South Sydney Rabbitohs

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South Sydney Rabbitohs
Club Information
Full name South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s) The Rabbitohs
Short name Souths
Founded 1908 as South Sydney
Departed 1999
Readmitted 2002
Current Details
Ground(s) ANZ Stadium (83,500)
CEO(s) Russell Crowe
Shane Richardson
Coach(s) Jason Taylor
Captain(s) Roy Asotasi
Competition National Rugby League
2007 National Rugby League, 7th


The South Sydney Rabbitohs, also known as Souths, The Bunnies, SSFC or The Rabbits, are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing teams from Sydney. The club was founded in 1908 and was one of the foundation members in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, the predecessor of the current NRL competition. They are one of only two foundation clubs still present in the league, the other being the Sydney Roosters.[1]

The Rabbitohs' traditional heartland covers the once-typically working class suburbs of inner-south and south eastern Sydney, however they have long held a wide supporter base spread all over country New South Wales. The team's home ground is currently ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.

At the elite competition level,[2] South Sydney are the most successful professional team in the history of Australian rugby league in terms of total championships won, having claimed 20 first grade premierships. However, they have not won a premiership since 1971. In 2007 Souths qualified for their first finals series since 1989. However there is such reverance for the Rabbitohs that there is a saying which is "When Souths are going well, Rugby League is going well".

Contents

[edit] History

"The Little Master," Clive Churchill.
"The Little Master," Clive Churchill.
For more details on this topic, see South Sydney Rabbitohs history.

The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club was formed at a meeting on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall[3] when administrator J J Giltinan, cricketer Victor Trumper and politician Henry Clement Hoyle came together in front of a large crowd of supporters.[4] The club played in the first round of the newly formed New South Wales Rugby League, defeating North Sydney 11–7 at Birchgrove Oval on 20 April 1908.[4][5] The team went on to win the inaugural premiership then successfully defended their title in the 1909 season, winning the Grand Final by default.[6] After further premiership success in 1914 and 1918, South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from 19251932, only missing out in 1930. The 1925 side went through the season undefeated[7] and is only one of six Australian premiership sides in history to have achieved this feat. Such was Souths dominance in the early years of the rugby league competition that the Rabbitohs were labelled "The Pride of the League".[8][3]

In the 1950s South Sydney again had great success, winning five of the six premierships from 19501955, and losing the 1952 Grand Final against Western Suburbs in controversial circumstances. The 1951 side's point scoring feat in their 42–14 victory over Manly-Warringah[9] remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of '55"[10][11] involved South Sydney winning 11 straight sudden death matches to win the premiership. Players that were involved in these years included Denis Donoghue, Jack Rayner, Les "Chicka" Cowie, Johnny Graves, Ian Moir, Greg Hawick, Ernie Hammerton, Bernie Purcell and Clive Churchill.

South Sydney goal kicking legend Eric Simms.
South Sydney goal kicking legend Eric Simms.

In the late 1950s Souths began a poor run of form failing to make the finals from 19581964. However in 1965 a talented young side made the Grand Final against St. George who were aiming to secure their 10th straight premiership. The young Rabbitohs weren't owerawed by the Dragons formidable experience and in front of a record crowd of 78,056[12] at the Sydney Cricket Ground, they went down narrowly 12–8.[13] The nucleus of this side went on to feature in Australian representative teams for the next six years and ensured another golden period for South Sydney making five successive grand finals from 19671971, winning four. Bob McCarthy, John O'Neill, Eric Simms, Ron Coote, Mike Cleary and John Sattler from 1965 were later joined by Elwyn Walters, Ray Branighan, Paul Sait, Gary Stevens and coach Clive Churchill to form a fearsome combination before internal strife and poaching by other clubs from 1972 onwards unravelled the star studded pack.[14] From this period comes part of South's and Australian Rugby League folklore when in the 1970 premiership decider against Manly, captain John Sattler inspired the side to victory playing out 70 minutes of the match with his jaw broken[15] in three places after being king hit by Manly prop John Bucknall.[16][17]

