History of the South Sydney Rabbitohs facts for kids

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a famous rugby league team in Australia. Their history goes all the way back to 1908, making them one of the oldest clubs in the National Rugby League (NRL). They are one of only two original clubs still playing today, along with the Sydney Roosters.

Starting Out

The South Sydney rugby union team in 1902. This team wore the famous red and green colours!

The South Sydney rugby league club was one of the first three rugby league teams in Australia. It was created on January 17, 1908, at Redfern Town Hall. Many people came to support the new club.

Souths played their very first game on April 20, 1908, beating North Sydney 11–7. They won the first-ever Sydney championship that year, beating Eastern Suburbs 14–12. The next year, they won again because their opponents, Balmain, didn't show up!

Arthur Hennessy was a very important person in the club's early days. He was Souths' first captain and coach. He also captained New South Wales and Australia in 1908.

The team's jerseys were (and still are!) cardinal red and myrtle green. Some people think these colours came from the local rugby union club, which was called the "Redfern Waratahs." The waratah flower is red and green.

The most famous story about how the club got its "Rabbitohs" nickname is from their early days. Players would sell rabbits around the area on Saturday mornings, shouting "Rabbitoh!" When they sold a rabbit, they would skin it on the spot. This would often get fur and blood on their jerseys. When they played in these stained jerseys, opposing teams would tease them by shouting "Rabbitoh!"

Souths won more championships in 1914 and 1918. Then, they had their first "golden era," winning seven out of eight championships between 1925 and 1932. In 1925, they had an amazing season, winning all 15 of their games! This team is still the only Souths team to go through a season undefeated. Because they were so good, people called them "The Pride of the League."

After 1932, Souths didn't win another championship until 1950. In 1948, they started playing their home games at Redfern Oval.

The Golden Era of the 1950s

In 1950, Souths won their twelfth championship. They beat Newtown 30–4 and then Wests 21–15 in the final.

1951 was another fantastic year. Souths finished far ahead of other teams and then beat Manly 42–14 in the championship game. Their 42 points is still the highest score by a team in a grand final!

In 1952, Souths lost a close and controversial final to Western Suburbs. Key players during this time included captain Jack Rayner, Clive Churchill, Johnny Graves, and Bernie Purcell.

Souths won again in 1953 and 1954.

The 1955 season is one of the most famous stories in Australian sport. It's called "The miracle of '55." Souths had a tough start but then won 11 important games in a row to make it to the finals. They came from behind in many matches. Even with stars like Greg Hawick and Clive Churchill injured, they kept fighting. In the grand final against Newtown, they were losing 11–7 with only six minutes left. But a try by Col Donohoe and a goal by Bernie Purcell gave them a thrilling 12–11 victory!

After 1955, the St. George Dragons started their long winning streak. Souths finished third in 1956 and 1957 but didn't make the grand final.

"The Little Master"

Arthur Hennessy, South Sydney's first captain and coach.

Clive Churchill was the heart of the Rabbitohs in the 1950s. He was nicknamed "The Little Master" and is considered one of Australia's greatest rugby league players. He was a fullback who changed how the position was played.

Churchill was small but incredibly skilled. He captained Australia in a record 24 Test matches. He played 34 Tests for Australia and was part of the 1954 World Cup team. He finished playing for South Sydney in 1958.

After being a star player, Churchill returned as coach in 1967. He helped Souths win four more championships.

Clive Churchill passed away in 1985 at age 58. A stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground is named after him. Also, the best player in the grand final each year wins the "Clive Churchill Medal" in his honour.

Glory Years: The 1960s and 1970s

After their success in the 1950s, Souths had to wait until 1965 to reach another grand final. In 1967, Clive Churchill came back as coach. He built a strong team with players like Ron Coote, Bob McCarthy, Gary Stevens, and their inspiring captain John Sattler.

In 1965, a huge crowd of 78,056 people watched Souths play the mighty St. George in the grand final. Souths showed great courage but lost 12–8.

Souths then won four out of the next five championships between 1967 and 1971.

