'It's our time': Merimbula turns blue as Bulldogs eye off grand final win

The Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs will face off against the Tathra Sea Eagles for the 2023 first grade crown at the Bega Rec Ground on Sunday, August 27.

The wife of former player Warren Schafer, who scored the match-winning try in the Bulldogs' last grand final victory in 1993, said her boys were "absolutely" following in their father's footsteps.

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Ms Schafer said how, during the last game against Tathra, she anxiously sat in the car before being alerted by a beeping noise from her smart watch suggesting she take deep breaths, having recorded a 120 beats-per-minute heart rate while seated.

"This is a big thing, I'm very nervous, but it's our time, it's our turn," she said.

"Tathra are going to bring it all as well.

"We have beaten them twice, but anything's possible on grand final day, it's a totally different ball game.

"Corey said he'd probably retire if they win the premiership, but no, he won't, he wants to play 200 games for the Bulldogs.

"He's well over a hundred now and Blake's just made his hundredth game against Eden in the semi finals."

The multitude of shop windows decorated in the Bulldogs blue and white is a show of community support in which the club takes a great deal of pride.

Team manager Roger Foote said they really appreciated all the community support the Dogs were getting, from the club's sponsors, supporters and the community at large.

"The boys are absolutely stoked," he said of the widespread blue and white decorations.

"For them to see the shops with all the Bulldogs stuff in them, just quietly they are really stoked.

"And people in town are loving it too."

Foote said he had watched a tape of last Sunday's preliminary final between Tathra and Eden, where the Sea Eagles came out firing and raced away to a 48-16 victory.

"I always thought it would be Tathra and us in the final and that they would beat Eden.

"I thought Tathra wanted it more and it just goes to show what a bunch of local blokes can string together."

However, he said the Bulldogs also have the burning desire to hit the field on Sunday all systems firing.

"It's all about getting in the right head space this week," Foote said.

"There are good vibes around town and the boys are all up for it. We're really looking forward to it."

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