Financial problems started to hit Souths in the early 1970s, forcing some players to go to other clubs. The licensed Leagues Club, traditionally such an important revenue provider to all first grade league sides, was closed in 1973 but a "Save Our Souths" campaign ensured the club survived. "Super Coach" Jack Gibson's[18] arrival turned the club's form, winning the pre-season competition in 1978.[4] The club captured victories in the mid-week Tooth Cup competition in 1981[19] and in the pre-season "Sevens" competition in 1988.[4] The Rabbitohs were able to make the finals on five occasions in the 1980s, including a dominant season to finish as minor premiers in 1989.[4] The 1989 season proved to be the club's most successful in years, but also marked the last time the club was able to reach the finals until 2007. The following season the Rabbitohs finished as wooden spooners.

The club stayed afloat in the 1990s despite major financial problems. Souths' only success came in 1994 when they won the pre-season competition, defeating the Brisbane Broncos 27–26 in the final.[4] The Super League War and the eventual formation of the National Rugby League affected the club greatly when it was determined in 1998 that the newly formed competition would be contracted to 14 teams for the 2000 season. Following a series of mergers by other teams,[20] South Sydney failed to meet the NRL's selection criteria to compete in the competition and were subsequently excluded from the premiership at the end of the 1999 season.

In 2000 and 2001, South Sydney fought their way back into the competition following a string of high profile legal battles[21] against the National Rugby League and News Limited.[22] A number of well attended public rallies took place during this time, as supporters from many different clubs got behind South Sydney's case. Upon appeal to the Federal Court in 2001,[23] South Sydney won readmission into the premiership for the 2002 season.[24]

Since being readmitted, the Rabbitohs have been rather unsuccessful in the premiership, finishing amongst the bottom three teams for five seasons straight including three wooden spoons. However, following the club's takeover by famous Hollywood actor Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes à Court in 2006,[25] the club has had great success in securing a number of major international player signings as well as recruiting several key managerial positions including Jason Taylor as head coach.

The results were shown on the field with South Sydney winning their first three games of the 2007 season (marking their best start to a season since 1972) and being competitive in every game. On the back of one of the best defenses in the competition, the Rabbitohs finished strongly making the semi finals for the first time since 1989. They finished the season in 7th position, going down to Manly in the playoffs.

On 26 January 2008, the Rabbitohs lost 24-26 to the Leeds Rhinos in front of 12,000 fans at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, the first time first-grade professional rugby league teams from Australia and England have played each other in the United States.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrate their centenary year during the 2008 National Rugby League season. The club is fielding teams in the National Rugby League Telstra Premiership and the Toyota Cup National Youth Competition throughout the 2008 season.

The Rabbitohs also have affiliate clubs in the New South Wales Cup competition (North Sydney Bears) and the European Super League (Leeds Rhinos, the reigning Super League champions).

[edit] Emblem

The original Rabbitohs emblem introduced in 1959
The original Rabbitohs emblem introduced in 1959

One version of how the club got the "Rabbitohs" nickname comes from the team's pre-schism days at the turn of the 20th century. During that period, players wearing their cardinal red and myrtle green football jumpers, earned some extra money on Saturday mornings by hawking rabbits around the district with the traditional cry of "Rabbitoh!" echoing through the narrow streets.[26] As they made a sale, they would sling the bunny from their shoulder and skin it on the spot, inevitably accumulating some of the fur and blood on their jerseys as they did so. When they played in those blood stained jumpers that afternoon, opponents from wealthier rugby clubs did not always appreciate the aroma and would mockingly repeat the "Rabbitoh!" cry.[27]

The Rabbitohs centenary emblem
The Rabbitohs centenary emblem

Another account of the legend relates that the Rabbitoh name was a disparaging reference by opposing teams to South's home ground being plagued with "rabbit 'oles". In those early days Redfern Oval was then known as Nathan's Cow Paddock.[3] Yet another version links the Rabbitoh name as being adopted from that of the touring Australian rugby union teams of the early 1900s who where nicknamed "Rabbits" prior to discarding the name in 1908 in favour of the moniker "Wallabies".[28]

The "Rabbitoh" emblem (a running white rabbit) first appeared on the team's jersey in 1959. The Rabbitoh emblem has in various forms been carried as the club's crest on every player's jersey ever since. The original "Rabbitoh" emblem design that appeared on the team's jerseys throughout the 1960s and 1970s has now been incorporated on the current jersey.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs will celebrate their centenary year during 2008. The club has released a centenary emblem to commemorate the occasion.