• In 1967, they beat Canterbury 12–10.
• In 1968, they defeated Manly 13–9.
• They lost the 1969 grand final to Balmain.
• In 1970, Souths convincingly beat Manly.
• Their last grand final victory for 43 years was in 1971, beating St. George 16–10.

This team had many talented players, including goal-kicking legend Eric Simms and dual rugby internationals Michael Cleary and Jimmy Lisle.

Captain John Sattler showed incredible courage in the 1970 grand final. He broke his jaw early in the game but kept playing the entire match, leading his team to victory.

Eric Simms broke many point-scoring records. In 1969, he scored 265 points in a season, a new record. He was so good at kicking field goals that in 1971, the game's rules were changed to make field goals worth one point instead of two.

In 1975, Souths had eight international players, which was a club record.

Tough Times and the 1980s Comeback

Souths faced financial problems in the 1970s. Many key players left the club. The Souths Leagues Club even closed its doors in 1973. But a "Save Our Souths" campaign helped the Rabbitohs survive.

Things started to improve in 1978 when Jack Gibson became coach. Souths won a pre-season competition and finished second in the club championship.

Robert 'Rocky' Laurie was a star player in 1980, winning the 'Dally M' award.

In the 1980s, Souths won the mid-week Tooth Cup in 1981 and a pre-season 'Sevens' competition in 1988. They made the semi-finals several times, including 1989, when they finished as minor premiers (top of the ladder).

In 1989, Souths had a fantastic regular season, losing only three games. However, they lost in the semi-finals to Balmain and then Canberra, ending their best chance to return to their glory days.

Key players during this time included captain Mario Fenech, brothers Les and Ian Roberts, and Craig Coleman.

The Difficult 1990s and Being Excluded

The 1990s brought more challenges for Souths. After being minor premiers in 1989, they finished last in 1990. The club struggled financially and lost many talented players.

The "Super League war" led to plans to reduce the number of Sydney teams. Souths was one of the clubs targeted. Even though they played in the new National Rugby League (NRL) from 1998, the NRL decided to cut South Sydney from the competition for the 2000 season.

Fighting Back and Coming Back

Souths fans, led by George Piggins, fought hard to bring their club back. They held public rallies and took legal action against the NRL. Their strong support across Sydney and Australia helped them win. Souths were allowed back into the NRL competition for the 2002 season.

The Comeback: 2002–2004 Seasons

After being out of the competition, the Rabbitohs had to build a completely new team for 2002. It was a tough return, and they didn't perform as well as they hoped. However, they did manage to win some games. In 2003, they finished last.

In 2004, Shane Richardson became the new CEO. He had helped the Penrith Panthers win a championship in 2003. Richardson said he expected Souths to be competing in the NRL finals by 2008.

2007 Season

For the 2007 season, Souths signed several big-name players, including Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, and Nigel Vagana. Roy Asotasi was very popular and considered one of the best prop forwards in the game.

The team's results improved a lot. Souths won their first three games of the season, their best start since 1972. They had one of the best defences in the competition. They finished the season in 7th place with 12 wins, making the semi-finals for the first time since 1989. Their season ended with a loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the first week of the finals.

2008 Season

The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated their 100th year in 2008. They also played a special game against the Leeds Rhinos from England in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. It was the first time professional rugby league teams from Australia and England played each other in the United States. Many famous people, including Russell Crowe, watched the game.

2009 Season

In 2009, Souths finished 10th and missed the finals. Their coach, Jason Taylor, was sacked after an argument with a player.

The 2010s

After Jason Taylor, John Lang coached the team for two years. Souths just missed the finals in 2010 and 2011.

In 2012, Michael Maguire became coach. Souths finished 3rd, their best finish since 1989. They reached the preliminary final but lost to Canterbury-Bankstown.

In 2013, Souths finished 2nd. They reached the preliminary final again but lost to Manly-Warringah after leading at half-time.

2014: Grand Final Victory!

In 2014, South Sydney finished third. They beat Manly and their rivals Eastern Suburbs to reach their first grand final in 43 years!

