Belmore Sports Ground came alive once again on Saturday afternoon as 10,415 fans packed into the iconic suburban venue to watch the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs go down in a narrow 32-28 loss to the Canberra Raiders.

While the result didn't fall in the Bulldogs' favour, the real winner on the day was Belmore itself, reaffirming its place as one of the game's most beloved community venues.

Back to Belmore Vice President Steven Cataldi said the day was a powerful reminder of what Belmore means to the people of Canterbury-Bankstown and the wider rugby league community.

"The atmosphere was electric," Mr Cataldi said.

"It was one of those special Belmore afternoons - full of energy, heart and pride. The result might have gone against Canterbury, but the occasion showed once again that this precinct is still very much the beating heart of rugby league in this area."

Patron Luke Brailey said Saturday's crowd pushed total attendance at Belmore NRL fixtures since 2015 to nearly 100,000 - an extraordinary milestone for a venue many had once written off.

"It's an amazing result," Mr Brailey said.

"Almost 100,000 people have now walked through the turnstiles to watch first-grade rugby league at Belmore in the past few years. That spaks volumes about what this place means and what it continues to offer."

As with previous Belmore fixtures, local businesses on Burwood Road reported a strong day of trade, with cafes, eateries and restaurants benefitting from the buzz that surrounded the premiership game.

The NRL's 2019 season draw is expected to be released later this year, and Back to Belmore remains hopeful that the facility will continue to feature as part of the competition schedule in the years to come.