He's lived a solitary life in recent decades but Wollongong icon Stanley the Steel Avenger will come out of retirement for a month-long celebration of the Illawarra Steelers 40th anniversary in July.
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It's a fitting return given Stanley lays claim to one of the most infamous moments to occur at WIN Stadium during the Steelers 17-year existence.
Round 20 of the 1995 season holds an esteemed place in Steelers folklore - and not for Paul McGregor's hat-trick in a 32-6 win over the Tigers.
St George Illawarra great Shaun Timmins certainly remembers it well.
In just his second season of first grade with the Steelers, Timmins found himself in a push-and-shove with Tigers legend Tim Brasher, with Steelers fullback Brendan O'Meara escalating the scuffle into an all-in.
"We were over in the corner near the scoreboard and there was a bit of a scuffle that broke out between Brendan O'Meara, myself and a few Tigers players," Timmins recalls.
"Everyone came in and all of a sudden I saw Stanley come in and start pulling blokes away and getting involved. It was a bit bizarre to see the mascot getting in there.
"It just goes to show how loyal he was in there looking after his mates. I didn't think too much of it but he obviously made a name for himself anyway. It was pretty funny looking back on it."
Referee Tony Maksoud didn't see the funny side of it, giving Stanley his marching orders and the dubious honour of being the only mascot ever sent off in an NRL game.
Illawarra league godfather Bob Millward's defence of the bona fide Steelers icon is as spirited today as it was then.
"When you see the footage, he didn't deliberately get involved in that brawl," Millward insists.
"He got knocked over in the melee and he ended up on the bottom. When they peeled them all off, the referee and the tough judges saw Stanley there on the bottom and that was it."
Stanley's return is part of a host of celebrations throughout July celebrating the Steelers inaugural season in 1982
We were over in the corner near the scoreboard and there was a bit of a scuffle that broke out. Next thing I saw Stanley come in and start pulling blokes away and trying to get involved. It was a bit bizarre to see the mascot getting in there. It just goes to show how loyal he was in there looking after his mates.
- Shaun Timmins
It followed failed attempts to break into the Sydney-centric NSW Rugby League in 1954 and 1966, both rebuffed, before finally getting the nod to form a side in December 1980.
"It took a rejection in 1954 and 1966 so we did a lot of lobbying," Millward said.
"We said to them, 'we've had two cracks at this and this'll be the last crack. You'll regret forever that you never invited Illawarra into it'. We won the vote that day 36 to four.
"We got that vote and on Saturday the 13th of December 1980 and told to prepare a side to start the premiership in 1982."
It was a monumental day for Illawarra rugby league, but also for rugby league in general as the Steelers became the first side to break into what was then a Sydney bubble.
It paved the way for Newcastle and Brisbane to enter the competition four years later - the latter an absurd idea prior to Steelers shifting the NSWRL's mindset.
It proved the key plank in the Steelers final bid at NSWRL inclusion.
"We were the catalyst of decentralisation of the game," Millward said.
"Our previous two unsuccessful bids were simply 'could we please join the NSW Rugby League, we've earned that right?' Neither was successful and we took a different tact in 1980.
"[The NSWRL] was the strongest and best competition in the rugby league world but, ironically, it was [only] played between Hornsby in the north and Sutherland in the south.
"We challenged the NSW Rugby League to decentralise their game. We certainly had no idea where it would end up but it came to Wollongong and Canberra in 1982.
"It's subsequently from Townsville down to Melbourne and over to Auckland today."
Millward admits the Super League war "put a dent in our progress" but says the Steelers proudly live on as one half of the St George Illawarra joint venture.
"I've said often since then that, if we had to form a joint-venture again today, we'd choose the same partner," he said.
"The inflation that came into the game in the late 90s was unsustainable as far as we were concerned and we're still bringing world class rugby league to WIN Stadium today.
"We're still producing the juniors going through to first grade and are very proud of our involvement in the St George Illawarra joint venture."
The milestone will be celebrated with a commemoration dinner on July 2 at Steelers Club ahead of the Dragons round 16 clash at WIN Stadium the following day.
The choice opposition is no coincidence.
"When the Steelers got into the premiership there was to be a 14th team or a bye," Millward said.
"Canberra seized that opportunity and came into the competition the same year in 1982."
It remains to be seen whether Stanley makes a game-day appearance at WIN Stadium, but it'd be a sight to behold.
"I thought he was barred for life but it'd be great to see him back," Timmins said.
"I'm sure there'd be some happy Steelers fans. We'll just hope he doesn't get into any scuffles on the field."
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