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{{short description|Australian rugby league football club}}
{{use dmy dates}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby league club
{{Infobox rugby league club
| clubname = South Sydney Rabbitohs
| clubname = {{color box|border=red|green|South Sydney Rabbitohs}}
| image = [[Image:South Sydney Rabbitohs logo.jpg|150px]] <!-- an image is optional -->
| image = South Sydney Rabbitohs.png
| fullname = South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
| fullname = South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
| nickname =
| captain = Anthony Kalajzich saxon docker
| nickname = The Rabbitohs, The Bunnies, Souths, The Rabbits
;'''Official''': Rabbitohs, Souths
;'''Colloquial''': Bunnies, Rabbits, The Red and Green, The Cardinal and Myrtle, The Pride of the League
| short name = Souths or bunnies
| colors = {{color box|Red}} Red and {{color box|Green}} Green
| colours = {{color box|Red}} Red <br />{{color box|Green}} Green
| founded = 1908 as ''South Sydney''
| founded = {{start date and age|1908|01|17|df=yes}}
| ground = [[Stadium Australia|ANZ Stadium]]
| ground = [[Stadium Australia]]
| capacity = 83,500
| capacity = 84,000
| web = [https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/ rabbitohs.com.au]
| chairman = Nicholas Pappas
| ceo = [[Shane Richardson]]
| chairman = [[Nick Pappas]]
| coach = [[John Lang (rugby league)|John Lang]]
| ceo = [[Blake Solly]]
| coach = [[Wayne Bennett (rugby league) |Wayne Bennett]]
| captain = [[Roy Asotasi]]
| captain = [[Cameron Murray (rugby league)|Cameron Murray]]
| premierships = 20
| premierships = 21
| premiershipyears = [[NSWRFL season 1908|1908]], [[NSWRFL season 1909|1909]], [[NSWRFL season 1914|1914]], [[NSWRFL season 1918|1918]], [[NSWRFL season 1925|1925]], [[NSWRFL season 1926|1926]], [[NSWRFL season 1927|1927]], [[NSWRFL season 1928|1928]], [[NSWRFL season 1929|1929]], [[NSWRFL season 1931|1931]], [[NSWRFL season 1932|1932]], [[NSWRFL season 1950|1950]], [[NSWRFL season 1951|1951]], [[NSWRFL season 1953|1953]], [[NSWRFL season 1954|1954]], [[NSWRFL season 1955|1955]], [[NSWRFL season 1967|1967]], [[NSWRFL season 1968|1968]], [[NSWRFL season 1970|1970]], [[NSWRFL season 1971|1971]]
| premiershipyears = [[1908 NSWRFL season|1908]], [[1909 NSWRFL season|1909]], [[1914 NSWRFL season|1914]], [[1918 NSWRFL season|1918]], [[1925 NSWRFL season|1925]], [[1926 NSWRFL season|1926]], [[1927 NSWRFL season|1927]], [[1928 NSWRFL season|1928]], [[1929 NSWRFL season|1929]], [[1931 NSWRFL season|1931]], [[1932 NSWRFL season|1932]],
| league = [[National Rugby League]]
[[1950 NSWRFL season|1950]], [[1951 NSWRFL season|1951]], [[1953 NSWRFL season|1953]], [[1954 NSWRFL season|1954]], [[1955 NSWRFL season|1955]], [[1967 NSWRFL season|1967]], [[1968 NSWRFL season|1968]], [[1970 NSWRFL season|1970]], [[1971 NSWRFL season|1971]], [[2014 NRL season|2014]]
| season = [[National Rugby League season 2009|2009]]
| position = 9th
| runnerups = 14
| runnerupyears = [[NSWRFL season 1910|1910]], [[NSWRFL season 1916|1916]], [[NSWRFL season 1917|1917]], [[NSWRFL season 1920|1920]], [[NSWRFL season 1923|1923]], [[NSWRFL season 1924|1924]], [[NSWRFL season 1935|1935]], [[NSWRFL season 1937|1937]], [[NSWRFL season 1939|1939]], [[NSWRFL season 1949|1949]], [[NSWRFL season 1952|1952]], [[NSWRFL season 1965|1965]], [[NSWRFL season 1969|1969]], [[2021 NRL season|2021]]
| homejersey =
| minorpremierships = 17
| awayjersey = Souths09away.svg.jpg
| minorpremiershipyears = [[1908 NSWRFL season|1908]], [[1909 NSWRFL season|1909]], [[1914 NSWRFL season|1914]], [[1918 NSWRFL season|1918]], [[1925 NSWRFL season|1925]], [[1926 NSWRFL season|1926]], [[1927 NSWRFL season|1927]], [[1929 NSWRFL season|1929]], [[1932 NSWRFL season|1932]], [[1949 NSWRFL season|1949]], [[1950 NSWRFL season|1950]], [[1951 NSWRFL season|1951]], [[1953 NSWRFL season|1953]], [[1968 NSWRFL season|1968]], [[1969 NSWRFL season|1969]], [[1970 NSWRFL season|1970]], [[1989 NSWRL season|1989]]
}}The '''South Sydney Rabbitohs''' (often shortened to '''Souths''') are an Australian professional [[rugby league]] football team based in [[Redfern, New South Wales|Redfern]], a suburb of [[City of Sydney|South-Central Sydney]]<ref>http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Contact-Us/Club-Contact-Details.html</ref>. They participate in the [[National Rugby League|National Rugby League (NRL)]] premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the [[New South Wales]] capital. The club was formed in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]] as one of the founding members of the [[New South Wales Rugby Football League]], Australia's first governing body for the sport and predecessor of the current [[National Rugby League]]. They are one of only two foundation clubs still present in the league, the other being the [[Sydney Roosters]].<ref>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.</ref>
| spoons = 8
| spoonyears = [[1945 NSWRFL season|1945]], [[1946 NSWRFL season|1946]], [[1962 NSWRFL season|1962]], [[1975 NSWRFL season|1975]], [[1990 NSWRL season|1990]], [[2003 NRL season|2003]], [[2004 NRL season|2004]], [[2006 NRL season|2006]]
| season = [[2024 NRL season|2024 season]]
| position = 16th
| current = 2024 South Sydney Rabbitohs season
| homejersey =
| awayjersey =
| pattern_la1 = _red_hoops
| pattern_b1 = _greenhoops
| pattern_ra1 = _red_hoops
| pattern_sh1 =
| pattern_so1 = _hoops_red
| leftarm1 = 139709
| body1 = FB0000
| rightarm1 = 119709
| shorts1 = 000000
| socks1 = 139709
| pattern_la2 = _red_hoops
| pattern_b2 = _greenhoops
| pattern_ra2 = _red_hoops
| pattern_sh2 =
| pattern_so2 = _hoops_red
| leftarm2 = 139709
| body2 = FB0000
| rightarm2 = 139709
| shorts2 =
| socks2 = 139709
| mostcap = [[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]]
| cap = 336
| mosttries = [[Alex Johnston (rugby league)|Alex Johnston]]
| tries = 195
| mostpoints = [[Adam Reynolds]]
| points = 1,896
}}


