South Sydney Rabbitohs facts for kids
 |
|||
| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) |
|
||
| Website | rabbitohs.com.au | ||
| Colours | Red Green |
||
| Founded | 17 January 1908 | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) |
|
||
| CEO | Blake Solly | ||
| Chairman | Nick Pappas | ||
| Coach | Wayne Bennett | ||
| Captain | Cameron Murray | ||
| 2024 season | 16th | ||
| Uniforms | |||
|
|||
| Records | |||
| Premierships | 21 (1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 2014) | ||
| Runners-up | 14 (1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021) | ||
| Minor premiership | 17 (1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989) | ||
| Wooden spoons | 8 (1945, 1946, 1962, 1975, 1990, 2003, 2004, 2006) | ||
| Most capped | 336 - John Sutton | ||
| Highest points scorer | 1,896 - Adam Reynolds | ||
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional rugby league team from Sydney, Australia. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The club is often called Souths or the Bunnies.
The Rabbitohs were one of the first rugby league teams in Australia, formed in 1908. They are one of only two original clubs from New South Wales still in the NRL today. Their home ground is Stadium Australia in Sydney Olympic Park. South Sydney is the most successful team in Australian rugby league history, with twenty-one first-grade championships.
Contents
The History of the South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club started on January 17, 1908. Important figures like J. J. Giltinan and Victor Trumper were at the first meeting. The club played its first game on April 20, 1908, beating North Sydney 11–7. They won the first championship that year and again in 1909.
Arthur Hennessy was a key person in the club's early days. He was Souths' first captain and coach. He also captained New South Wales and Australia in 1908.
Early Success and Challenges (1914–1948)
South Sydney won more championships in 1914 and 1918. They were very strong between 1925 and 1932, winning seven out of eight championships. The 1925 team was amazing, going undefeated for 12 games. This made them known as "The Pride of the League."
However, the team faced tough times from 1940 to 1948. They had a long losing streak of 22 games between 1945 and 1947. In 1946, they didn't win any games at all.
The Golden Era of the 1950s (1949–1957)
Starting in 1949, South Sydney had a period of great success. They won five championships from 1950 to 1955. In 1951, they scored a record 42 points in their Grand Final win against Manly-Warringah. The 1955 team achieved a "miracle" by winning 11 straight sudden-death games to claim the championship.
Famous players from this era included Clive Churchill, nicknamed "the Little Master." He was one of Australia's greatest rugby league players. After 1957, Souths had a tough period, missing the finals until 1964. They even finished last in 1962.
More Championship Wins (1965–1971)
In 1965, a young Souths team played in the Grand Final against St. George. Even though they lost, it showed their potential. This team went on to play in five Grand Finals in a row from 1967 to 1971, winning four of them.
Key players like Bob McCarthy, John O'Neill, and Ron Coote were part of this successful period. A famous moment happened in the 1970 Grand Final when captain John Sattler played most of the game with a broken jaw, leading his team to victory.
Financial Struggles and Exclusion (1972–1999)
In the 1970s, Souths faced financial problems. The club's Leagues Club closed in 1973, but a "Save Our Souths" campaign helped them survive. They won some smaller competitions in the 1980s and finished first in the regular season in 1989. This was their last finals appearance until 2007.
The club faced big challenges with the creation of the National Rugby League (NRL). In 1998, the NRL decided to reduce the number of teams. South Sydney was unfortunately excluded from the competition at the end of the 1999 season.
The Fight to Return
South Sydney fans and supporters fought hard to get the club back into the NRL. Many public rallies were held, with thousands of people showing their support. In 2001, after legal battles, South Sydney won its case and was allowed back into the NRL for the 2002 season.
The National Rugby League Era (2002–Present)
After returning to the NRL, South Sydney struggled for a few years. In 2006, actor Russell Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes à Court took over the club. This helped turn things around. In the 2007 season, South Sydney made the finals for the first time since 1989.
The club celebrated its 100th year in 2008. They were even named a 'Community Icon' for their long history in Australian sport.
Return to Championship Success
The team got stronger with players like Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis joining in the early 2010s. In 2014, Souths reached their first Grand Final since 1971. They defeated Canterbury 30–6 to win the championship, ending a 43-year wait. Sam Burgess won the Clive Churchill Medal for being the best player in the Grand Final, even though he played with a broken cheekbone.