The following week, South Sydney defeated Canterbury 30–6 in the 2014 grand final, winning their first championship in 43 years. The game is famous for Sam Burgess breaking his cheekbone in the very first tackle but continuing to play the entire match. His brother George Burgess also scored a great try. After the match, Sam Burgess was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for being the best player.

In 2015, South Sydney won the pre-season Auckland Nines competition. They started the season well but injuries meant they finished 7th and were knocked out of the finals early.

In 2016 and 2017, Souths missed the finals, finishing 12th both years. Coach Michael Maguire was let go in September 2017.

2018

Anthony Seibold became the new coach for 2018. Many experts didn't expect Souths to do well, but they finished 3rd! In the finals, they had a very close loss to Melbourne. Then, they beat St George 13–12 thanks to three field goals from Adam Reynolds, including one in the last minute. In the preliminary final, they lost to their rivals Eastern Suburbs in the last match ever played at the Sydney Football Stadium.

At the end of 2018, Seibold left to coach the Brisbane Broncos, and Wayne Bennett became the new South Sydney coach.

2019

South Sydney started the 2019 season very strongly, winning 10 of their first 11 games. After a tough period, they recovered to finish 3rd and make the finals.

They lost their first finals game to the Sydney Roosters. Then, they won a tough match against Manly-Warringah to reach their second preliminary final in a row. However, they lost to Canberra 16–10, missing out on the grand final.

The 2020s

2020

South Sydney finished 6th in the 2020 season and made the finals. They had some big wins, including beating Parramatta 38–0 and their rivals the Sydney Roosters 60–8 (their biggest ever win against them!). Souths beat Newcastle and Parramatta in the finals to reach the preliminary final against Penrith. They lost a close game 20–16, ending their season. This was their third preliminary final loss in a row.

2021

South Sydney was one of the top teams in the 2021 season. After a loss in the first round, they won seven games in a row. They had some big losses later in the season but finished 3rd after winning 13 of their last 14 matches.

In the finals, Souths beat Penrith 16–10 to reach the preliminary final for the fourth year in a row. They then defeated Manly 36–16 to make the Grand Final for the first time since 2014!

In the 2021 NRL Grand Final, South Sydney was down 8–6 at half-time against Penrith. In the second half, a pass from Cody Walker was intercepted by a Penrith player, who scored a try. With five minutes left, Souths scored a try. Captain Adam Reynolds had a tough kick from the sideline to tie the game, but he just missed. In the final minute, Reynolds tried a two-point field goal, but it fell short. Penrith won the match 14–12.

2022

After coach Wayne Bennett and captain Adam Reynolds left, Jason Demetriou became the new coach and Cameron Murray became captain. The 2022 season started slowly for Souths, but they finished strongly, winning seven of their last ten games. They finished 7th.

In the first week of the finals, Souths beat their rivals the Sydney Roosters 30–14 in a game that had a record seven players sent to the sin bin! The next week, Souths easily beat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 38–12, reaching their fifth preliminary final in a row. They faced the Penrith Panthers again and led 12–0, but Penrith scored five tries in a row to win 32–12, ending South Sydney’s season.

Souths Victory Song – Club Song

The Souths Victory Song is called Glory Glory to South Sydney. It uses the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It was written before 1967 and became very popular. When Souths won the first televised grand final in 1967, the song was recorded and played on radio and TV. It became so popular that a record was made and sold to the public.

The record was made with 15 musicians and four backup singers. The lead singer was Terry Holden. Thousands of copies of the song were sold, with the money going to charity.

The song is still used today, and it's believed to be the first club song specifically written for any Australian rugby league team.

The "Mounties" mentioned in the song refer to North Sydney. This nickname came from their red and black colours, which were similar to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Supporters

Over the years, the South Sydney club has had many famous fans. Many of them helped fight to bring the club back into the NRL after they were excluded. These supporters include Andrew Denton, Ray Martin, and John Jarratt.

Images for kids

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  The South Sydney rugby union team of 1902 which included Arthur Hennessy, South Sydney rugby league club's first captain and coach. The rugby union club sported the original famous red and green colours.

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  Arthur Hennessy, South Sydney's first captain and coach.