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Glenn Lazarus played in three grand finals for Canberra, including 1989, and believes there are plenty of similarities from that era in today's Raiders side.

Canberra premiership prop Glenn Lazarus says the comparisons are uncanny between the Raiders' 1989 premiership team and the one playing in the NRL grand final on Sunday.

The Green Machine famously won their first title 30 years ago after upsetting Balmain Tigers in what many consider the greatest grand final ever played.

Lazarus packed down in the front row alongside Steve Walters, and they were just two household names in the star-studded Canberra side.

The 1989 premiers were, or became, a who's who of rugby league, with Mal Mengina, Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Gary Belcher, Gary Coyne and Kevin Walters all in the team.

Lazarus, who won five premierships at three clubs, said the similarities between the famous 1989 team and the Raiders facing Sydney Roosters on Sunday, are there to be seen.

"They just love playing for each other and being around each other. It just reminds me so much of the 89-90-91 era. The style of players and certainly the comradery and the attitude is there," Lazarus told AAP.

"We had really good outside backs, Belcher, (John) Ferguson, Paul Martin, these sorts of guys that could run like the wind and we've got a pretty handy back three playing for Canberra at the moment.

"The centres we had Daley and Meninga and now they've got (Jarrod) Croker and Joey (Leilua).

"But the forward pack is more similar than anything else, the way they play. Josh (Papalii) has played out of his skin this year and is a standout, very closely followed by John Bateman and Josh Hodgson.

"Take the hookers for instance - Steve Walters or Josh Hodgson? Who do you pick there? Front rowers - (Brent) Todd or Papalii?

"(Joe) Tapine played really well against South Sydney. I thought his defence was inspiring and Clyde could do that, he could inspire teams.

"Then both teams have hard-working second rowers, so there are a lot of similarities there and I'm hoping they can do what we did in '89."

Canberra are in their first grand final since coach Ricky Stuart led the Green Machine to their third title in six years as a player in 1994.