Twelve players had the rare opportunity to travel to a ANZ Stadium for Friday’s clash between the Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons.

Instead of just watching the game, five of the kids got to run onto the field with the team while the others formed a guard of honour.

Juniors coach Harry Seban described it as “a once in a lifetime” experience for the players.

“A lot of kids haven’t had the experience of going down to a big stadium like ANZ,” he said.

“It was just a big thing to go down into the tunnel.”

The opportunity was made possible thanks to Mr Seban’s contacts at the Bulldogs club.

He said that he initially had asked if the Bathurst Panthers players could visit a training session, but it was the Bulldogs that suggested the players walk out onto the field with them and be part of the night.

“All the kids got to meet the mascot for the Bulldogs and they got to see the actual dogs that they walk out onto the field,” Mr Seban said.

Being part of the guard of honour also meant the players were able to sit close to the action in the stadium.

Mr Seban said many of the young Bathurst Panthers players hadn’t seen a professional game like it before, so they were incredibly excited.

“We were that close we were right in the try zone… you could almost reach out and touch them,” he said.