SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

The 'South Sydney Rabbitohs', also known as 'Souths', '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 the 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 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.
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. This season Souths have qualified for their first finals series since 1989.

Contents

Emblem

Colours

Supporters

Link to the indigenous community

Rivalries

Statistics and Records

Current Squad

Notable players

Honours

References

Footnotes

Works cited

External links

Emblem

One version of how the club got the "Rabbitohs" nickname comes from their rugby union 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.^[3] 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.^[4]
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.^[5] 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".^[6]
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 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.

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.^[6] 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.^[8] 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"^[9] jersey (so-called due to its apparent similarity to the wrapper design of the popular sweet).^[10] 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.^[11] For home matches, the rabbit emblem remains white and for away matches the emblem is black.^[12]
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.

Supporters

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.^[13]The main South Sydney supporters group at matches is known as "The Burrow."^[14] By the start of 2007, membership^[15] of the Rabbitohs amounted to around 10,000, after it had peaked at some 22,000 when the club was readmitted to the National Rugby League for season 2002.^[16]
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^[17] attended a rally in the Sydney CBD in support of South Sydney's cause.^[18][19] In 2000 and 2001, public street marches took place in Sydney with in excess of 80,000 people rallying behind the Rabbitohs.^[20] 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.^[21][22][23]

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.^[24] 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^[25][26] in 1930, a vitally important nursery for Souths over the years.^[27]

Rivalries

The Rabbitohs and their fans have built up rivalries with other clubs, particularly the Sydney Roosters, the other remaining foundation club.^[28] 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. Games between the neighbouring foundation clubs have since formed part of the oldest "local derby" in the competition.^[29] 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.^[30]
Other long-time traditional rivals include the Manly Sea Eagles and former clubs the St George Dragons 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.^[5][32] In 1969 enmity was again fueled between the clubs with Balmain's controversial^[33] victory against the Rabbitohs in the grand final that year.^[34]

Statistics and Records

South Sydney are one of the most successful clubs 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.^[35]

★ Souths have also won the most reserve grade^[36] 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.^[37]

★ Souths' 1925 first grade side is one of six New South Wales sides to ever go through a season undefeated.^[38] 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.^[39] 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.^[39]

★ 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.^[39]

★ 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.^[39] 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^[39] 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,^[39] which is an exceptional proportion of tries per games played.

★ Les Brennan's 29 tries in 19 games in 1954 remain a club record,^[39] 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.^[39]

Current Squad

The following list comprises players who have played with the Rabbitohs first-grade team in the NRL Telstra Premiership during season 2007.^[47]
[48]
'Coach:' Jason Taylor^[49]

Notable players

The South Sydney Rabbitohs' greatest club side in history, the ''South Sydney Dream Team'',^[50] 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.
In 2002 on the Rabbitohs readmission to the competition, ''The Magnificent XIII'',^[51] 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.

Honours

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

★

References

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. 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".
4. 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.
5. South Sydney Rabbitohs Fagan, Sean
6. "Club Histories - New Speculations" ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan.
7. "Club Histories - New Speculations" ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan.
8. South Sydney traditional jersey from the official South Sydney website.
9. 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.
10. See '80s Week from the official South Sydney website.
11. South Sydney 2007 home jersey from the official South Sydney website.
12. South Sydney 2007 alternate (away) jersey from the official South Sydney website.
13. South Sydney supporter groups from the official South Sydney website.
14. The Burrow website.
15. 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.
16. Glenn Jackson, Pride in the Rabbitohs jersey - and dollars, too, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 20 December, 2006.
17. Reclaiming the Game: Fandom, Community and Globalisation, by Michael Moller, from the APINetwork website.
18. In George We Trust, producd by Helen Grasswill, ''Australian Story'' transcript, 2 August 2001, from the ABC website.
19. See the chapters ''Reclaim the Game'' and ''Taking it to the Streets'' in Mark Courtney's ''Moving the Goalposts'', Halstead Press, 2000.
20. See "The Souths Revival", page 150 of ''Strategic Sports Marketing'' by David Shilbury, Shayne Quick and Hans Westerbeek, Allen & Unwin, 2003 at Google Books
21. See pages 16 and 17 of South's 2007 Corporate Partnership Brochure.
22. See page 16 of South's 2007 Corporate Partnership Brochure where Shane Warne is being presented with his own personalised Souths jersey.
23. See Shane Warne at the Rabbitohs Twenty20 Cricket day from the official South Sydney website.
24. 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.
25. Who are the Redfern All Blacks from the Redfern All Blacks website.
26. A Club to be proud of... by Ken Brindle, Hon. Secretary Redfern All Blacks, in ''New Dawn'', June 1970.
27. 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.
28. Will Swanton, Shove thy neighbour: Souths rule the roost, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 21 August, 2005.
29. Iain Payten, Souths' bitter blast at Roosters ''The Daily Telegraph'', 15 March, 2007.
30. Rabbitohs Sign Craig Wing for Four Years
31. South Sydney Rabbitohs Fagan, Sean
32. "The Balmainiacs of 1909" ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan.
33. 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.
34. Five of the best: grand final controversies from the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' website, 1 October 2004.
35. NRL Premiership records from the official NRL website.
36. 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.
37. Season 1951 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
38. Season 1925 from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website.
39. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
40. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
41. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
42. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
43. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
44. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
45. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
46. Rabbitohs Club Records from the official NRL website.
47. South Sydney players for season 2007 from the official South Sydney website.
48. Following a season ending knee injury to David Kidwell, Roy Asotasi was named as replacement co-captain for the remainder of the season just prior to round six of the 2007 NRL competition.
49. South Sydney coaching profile for season 2007 from the official South Sydney website.
50. South Sydney Dream Team from the official South Sydney website.
51. 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.

Works cited

★ The ABC of Rugby League, , Malcolm, Andrews, ABC Books, 2006, ISBN 9780733319464

★ Moving the Goalposts, , Mark, Courtney, Halstead Press, 2000, ISBN 1-8756-8449-2

★ Souths The People's Team, , Angus (ed), Fontaine, ACP Publishing, 2002,

★ South Sydney, Pride of the League, , Ian, Heads, Lothian, 2000, ISBN 0-7344-0152-3

★ Never Say Die - The Fight to Save the Rabbitohs, , George, Piggins, Macmillan, 2002, ISBN 9780732911058

★ The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players - South Sydney Rabbitohs, , Alan, Whiticker, Bas Publishing, 2005, ISBN 1920910581

★ Rabbitohs Club Records

★ Rugby League Tables and Statistics

★ South Sydney Rabbitohs

★ Sean Fagan's Rugby League History

★ Sydney Olympic Park

★ Biography

External links

★ South Sydney Rabbitohs

★ Rabbitoh Warren

★ The Pride

★ The Burrow

★ MightyRabbits.com.au

★ South Side Story

★ The Singers End