South Sydney Rabbitohs
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| South Sydney Rabbitohs | |
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| Full name | South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | Rabbitohs |
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| Founded | 1908 as South Sydney |
| Ground | Telstra Stadium Homebush, Sydney |
| Capacity | 83,500 |
| CEO |  Shane Richardson |
| Coach | Jason Taylor |
| League | National Rugby League |
| 2006 | National Rugby League, 15th |
The South Sydney Rabbitohs, known colloquially as Souths, are a team in the National Rugby League, the premier rugby league competition in Australia. Founded in 1908, the club 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.
The Rabbitohs' traditional heartland covers the working class suburbs on the southern edges of Sydney city however they have long held a wide supporter base spread all over country New South Wales. Previous home grounds have included Redfern Oval and Aussie Stadium, and currently Telstra Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.
South Sydney are the most successful professional team in the history of Australian rugby league, having won 20 first grade premierships. However, they have not won a premiership since 1971, and last made the playoffs in 1989.
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[edit] History
- 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[1][2] when administrator J J Giltinan, cricketer Victor Trumper and politician Henry Clement Hoyle came together in front of a large crowd of supporters. 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. The team went on to win the inaugural premiership then successfully defended their title in the 1909 season, winning the Grand Final by default.[3] After further premiership success in 1914 and 1918, South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from 1925–1932, only missing out in 1930. The 1925 side went through the season undefeated 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".[4][2]
In the 1950s South Sydney again had great success, winning five of the six premierships from 1950–1955, 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 remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of '55"[5] 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.
In the late 1950s Souths began a poor run of form failing to make the finals from 1958–1964. 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[6] at the Sydney Cricket Ground, they went down narrowly 12–8. 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 1967–1971, 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 unravelled the star studded pack. From this period comes part of South's and Australian Rugby League folklore when in the 1970 premiership decider against Manly, captain Sattler inspired the side to victory playing out 70 minutes of the match with his jaw broken[7] in three places after being king hit by Manly prop John Bucknall.
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[8] arrival turned the club's form, winning the pre-season competition in 1978. The club captured victories in the mid-week Tooth Cup competition in 1981 and in the pre-season "Sevens" competition in 1988. 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. The 1989 season proved to be the club's most successful in years, but also marked the last time the club has been able to reach the finals. 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. The outbreak of Super League in the mid 1990s affected South Sydney greatly, and after both the Australian Rugby League and Super League reached an agreement to form the National Rugby League in 1998 and a 14-team competition by 2000, South Sydney were the sole club from 15 applicants to be cut 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 against the National Rugby League and News Limited. 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 in 2001, South Sydney won readmission into the premiership for the 2002 season.
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 a Court in 2006, the club has had great success in securing a number of major player signings as well as recruiting several key managerial positions including Jason Taylor as head coach.
[edit] Crest
One version of how the club got the "Rabbitohs" nickname comes from their rugby union days at the turn of the 20th century. In those hard times, 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.[9] 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.[10]
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.[2] 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".[11]
The "Rabbitoh" emblem (a white running 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 all players jerseys ever since. The original "Rabbitoh" emblem design that appeared on the team's jerseys throughout the 1960s and 1970's has now been incorporated on the current jersey.
[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. 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.[11]
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. In 1945 and 1946, the club broke with this tradition and used a green design with a red "V' around the collar, although this was soon reverted. In 1980 the team played in a strip which saw the inclusion of white hoops within the red and green and was affectionately known as the "Minties" jersey.
Television personality and prominent Souths supporter Don Lane was one of those instrumental in its introduction. 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. For home matches, the rabbit emblem will remain white and for away matches the emblem will be black.
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 superceded 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.
[edit] Stadium
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.[12] In 1947 the club played its final season at the Sports Ground, before relocating to Redfern Oval in 1948. 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, built upon the former Sydney Sports Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground No. 2 Oval.
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 games to Telstra Stadium in Sydney's west, where it continues to be stationed for home matches until the club's contract with Telstra Stadium ends at the end of 2008.
Currently $19.5 million is being spent by the City of Sydney Council[13] to completely upgrade and renovate Redfern Oval which will allow the Rabbitohs to return to Redfern in 2008 for training as well as the option of hosting minor pre-season and exhibition matches.[13]
[edit] Supporters
The Rabbitohs continue to have a large supporter base in their traditional areas of southern Sydney, despite having moved from Redfern Oval many years ago. The main South Sydney supporters group at matches is known as "The Burrow."