[edit] Colours

South Sydney has used cardinal red and myrtle green colours on its playing jerseys for the vast majority of the club's history. Prior to the establishment of the rugby league club in 1908, the South Sydney rugby union team originally wore a red and green hooped jersey. Some sources have suggested that this combination of colours was due to the local rugby union club being nicknamed the "Redfern Waratahs". The first British inhabitants had often called the waratah a "red fern" instead, hence giving the suburb its name, and ultimately the local rugby club its emblem. Red and green dominate the colours of the waratah and hence, possibly, the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club adopted these colours for their jerseys.[28] However, the suburb of Redfern was named in honour of Dr. William Redfern, one of the first doctors of the colony, who treated convicts and poor settlers as well as the wealthy.

The club's jersey has been a hooped-styled one comprising of alternating red and green, and has been used for the vast majority of the club's history.[29] In 1945 and 1946 the club broke with this tradition and used a green design with a red "V" around the collar, before reverting back to the original hoop style. From 1980 to 1984 the team played in a strip which saw the inclusion of white hoops within a predominately green design with a central red stripe and was affectionately known as the "Minties"[30] jersey (so-called due to its apparent similarity to the wrapper design of the popular sweet).[31] With the introduction of "away" jerseys towards the end of the 20th Century, the club initially introduced a predominantly white jersey for away matches which was changed to a predominantly black one for the 2006 season.

Before the start of the 2007 season, the club announced that the away jersey would be styled identically to the traditional home jersey, with the exception of sponsorship and the rabbit emblem, which as been styled similarly to the one that initially featured on jerseys in the 1960s.[32] For home matches, the rabbit emblem remains white and for away matches the emblem is black.[33]

The playing shorts worn were historically black, though in the late 1970s the club adopted green shorts with a red vertical stripe. This was then superseded by the white shorts of the "Minties" outfit. When the club subsequently reverted to their traditional playing strip, the decision was made to wear black shorts once more.

In 2008 the Rabbitohs wear white shorts to match the white stripe running down the side of their jersey.

[edit] Stadium

The Sydney Football Stadium as it appears whilst hosting a National Rugby League finals match.
The Sydney Football Stadium as it appears whilst hosting a National Rugby League finals match.

During the early years of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, "home games" were not assigned as readily as they are today. However, South Sydney played most of their games at the Royal Agricultural Society Ground from 1908 until the club's final departure in 1920. From 1911 onwards, the Sydney Sports Ground was also used interchangeably with the Agricultural Ground over a decade for hosting matches.[34] In 1947 the club played its final season at the Sports Ground, before relocating to Redfern Oval in 1948.[35] It was here that team played in the heart of the club's territory and played the vast majority of its allocated home matches for an extended period of time.

In 1988, the club began to play in the newly built Sydney Football Stadium,[36] built upon the former Sydney Sports Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground No. 2 Oval.

ANZ Stadium, the Rabbitohs current home ground.
ANZ Stadium, the Rabbitohs current home ground.

The side continued to play here up until 2005, with the exception of 2000 and 2001 during South Sydney's absence from the premiership.

In 2006 the club relocated home games to ANZ Stadium in Sydney's west (known as Telstra Stadium until the conclusion of 2007). In February 2008, the Rabbitohs renewed their partnership with ANZ Stadium to play NRL home games and home finals at the venue for the next 10 years, commencing season 2008. The agreement runs until the end of 2017, superseding the inaugural three-year home ground arrangement at ANZ Stadium that started in 2006.

