However a lot more than just that has changed.

While the average price of a house in Dubbo now is approximately $305,000, back in 1971, $40,000 would have bought you the best house in town, according to real estate agent Bob Berry.

"There was a house for sale in 1972 or 73 that fronted the highway is West Dubbo and was one of the pick of properties and it was purchased for $40,000. I would estimate today the same house would be worth well over $500,000."

"In 1971, $40,000 would have given you your pick of properties."

Sixty-five years ago Mr Berry watched his beloved South Sydney play a grand final for the first time.

Over the next 22 years, he watched them play in another 11, winning nine. Now, after a 43 year drought, Bob will get to watch them run out in a decider for the 13th time on Sunday.

It's been a long time coming. Like all Rabbitohs fans he mourned when his team was kicked out by the NRL in 1999 and he lobbied as hard as anyone to have them reinstated.

Bob was the driving force behind a fundraiser in Dubbo that added more than $10,000 to South's fighting fund as they took their case for reinstatement to the courts.

There have been tough times but Bob stayed strong and he is now quietly confident he will witness a 10th win, and the 21st overall for Souths when the play the Canterbury Bulldogs.

"Souths won 20 premierships in the first 63 years they were in the competition so I never thought it would take them another 43 years to even make one, let alone win one," he said.

"It was tough [during their exclusion from the competition]. I didn't go to a game during that time.

"When the court case started, there was a general feeling that if Souths hung in, we'd get back in so there was a guarded optimism there."

It's 12 years since Souths re-entered the competition but it has only been in the last few years that they have begun to re-establish themselves as a premiership force.

"They were starting from nothing, all our juniors had all been taken by other clubs.

"There was a lot of emotion and a lot of expectation but it was always going to take time," Bob said.

"Now the club has built its membership up, it leads the way there and has a great business plan in place."

Bob has seen enough grand finals to know not to get too confident but he believes Souths should be able to win if they play their best.

"I don't mind how much they win by, as long as they win.

"It only has to be one point," he said.

"If they play like they have shown they are capable of, it would take a very good performance from Canterbury to beat them."