The club has a number of high-profile supporters[14] as well, many of whom were dominant figures in their battle to be readmitted into the premiership in 2000 and 2001. These include: Russell Crowe, Martin Crowe, Andrew Denton, Jason Gillespie, Nick Greiner, Peter Holmes à Court, Don Lane, Ray Martin, Sam Miller, Alan Jones, Nick Pappas, Ricky Ponting, Mikey Robbins, Jonathan Ross, Jane Saville, Shane Warne and Mike Whitney.
[edit] Statistics and Records
- For more details on this topic, see List of South Sydney Rabbitohs records.
Games
Bob McCarthy holds the record for the most first grade games for the club, having played 211 matches between 1963 and 1978.[15] 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.[15]
Points
Eric Simms holds the club record for the most points, tallying 1841 points between 1965 and 1975.[15] Johnny Graves' tally of 29 points in a match against Eastern Suburbs in 1952[15] 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. 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.[15] The 1969 tally was once a league record, and has since been broken by a number of players at other clubs.
Goals
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).
Tries
Between 1921 and 1933 Benny Wearing scored 144 tries in his 172 games for the club,[15] which is an exceptional proportion of tries per games played. Les Brennan's 29 tries in 19 games in 1954 remain a club record,[15] 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.[15]
Premierships
The Rabbitohs have won the most first grade premierships, 20 in all.[16] They have also won the most reserve grade premierships, again 20.
Jack Rayner holds the individual record of the most grand final successes as a captain (5) and coach (5) achieved between 1950 and 1955.
Other records
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.
Souths' 1925 first grade side is one of six NSW sides to ever go through a season undefeated. 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).
[edit] Current Squad
While other players may play for South Sydney during the year, the Rabbitohs as with every NRL club are required to select a top 25 First Grade squad at the beginning of the season. Below is a list of the 25 players in the Rabbitoh's NRL squad for season 2007.
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Coach: Jason Taylor
[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,[17] was announced in Sydney on 29 July, 2004. The team consists of 17 players 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.
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[edit] Honours
- For more details on this topic, see South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours.
- New South Wales Rugby League, Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League Premierships[18]: 20
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- 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971
- Premiership runners-up: 13
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- 1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969
- New South Wales Rugby League, Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League minor premierships: 17
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- 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989
- New South Wales Rugby League Club Championships: 9
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- 1932, 1933, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1989
- City Cup: 5
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- 1912, 1919, 1921, 1924, 1925
- Pre-Season Cup titles: 4
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- 1966, 1969, 1972, 1978
- Tooth Cup: 1
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- 1981
- Tooheys Challenge: 1
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- 1994
- Sevens: 1
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- 1988
- Sports Ground Cup: 2
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- 1914, 1915
- League Cup: 5
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- 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1922
- Charity Shield: 10
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- 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006
- First Division, Premier League[19]: 20
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- 1913, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1983
- Jersey Flegg: 10
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- 1912, 1918, 1925, 1928, 1933, 1962, 1969, 1981, 1986, 1989
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ See page 15 of the South Sydney Members Rugby League Football Club Ltd 1st Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 October 2006.
- ^ a b c South Sydney Rabbitohs RL1908.com by Sean Fagan.
- ^ "The Balmainiacs of 1909" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan.
- ^ 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.
- ^ See the 1955 season summary from the official South Sydney website.
- ^ Record Crowds from the Sydney Cricket Ground - Aussie Stadium website.
- ^ 1970 Grand Final, Souths v Manly from the History of Australian Rugby League reproduced on the Era of the Biff website.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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".
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Club Histories - New Speculations" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan.
- ^ South Sydney Co-op.
- ^ a b Proposed Redfern Park Upgrade, on the City of Sydney website.
- ^ See pages 16 and 17 of South's 2007 Corporate Partnership Brochure.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
- ^ NRL Premiership records from the official NRL website.
- ^ South Sydney Dream Team from the official South Sydney website.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
[edit] References
- Rugby League Tables & Statistics The World of Rugby League.
- Rabbitohs Club Records National Rugby League.
- South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs official website.
- South Sydney Rabbitohs RL1908.com.
- South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Olympic Park.
- Tom Brock Biography Australian Society for Sports History.
- Andrews, Malcolm. The ABC of Rugby League. Australia: ABC Books, 2006.
[edit] External links
- South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Rabbitoh Warren
- The Pride
- The Burrow
- MightyRabbits.com.au
- Daily Telegraph - South Sydney Rabbitohs 2007 season feature
| South Sydney Rugby League Football Club |
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| Football Club | History | Players | Club Records | Charity Shield | Competition Honours | Redfern Oval | Telstra Stadium |