Currently $19.5 million is being spent by the City of Sydney Council[37] to completely upgrade and renovate Redfern Oval. Completion is expected in the later half of 2008. The upgraded ground will provide the Rabbitohs with training facilities as well as the option of hosting minor pre-season and exhibition matches.[37] In the meantime, Erskineville Oval is the club's training venue until the upgrade of Redfern Oval is complete.

[edit] Supporters

One of South Sydney's Corporate Partners is Virgin Blue. One of the airline's Boeing 737s wears the Rabbitohs flag on the nose instead of an Australian flag, with the legend "Proudly flying the flag"
One of South Sydney's Corporate Partners is Virgin Blue. One of the airline's Boeing 737s wears the Rabbitohs flag on the nose instead of an Australian flag, with the legend "Proudly flying the flag"

The South Sydney Rabbitohs continue to have a large supporter base in their traditional areas of South-Eastern Sydney, despite having moved from Redfern Oval two decades ago, whilst also enjoying wide support throughout other rugby league playing centres around the country.[38]The main South Sydney supporters group at matches is known as "The Burrow."[39] By the start of the 2008 season, membership[40] of the Rabbitohs amounted to over 11,500 (including over 6,500 season ticket holders), after it had peaked at some 22,000 when the club was readmitted to the National Rugby League for season 2002.[41]

Souths Sydney's bid for reinstatement, following their exclusion from the competition at the end of the 1999 season, saw a sustained campaign of public support unprecedented in Australian sporting history. In that year 40,000 people[42] attended a rally in the Sydney CBD in support of South Sydney's cause.[43][44] In 2000 and 2001, public street marches took place in Sydney with in excess of 80,000 people rallying behind the Rabbitohs.[24] The club also has a number of high-profile supporters as well, many of whom were dominant figures in their battle to be readmitted into the premiership in 2000 and 2001.[45][46][47]

In season 2007 supporters set a new club record for attendance with an average home crowd figure of 15,702 being the highest ever for the Rabbitohs since the introduction of the home and away system in 1974.

[edit] Link to the indigenous community

Souths has a long history of producing talented indigenous players, including stars such as Eric Simms, Eric Robinson, Kevin Longbottom and, more recently, Nathan Merritt.[48] Throughout its history the club has been a provider of opportunity for young Aboriginal players from both the South Sydney district and regional New South Wales. The link that exists between South Sydney Rugby League Club and the Aboriginal community of the district goes back to the formation of the Redfern All Blacks Football Club[49][50] in 1930, a vitally important nursery for Souths over the years.[51]

Indigenous players in the current Souths squad for 2008 include Nathan Merritt, Dean Widders, Yileen Gordon, Shannon Hegarty, Germaine Paulson, and Beau Champion.

[edit] Rivalries

The Rabbitohs and their fans have built up rivalries with other clubs, particularly the Sydney Roosters, the other remaining foundation club.[52] The Rabbitohs and the Roosters share inner-Sydney territory, resulting in a strong rivalry since 1908 when Souths beat Eastern Suburbs in the first grand final 14-12. Games between the neighbouring foundation clubs have since formed part of the oldest "local derby" in the competition.[53] The rivalry increased after 1950 due to conflict between junior territories and since the 1970s escalated once more as both clubs drew key players away from each other (Souths lost internationals Ron Coote, Elwyn Walters and Jim Morgan to the Roosters from their last era of premiership winning teams, whilst more recently Souths lured key forwards Bryan Fletcher and Peter Cusack away from the Roosters 2002 premiership winning side). In June 2007, amid controversy and much public fanfare, Souths signed from the Roosters Craig Wing, a Souths junior and former Rabbitoh player, on a four-year deal commencing season 2008.[54]

Other long-time traditional rivals include the Manly Sea Eagles (who since 1970 purchased many of Souths' star players)[55] and former clubs the St George Dragons (resulting in the annual Charity Shield match) and Balmain Tigers. The rivalry with Balmain began in 1909 when the Tigers failed to appear for the grand final and thereby forfeited to Souths.[3][6] In 1969 enmity was again fueled between the clubs with Balmain's controversial[56] victory against the Rabbitohs in the grand final that year.[57]

A book, The Book of Feuds, chronicling the rivalries of the Rabbitohs with their NRL competitors was written by Mark Courtney at the instigation of Russell Crowe. It has been used as a motivational tool before Souths matches and was later released on sale to the public.[58]

[edit] Statistics and Records

For more details on this topic, see List of South Sydney Rabbitohs records.