After this win, the team received the Keys to the City from both Randwick and Sydney councils. In 2014, businessman James Packer bought a share of the club.
Souths continued to be a strong team, reaching the preliminary finals five times in a row from 2018 to 2022. In the 2021 Grand Final, they narrowly lost to Penrith 14–12.
In 2022, Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes also became a part-owner of the Rabbitohs. As of 2023, these three owners (Crowe, Packer, Cannon-Brookes) own 75% of the club, with fans owning the remaining 25%.
In the 2023 NRL season, Souths missed the finals after a tough second half of the season. In the 2024 NRL season, the team had a difficult start, leading to coach Jason Demetriou being replaced by Ben Hornby. South Sydney finished the 2024 season in 16th place.
Club Symbols
The Rabbitoh Emblem
The club's mascot is the rabbitoh. This old term was used for people who sold rabbits at markets, shouting "rabbit-oh!" to attract customers. The team is also called the Rabbits or Bunnies.
There are different stories about how the name came about. One story says that some early players sold rabbits and their jerseys would get stained with blood. Opposing teams would then mock them by shouting "Rabbitoh!"
The running white rabbit emblem first appeared on the team's jersey in 1959. This rabbit symbol has been on every player's jersey since then. In 2008, for the club's 100th year, they updated the logo to a solid white rabbit with "South Sydney Rabbitohs" written on it.
Team Colours
South Sydney has almost always worn cardinal red and myrtle green jerseys. Before the rugby league club started in 1908, the local rugby union team also wore red and green hoops. Some people think these colours came from the "Redfern Waratahs" nickname, as the waratah flower has red and green.
The team's jersey usually has alternating red and green hoops. In 1945 and 1946, they briefly wore a green jersey with a red "V" shape. From 1980 to 1984, they had a "Minties" jersey with white hoops. Later, they introduced white or black jerseys for away games. Since 2007, the away jersey looks similar to the home jersey.
Historically, the playing shorts were black. In the late 1970s, they used green shorts with a red stripe, then white shorts. Now, they mostly wear black shorts again, though in 2008 they wore white shorts.
- South Sydney Rabbitohs – Jerseys
-
1908
-
1909–1944, 1947–1958
-
1945–1946
-
1959–1964
-
1965–1974
-
1975–1976
-
1977–1979
-
1980–1984
-
1985–1993
-
1994–1996
-
1997–1999
Geographic Area and Home Grounds
The South Sydney club was formed to represent areas like Alexandria, Botany, Mascot, Waterloo, Redfern, and Darlington. They have a strong connection to Indigenous players from local clubs.
In their early years, South Sydney played many games at the Royal Agricultural Society Ground. From 1948, they played at Redfern Oval, which was in the heart of their traditional area.
In 1988, the club moved to the Sydney Football Stadium. In 2005, they moved to Stadium Australia in Sydney Olympic Park. This move brought more money to the club, even though some fans were not happy about leaving their traditional area. In 2008, they agreed to play home games at Stadium Australia for another 10 years.
In 2008, Sydney Council upgraded Redfern Oval. Since 2009, it has been used for training and pre-season games. In 2023, the Rabbitohs moved their main training facilities to the Heffron Centre in Maroubra.
Supporters and Fan Culture
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have a large fan base, especially in South-eastern Sydney. Their official supporter group is called "The Burrow".
South Sydney once had the most club members in the NRL, with over 35,000 members in 2015. They have members from all over Australia and in 22 other countries. When the club was readmitted to the NRL in 2002, they had about 22,000 members.
"Group 14" is a group of famous supporters, including businessmen, politicians, musicians, and media personalities. They helped South Sydney fight to get back into the NRL in 1999. Huge public rallies were held in Sydney, with over 80,000 people supporting the Rabbitohs. In 2023, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a lifelong fan, became the club's number one ticket-holder.
Reggie the Rabbit
Reggie the Rabbit is the Rabbitohs' official mascot. The first person to wear the Reggie suit was in 1968. Reggie the Rabbit often appears at games and events.
Club Songs
"Glory, Glory to South Sydney"
This is the club's most famous song. It's played when the team runs onto the field and after they win home games. The song was first recorded in 1967 and is one of the most well-known NRL team songs. It uses the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
The song became very important during the club's fight to return to the NRL in 2000 and 2001. The original 1967 version is still used by the club today.
