'Something in the air': What makes Good Friday blockbuster unique

Peter Mamouzelos doesn't need to be told what the annual Good Friday match means to Rabbitohs and Bulldogs fan bases.

The emerging hooker grew up a passionate South Sydney fan, the game the first he circled on the calendar when the draw came out each year as it developed into one of the biggest matches on the NRL calendar.

On Friday, Mamouzelos will move from the stands to the field when he turns out for the Rabbitohs in his first Good Friday match in front of an expected record crowd at Accor Stadium.

Having experienced the passion and atmosphere in the crowd, the hooker knows exactly what it means to prevail in this contest.

"We used to make a day of it," Mamouzelos told NRL.com. "I used to go to the Easter Show beforehand and then go to the game so to be playing in it now is pretty cool.

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"They're two very passionate and loyal fan bases. The Rabbitohs fans ride the highs and lows with us. No matter where you go there's always a Souths supporter.

"There's the trend of the random Souths guy. You look at games in America and there will be someone wearing a Souths jersey so they're very passionate and very loyal.

"For the Dogs, when they're going good, their fans turn up and our fans will be there too so it's going to be good."

The Good Friday match is always one of the biggest on the NRL schedule but this year's clash has taken on even greater meaning.

The Bulldogs are flying high at the top of the table, undefeated for the first time since 1993 and chasing their first 6-0 start to a season since 1938.

Across town, Wayne Bennett's return has had an immediate impact on the Rabbitohs and they sit fifth despite a heavy injury toll.

Friday's match is expected to break the NRL's all-time regular season crowd record of 59,708, set in 2013 when South Sydney hosted the Roosters.

The attendance is on track to crack 70,000 with the Bulldogs releasing $10 tickets this week in a bid to break through the 80,000 milestone.

There are hopes a late flurry of tickets could even see the full-house sign go up at Accor Stadium, with club officials urging fans to be part of a history-making moment.

Canterbury legend James Graham said the combination of Easter, two big fan bases and afternoon football combine to create an atmosphere like no other.

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"Some of my fondest memories came in that game," Graham told NRL.com. "There's a big rivalry between the two clubs and they're two of the biggest clubs in Sydney. It's a special time of year for a lot of people with Easter and sport plays a big part in that too.

"There was something in the air that this was more than another game for both clubs. This is bigger than just the two points, there's a lot on the line and that's made by the crowd."

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Canterbury and South Sydney started playing on the Easter weekend in 2006, however it wasn't until 2012 that it became a regular Good Friday fixture.

Fans quickly flocked to the game, many starting the day at the Easter Show before making the short walk to Accor Stadium for the NRL match.

The Rabbitohs have had the wood on their opponents in the clash, winning the past six editions.

Former winger Bryson Goodwin is one of few players to have appeared on both sides of the field in the Good Friday match.

He may have been an outside back, but Goodwin managed to find himself in the thick of the action in each of the six games he appeared in.

The winger turned out for the Bulldogs in the 2012 edition before scoring a crucial try for the Rabbitohs in the 2013 clash in his first season with the club.

Goodwin was asked to step up and kick a penalty goal in the final minute of the infamous 2015 edition when Graham was penalised for diving at Adam Reynolds' legs during a field goal attempt.

The winger said moments like that have played a key role in building the match up to this moment.

"I loved playing in that game," Goodwin told NRL.com. "Playing at the Bulldogs when it first started was a cool experience. Having the Easter Show there, it was a big day and playing afternoon footy made it the best time.

"They're two big clubs in Sydney, when they're both going well, footy is in a good place and there's a lot of tension, hype and build up to the match.

"The game when James Graham got penalised and I kicked the goal was a classic. It's a game I'll never forget and one of the best matches I've ever been a part of."

The intensity of the Rabbitohs and Canterbury fan bases has long been clear to members of other clubs but players on both sides of the equation concede they didn't realise how much the game means to the respective fan bases until becoming personally involved.

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