South Sydney are the most successful club in terms of honours and individual player achievements in the history of Australian rugby league.

The club boasts some notable achievements:

  • The Rabbitohs have won the most first grade premierships (20) during the history of elite rugby league competition in Australia.[59]
  • Souths have also won the most reserve grade[60] premierships (20).
  • The club has the distinction of scoring the most points (42), most tries (8) and most goals (9) in a grand final, all achieved against Manly in 1951.[9]
  • Souths' 1925 first grade side is one of six New South Wales sides to ever go through a season undefeated.[7] The club won the premiership in all three grades in 1925, a feat only repeated on three other occasions (Balmain Tigers in 1915 and 1916 and St George Dragons in 1963).

The club's players have also achieved some notable individual game and point scoring milestones:

  • Bob McCarthy holds the record for the most first grade games for the club, having played 211 matches between 1963 and 1978.[61] Craig Coleman and Eric Simms are the only other two players to have played over 200 matches, having taken to the field in 208 and 206 games respectively.[61]
  • Jack Rayner holds the individual record of the most grand final successes as a captain (5) and coach (5) achieved between 1950 and 1955.
  • Eric Simms holds the club record for the most points, tallying 1841 points between 1965 and 1975.[61]
  • Eric Simms scored 265 points on his own for South Sydney in 1969 and this tally along with ones achieved in 1970 and 1967 remain unsurpassed by any other player at the club.[61] The 1969 tally was once a league record, and has since been broken by a number of players at other clubs.
  • Eric Simms still holds a club and competition record for the most number of goals (112 goals and 19 field goals) in a season, most career field goals (86) and most field goals in a game (5).
  • Johnny Graves' tally of 29 points in a match against Eastern Suburbs in 1952[61] remains the club record for the most individual points in a match. Had this feat been scored as it is today it would have stood at 32 points.
  • Between 1921 and 1933 Benny Wearing scored 144 tries in his 172 games for the club,[61] which is an exceptional proportion of tries per games played.
  • Les Brennan's 29 tries in 19 games in 1954 remains a club record,[61] having broken Johnny Graves' tally of 28 in 17 games set just three years earlier.
  • During his career Bob McCarthy scored 100 tries for the club, the most by a forward.[61]

[edit] 2008 Squad

The following list comprises players who are in the Rabbitohs full-time first-grade squad for the 2008 Centenary Season in the NRL Telstra Premiership.

No. Position Player
Flag of New Zealand PR Roy Asotasi (co-captain)
Flag of Australia WG Nathanael Barnes
Flag of Australia FE Beau Champion
Flag of Australia HK Beau Falloon
Flag of New Zealand SR David Fa'alogo
Flag of Australia PR Scott Geddes
Flag of Australia CE Yilleen Gordon
Flag of Australia PR Luke Grant
Flag of Australia PR Michael Greenfield
Flag of Australia CE Shannon Hegarty
Flag of Australia WG Sam Huihahau
Flag of New Zealand SR David Kidwell (co-captain)
Flag of Australia LK Ben Lowe
Flag of Australia PR Jaiman Lowe
Flag of New Zealand HK Issac Luke
Flag of Tonga PR Manase Manuokafoa
No. Position Player
Flag of Australia SR Shannan McPherson
Flag of Australia FB Nathan Merritt
Flag of Lebanon HK George Ndaira
Flag of New Zealand HB Eddie Paea
Flag of New Zealand CE Germaine Paulson
Flag of Australia SR Eddy Pettybourne
Flag of Australia FE Ben Rogers
Flag of New Zealand FE Jeremy Smith
Flag of New Zealand CE Jamie Simpson
Flag of Australia SR Luke Stuart
Flag of Australia LK John Sutton
Flag of Tonga WG Fetuli Talanoa
Flag of New Zealand WG John Tamanika
Flag of Samoa CE Nigel Vagana
Flag of Australia LK Dean Widders
Flag of Australia HB Craig Wing

Coach: Jason Taylor[62]

[edit] Player Gains and Losses for 2008

For more details on this topic, see South Sydney Rabbitohs 2007.

