Aaron Donnelly will celebrate a major milestone when the outstanding centre runs out for Gunnedah in Saturday's clash against North Tamworth at Kitchener Park.
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The 29-year-old will play his 150th first-grade game for the Bulldogs and will do so on a nostalgic day for the Gunnedah as they celebrate Old Boys Day.
It is must-win game for the sixth-placed side as they struggle to stay in the semi-finals race with five rounds remaining.
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To keep their season alive, Gunnedah - who are six points behind fourth-placed Moree - must beat reigning premiers Norths and hope the competition-leading Roosters defeat Moree at Kootingal on Saturday.
Donnelly described reaching the 150-game mark as "pretty cool".
His family are as red, white and blue as it gets.
"My grandfather, Reg, and his brothers all played for Gunnedah and my father [Phil] and his four brothers [Terry, Brian, Greg and Garry] all played for Gunnedah. I wouldn't want to play with anyone else," Donnelly said.
He added: "To play for the same club as your grandfather, father and uncles did is pretty special."
His uncle, Terry Donnelly, captain-coached the Bulldogs to a famous victory in the 1983 grand final, and his father and his uncle, Greg, played in premiership-winning Bulldogs teams in 1984 and 1985 under John Lennan.
Greg also played for NSW Country, as did Terry (who also played for Queensland Country).
Aaron's father coached Gunnedah in 2013 and was a talented outside back.
"He tells me he scored six or seven tries in one game for Gunnedah," Donnelly said.
Donnelly has scored five tries in a match three times: against Moree, Wee Waa and Kootingal-Moonbi. That latest five-try effort was a "few years ago" at Kitchener Park, he said.
He is yet to win a premiership after playing in grand final losses to Norths in 2014 and 2018.
Gunnedah will take a five-match losing streak into Saturday's encounter against the Bears.
"It has been tough, in that we haven't had too many bad losses," Donnelly said.
Saturday's Old Boys Day match will provide Donnelly and his teammates with the chance to mingle with many former Bulldogs, such as the John Lennans and Steve "Stumpy" Howards.
"You get to talk to former players like John and Stumpy," he said.
"I've seen a few videos of some of those games in the '80s too. It's just a shame COVID might stop a lot of the old boys from coming back [for the day]."
Donnelly has scored more than a hundred tries for the Bulldogs since debuting in first grade in 2009, having been elevated to the top grade after just two games in reserve grade.
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