses and everything in between and the glue that\u2019s kept them together is Scott, who was just 19-years old when she became the coach and choreographer of the Bulldogs\u2019 cheer squad in 1993.<\/p>\n The Bulldogs didn\u2019t have cheerleaders at the time \u2014 they had gotten rid of them years earlier.<\/p>\n So Scott, who lived locally, put together a proposal on her typewriter and submitted it to the marketing manager at the time, 270-gamer and former Kangaroo Ian Schubert.<\/p>\n \u201cI basically harassed them for six months. But they did not have a major sponsor because it was at the end of the recession and so he kept saying \u2018I can\u2019t give you an answer until we get a major sponsor\u2019,\u201d Scott recalled to foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 9:05 of the morning they announced Hyundai as the sponsor, I was on the phone to Ian\u2026 he said though that Hyundai didn\u2019t want to sponsor the cheerleaders.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott took matters into her own hands and set out to find a cheerleading sponsor herself. She got the Canterbury-Bankstown Torch to agree to run a story to help find a sponsor but Schubert intervened. <\/p>\n \u201cHe realised this girl is not going away so he went very quiet and said \u2018just give me an hour.\u2019 He rang back to share that Cenovus, the sleeve sponsor, is interested in sponsoring a cheerleading squad,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n The final green light, however, had to come from the late, great Peter Moore. So Scott met with the CEO as well as Lynne Anderson, who had since taken over as the marketing manager and got the answer she had been looking for. <\/p>\n \u201cPeter Moore had a tooth extracted that morning so his mouth was numb and he mumbled a little bit anyway. He was really lovely but I couldn\u2019t understand half of what he was saying,\u201d Scott laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe final thing I heard him say was something about no fraternising with the players and I said \u2018no Mr Moore I don\u2019t want that either.\u2019 He had this big smile and said \u2018OK we have a deal\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a 19-year-old girl, they really took a chance on me thankfully. Lynne and Helen Brownie (Cenovus\u2019 Marketing Manager) were both lovely to work with and also really good mentors as well. <\/p>\n \u201cLynne was a real trailblazer \u2014 at the time there weren\u2019t a lot of women working in rugby league and she was instrumental in changing up game day entertainment. <\/p>\n \u201cHaving that squad at such a young age and working with her and Helen really just taught me so many life lessons, business management lessons and people management lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n The cheerleaders were paid between $30 and $45 for their game day commitments, which including cheering for the under 21s, reserve grade and first grade teams. <\/p>\n Scott believes the Bulldogs were actually the first club to pay their cheerleaders \u2014 it was something she pushed for in her proposal. <\/p>\n \u201cAt the time that was not terrible money. The girls ranged from 16-years old to 20-years old and if they were working at McDonalds or Kmart they would\u2019ve had to work eight hours to earn that money,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs cheerleaders with an English bulldog. Credit: SuppliedSource: Supplied<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n MCKINNON: Next move Knights must nail, why O\u2019Brien should walk before pushed<\/a><\/p>\n POWER RANKINGS: Big Bulldogs doubts as Broncos time run to perfection<\/a><\/p>\n NRLW TALKING PTS: Scary reality of Roosters\u2019 big win, only team who can beat them<\/a><\/p>\n