GAINS

Craig Wing (Sydney Roosters), Nathanael Barnes (Tweed Heads Seagulls), Luke Capewell (Brisbane Easts Tigers), Jamie Simpson (Toowoomba Clydesdales), John Tamanika (Brisbane Easts Tigers), George Ndaira (Sydney Roosters).

LOSSES

David Peachey (retired), Paul Mellor (retired), Shane Rigon (retired), Reece Simmonds (retired), Daniel Irvine (retired), Joe Williams (Penrith Panthers), Joe Galuvao (Parramatta Eels), Stuart Webb (St George Illawarra Dragons), Peter Cusack (Hull FC).

[edit] Notable players

For more details on this topic, see South Sydney Rabbitohs players.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs' greatest club side in history, the South Sydney Dream Team,[63] was announced in Sydney on 29 July 2004. The team consists of 17 players (four being reserves) and a coach representing the South Sydney Rabbitohs Football Club from 1908 through to 2004. The team spans the history of the code of rugby league in Australia and has collectively played 2,135 first grade games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, 158 games for New South Wales, 3 games for Queensland and 158 Tests for Australia.

No. Position Player
1 Flag of Australia FB Clive Churchill
2 Flag of Australia WG Harold Horder
3 Flag of Australia CE Herb Gilbert
4 Flag of Australia CE Paul Sait
5 Flag of Australia WG Ian Moir
6 Flag of Australia FE Jim Lisle
7 Flag of Australia HB Bob Grant
8 Flag of Australia PR John Sattler (c)
9 Flag of Australia HK Elwyn Walters
No. Position Player
10 Flag of Australia PR John O'Neill
11 Flag of Australia SR George Treweek
12 Flag of Australia SR Bob McCarthy
13 Flag of Australia LK Ron Coote
14 Flag of Australia RE Greg Hawick
15 Flag of Australia RE Ray Branighan
16 Flag of Australia RE Ian Roberts
17 Flag of Australia RE Les Cowie
Flag of Australia CO Jack Rayner (coach)

In 2002 on the Rabbitohs readmission to the competition, The Magnificent XIII,[64] a team consisting of great South Sydney players over the years was selected by a panel comprised of rugby league journalists and former Souths players and coaches. The team consists of 17 players (four being reserves) and a coach representing the South Sydney Rabbitohs Football Club from 1908 through to 2002.

No. Position Player
1 Flag of Australia FB Clive Churchill (c)
2 Flag of Australia WG Harold Horder
3 Flag of Australia CE Ray Branighan
4 Flag of Australia CE Paul Sait
5 Flag of Australia WG Ian Moir
6 Flag of Australia FE Alf Blair
7 Flag of Australia HB Bob Grant
8 Flag of Australia PR John Sattler
9 Flag of Australia HK George Piggins
No. Position Player
10 Flag of Australia PR John O'Neill
11 Flag of Australia SR Jack Rayner
12 Flag of Australia SR Bob McCarthy
13 Flag of Australia LK Ron Coote
14 Flag of Australia RE Terry Fahey
15 Flag of Australia RE Ziggy Niszczot
16 Flag of Australia RE Elwyn Walters
17 Flag of Australia RE George Treweek
Flag of Australia CO Bernie Purcell (coach)