"Botany Road"
"The Burrow" fan group started singing a chant to the tune of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in the 2010s. This chant is usually sung when the team is about to win. "Botany Road" is a street that runs through the Rabbitohs' traditional area. This song is now a big part of the Rabbitohs fan experience.
Club Facilities
The Juniors
The Juniors is the club's main leagues club, located in Kingsford, New South Wales. It is owned by the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League. There are also other "Juniors" locations:
- Juniors @ The Junction in Maroubra, which merged with the Maroubra RSL Club.
- The Juniors on Hawkesbury near the Hawkesbury River.
The old South Sydney Leagues Club closed in 2013 due to financial problems.
Team Rivalries
A book called The Book of Feuds was written about the Rabbitohs' rivalries with other NRL teams.
Main Rivalry: Sydney Roosters
The biggest rivalry is with the Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs). They are the only other original club from 1908 still in the NRL. South Sydney was traditionally a working-class club, while the Roosters were seen as more upper-class.
Both clubs share inner-Sydney territory, making their games a "local derby". This rivalry has grown over the years, especially as players have moved between the two clubs. In 2020, Souths had their biggest win over the Roosters, beating them 60–8.
In 2022, there was a disagreement about which club should call the new Sydney Football Stadium their home ground. In 2024, the Roosters had their second-biggest win over South Sydney, beating them 48-6. The two teams play for the Ron Coote Cup every year.
Major Rivalries
St George Dragons and St George Illawarra Dragons – South Sydney has a long rivalry with St. George. They play an annual Charity Shield match. Souths and St. George played in several Grand Finals against each other.
Balmain Tigers – South Sydney had a strong rivalry with Balmain from 1908 to 1999. In 1909, Souths won the championship by default because Balmain refused to play the final. They also met in Grand Finals in 1916, 1924, and 1939.
Minor Rivalries
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles – South Sydney first played Manly in the 1951 Grand Final, winning 42-14. They also met in the 1968 and 1970 Grand Finals, with Souths winning both. Manly has often signed star players from Souths.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs – This rivalry grew stronger around 2014 and 2015, after the 2014 NRL Grand Final and a controversial game on Good Friday. South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown play for the Good Friday Cup every year.
Notable Players and Awards
The Magnificent XIII (2002)
In 2002, when the Rabbitohs returned to the NRL, a special team called The Magnificent XIII was chosen. It included 17 great South Sydney players and a coach from 1908 to 2002.
| Starting XIII | Reserves | Coaching staff | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Head coach
|
|||||||
Dream Team (2004)
The Rabbitohs announced their Dream Team in 2004. This team of 17 players and a coach represented the best of South Sydney from 1908 to 2004. It was chosen by rugby league experts, historians, and fans.
| Starting XIII | Reserves | Coaching staff | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Head coach
|
|||||||
Club Awards
The George Piggins Medal is given to the Rabbitohs' best and fairest player each NRL season. Bryan Fletcher won the first award in 2003.
The Clive Churchill Medal is awarded to the best player in the Grand Final. Several Souths players have won this, including Sam Burgess in 2014.
The Dally M Medal is for the best player in the regular season. Robert Laurie won it in 1980. Other Dally M awards include Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Team of the Year.
Hall of Fame Recognition
Several South Sydney players have been recognized in the NRL Immortals and the NRL Hall of Fame for their huge contributions to rugby league. These include legends like Clive Churchill, Ron Coote, John Sattler, Sam Burgess, and Greg Inglis.
Club Records and Statistics
South Sydney holds many records in Australian rugby league history.
- They have won the most first-grade championships (21).
- They are the only team to win a championship in their first season (1908).
- In 1951, they scored the most points (42), tries (8), and goals (9) in a Grand Final.
- The 1925 team went through the season undefeated.
Individual player records include:
- John Sutton played the most first-grade games for the club (336 matches).
- Jack Rayner won the most Grand Finals as a captain (5) and coach (5).
- Adam Reynolds holds the club record for most points (1896).
- Eric Simms scored 265 points in 1969, a club record. He also holds records for most goals and field goals in a season and career.
- Alex Johnston is the only player to score 30 tries in a single NRL season, doing it in both 2021 and 2022. He also holds the club record for most career tries.
See also
In Spanish: South Sydney Rabbitohs para niños