[edit] Honours

For more details on this topic, see South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours.
1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971
  • Premiership runners-up: 13
1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969
1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989
1932, 1933, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1989
1912, 1919, 1921, 1924, 1925
  • Pre-Season Cup titles: 4
1966, 1969, 1972, 1978
1981
  • Tooheys Challenge: 1
1994
1988
  • Sports Ground Cup: 2
1914, 1915
  • League Cup: 5
1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1922
1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008
1913, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1983
  • Third Grade: 10
1912, 1918, 1925, 1928, 1933, 1962, 1969, 1981, 1986, 1989
1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ In Australia, a foundation club is one that played in the first season of a competition. South Sydney played in the first season of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, the predecessor to the National Rugby League competition.
  2. ^ New South Wales Rugby League (1908–1994), Australian Rugby League (1995–1997), National Rugby League (1998–present).
  3. ^ a b c d Fagan, Sean. South Sydney Rabbitohs. RL1908.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-03.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Ian Heads, South Sydney, Pride of the League, Lothian, 2000.
  5. ^ Season 1908 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  6. ^ a b "The Balmainiacs of 1909" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan.
  7. ^ a b Season 1925 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  8. ^ In 1925 rugby league journalist Claude Corbett nicknamed the club the "Pride of the League" - see page 3 of Ian Heads' book South Sydney, Pride of the League, Lothian, 2000. On the internet Souths are referred to as the Pride of the League on the Sydney Olympic Park website: Sydney Olympic Park. Reference is also made in the official history of the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club by Tom Brock titled South Sydney, Pride of the League, published in 1994. This is mentioned in Mr Brocks' biography: Tom Brock Biography at the Australian Society for Sports History website.
  9. ^ a b Season 1951 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  10. ^ See the 1955 season summary from the official South Sydney website.
  11. ^ See the article 10 of the Best - 1955: The Miracle of '55 by Glenn Jackson in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  12. ^ Record Crowds from the Sydney Cricket Ground - Aussie Stadium website.
  13. ^ Season 1965 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  14. ^ See the chapter Premiers No More in Mark Courtney's Moving the Goalposts, Halstead Press, 2000.
  15. ^ 1970 Grand Final, Souths v Manly from the History of Australian Rugby League reproduced on the Era of the Biff website.
  16. ^ A full description of the famous incident is in the article 10 of the Best - 1970: The Jawdropper by Glenn Jackson in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  17. ^ See reference to John Bucknall from the Soaring Sea Eagles website players page.
  18. ^ Reference to Jack Gibson as a "Super Coach" is common terminology in Australian rugby league circles given Gibson's outstanding coaching record - see: Australian Associated Press, Super coach Gibson salutes his favourite players,The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 August 2003.
  19. ^ See the article 10 of the Best - 1981: The Droughtbreaker by Glenn Jackson in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  20. ^ The St George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers merged into the St George Illawarra Dragons in 1998, the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies merged to form the Wests Tigers in 1999 whilst also in the same year the Manly Sea Eagles and North Sydney Bears (who were excluded from the competition on failing to meet solvency criteria) merged into the Northern Eagles (the merger was subsequently dissolved with Manly re-entering the competition in 2003).
  21. ^ See Before the High Court - Sport and the Law: The South Sydney Appeal by Saul Fridman, Sydney Law Review, Vol 24: 558, 2002.
  22. ^ See "Grassroots Ethics: The Case of Souths versus News Corporation", pages 216–229 of Remote Control: New Media, New Ethics by Michael Moller, edited by Catharine Lumby and Elspeth Probyn, Cambridge University Press, 2003 at Google Books
  23. ^ See South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club Ltd v News Limited FCA 862 (6 July 2001), decision of the Full Bench of the Federal Court of Australia.
  24. ^ a b See "The Souths Revival", page 150 of Strategic Sports Marketing by David Shilbury, Shayne Quick and Hans Westerbeek, Allen & Unwin, 2003 at Google Books
  25. ^ New Era at Souths Begins Today With Official Handover Ceremony from the official South Sydney website.
  26. ^ See the comments of reporter Roy Masters of The Sydney Morning Herald from the transcript of the Channel 9 Sunday TV program cover story: "The Resurrection of the Rabbitohs".
  27. ^ See the comments of ABC radio reporter Joe O'Brien from the transcript of the ABC PM radio program "Rabbitohs continue historic form",broadcast on Friday, 6 July 2001.
  28. ^ a b "Club Histories - New Speculations" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan.
  29. ^ South Sydney traditional jersey from the official South Sydney website.
  30. ^ See the article Having a "Mintie wrapper" in your wardrobe by Mark Courtney in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  31. ^ See '80s Week from the official South Sydney website.
  32. ^ South Sydney 2007 home jersey from the official South Sydney website.
  33. ^ South Sydney 2007 alternate (away) jersey from the official South Sydney website.
  34. ^ South Sydney Co-op.
  35. ^ Redfern Oval from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  36. ^ Sydney Football Stadium from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
  37. ^ a b Proposed Redfern Park Upgrade, on the City of Sydney website.
  38. ^ South Sydney supporter groups from the official South Sydney website.
  39. ^ The Burrow website.
  40. ^ Membership is of the South Sydney Members Rugby League Football Club which owns 25% of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club. The other 75% is owned by businessman Peter Holmes à Court and actor Russell Crowe through their company Blackcourt League Investments - see "Rabbitohs sold", by reporter Margaret El-Chami and presented by Virginia Trioli, 702 ABC Sydney, 20 March 2006.
  41. ^ Glenn Jackson, Pride in the Rabbitohs jersey - and dollars, too, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 December 2006.
  42. ^ Reclaiming the Game: Fandom, Community and Globalisation, by Michael Moller, from the APINetwork website.
  43. ^ In George We Trust, producd by Helen Grasswill, Australian Story transcript, 2 August 2001, from the ABC website.
  44. ^ See the chapters Reclaim the Game and Taking it to the Streets in Mark Courtney's Moving the Goalposts, Halstead Press, 2000.
  45. ^ See pages 16 and 17 of South's 2007 Corporate Partnership Brochure.
  46. ^ See page 16 of South's 2007 Corporate Partnership Brochure where Shane Warne is being presented with his own personalised Souths jersey.
  47. ^ See Shane Warne at the Rabbitohs Twenty20 Cricket day from the official South Sydney website.
  48. ^ See the article Red and Green and Black by Shayne Bugden in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  49. ^ Who are the Redfern All Blacks from the Redfern All Blacks website.
  50. ^ A Club to be proud of... by Ken Brindle, Hon. Secretary Redfern All Blacks, in New Dawn, June 1970.
  51. ^ See section on The History of the Rabbitohs and the Indigenous Community by Ian Heads in the article Rabbitohs and NASCA Form New Alliance, from the official South Sydney website.
  52. ^ Will Swanton, Shove thy neighbour: Souths rule the roost, The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 August 2005.
  53. ^ Iain Payten, Souths' bitter blast at Roosters The Daily Telegraph, 15 March 2007.
  54. ^ Rabbitohs Sign Craig Wing for Four Years. Souths.com (2007-06-20).
  55. ^ Key Souths players purchased by Manly included internationals John O'Neill, Ray Branighan, Elwyn Walters, Mark Carroll, Terry Hill, Jim Serdaris and Ian Roberts and other stars such as Bob Moses, Tom Mooney and Craig Field.
  56. ^ Balmain players feigned injury in order to slow down the game, disrupt Souths attacking momentum and run-down the clock to full-time - see the 1969 season summary from the official South Sydney website.
  57. ^ Five of the best: grand final controversies from the Sydney Morning Herald website, 1 October 2004.
  58. ^ "Bitter feud to get public airing", Adrian Proszenko, League HQ, 2 September 2007
  59. ^ NRL Premiership records from the official NRL website.
  60. ^ a b Up until 2002, the second division of rugby league in New South Wales was Reserve Grade/Presidents Cup/First Division Premiers; since then, it has been the NSWRL Premier League.
  61. ^ a b c d e f g h Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
  62. ^ South Sydney coaching profile for season 2007 from the official NRL website.
  63. ^ South Sydney Dream Team from the official South Sydney website.
  64. ^ See "The Magnificent XIII" in the article Hall of Fame in Souths The People's Team, edited by Angus Fontaine, League Week, ACP Publishing, 2002.
  65. ^ Up until 1994, the top division of the premiership in New South Wales was the New South Wales Rugby League premiership; since then, it has been the Australian Rugby League (1995–1997) and the National Rugby League.

[edit] Works cited

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