[[File:Arthur Hennessy AustRL.jpg|upright|thumb|right|[[Arthur Hennessy]], South Sydney's first captain and coach]]
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 [[New South Wales]]. The team's home ground is currently [[Stadium Australia|ANZ Stadium]] at [[Sydney Olympic Park]].


The '''South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club''', also known as the '''South Sydney Rabbitohs''', is an Australian professional [[rugby league]] football club based in the [[Sydney]] suburb of [[Maroubra, New South Wales|Maroubra]] that competes in the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL). They are often nicknamed ''Souths'' or ''the'' ''Bunnies'''''.'''
At the elite competition level,<ref>[[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|New South Wales Rugby League]] (1908–1994), [[Australian Rugby League]] (1995–1997), [[National Rugby League]] (1998–present).</ref> South Sydney are the most successful professional team in the history of [[Rugby league in Australia|Australian rugby league]] in terms of total championships won, having claimed [[South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours|20 first grade premierships]]. However, they have not won a premiership since [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1971|1971]]. In [[National Rugby League season 2007|2007]] Souths qualified for their first finals series since [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1989|1989]].


The club was formed in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]], as one of the founding members of the [[New South Wales Rugby Football League]], making it one of Australia's oldest rugby league teams. It is one of only two NSW foundation clubs still present in the NRL, the other being the [[Sydney Roosters]].{{NoteTag|In Australia, a foundation club is one that played in the first season of competition. South Sydney played in the first season of the [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership]], some call it the predecessor to the [[National Rugby League]] competition.}}
There is such reverence for the Rabbitohs in Australian rugby league that there is the saying "''When Souths are going well, rugby league is going well''".<ref>See Andrew Denton's comments in [http://www.abc.net.au/austory/series4/9932text.htm Mission Impossible], Australian Story archives, from the ABC website (www.abc.net.au), 23 September 1999</ref>


South Sydney's traditional heartland covers the once typically working-class suburbs of inner-south Sydney. The club is based in Redfern, where its administration and training facilities are located, however it has long held a wide supporter base spread all over New South Wales. The team's home ground is currently [[Stadium Australia]] in [[Sydney Olympic Park]]. South Sydney is the most successful professional team in the history of [[Rugby league in Australia|Australian rugby league]] with twenty-one first grade premierships.
The Rabbitohs are one of the few "foundation clubs" playing in Australia's top rugby league competition to have survived in their original form (even after having been excluded and reinstated), with the likes of [[North Sydney Bears|North Sydney]], [[Balmain Tigers|Balmain]] and [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Suburbs]] having recently been replaced by newer "hybrid" teams.


==History==
== History ==
{{details|History of the South Sydney Rabbitohs}}
{{Main|History of the South Sydney Rabbitohs}}
[[Image:Arthur Hennessy AustRL.jpg|150px|thumb|right|[[Arthur Hennessy]], South Sydney's first captain and coach.]]The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club was formed at a meeting on 17 January 1908 at [[Redfern, New South Wales|Redfern]] Town Hall<ref name="rl1908">{{cite web | title=South Sydney Rabbitohs | url=http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm | accessdate=3 June 2007 |author=Fagan, Sean | publisher=RL1908.com}}</ref> when administrator [[J J Giltinan]], cricketer [[Victor Trumper]] and politician Henry Clement Hoyle came together in front of a large crowd of supporters.<ref name="Pride of the League">Ian Heads, ''South Sydney, Pride of the League'', Lothian, 2000.</ref> The club played in the first round of the newly formed [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|New South Wales Rugby League]], defeating [[North Sydney Bears|North Sydney]] 11–7 at Birchgrove Oval on 20 April [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]].<ref name="Pride of the League"/><ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1908.html Season 1908] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> The team went on to win the inaugural premiership then successfully defended their title in the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1909|1909 season]], winning the [[Grand Final]] by default.<ref name="Balmainiacs">[http://www.rl1908.com/articles/balmain-1909.htm "The Balmainiacs of 1909"] ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan.</ref> During these early years [[Arthur Hennessy]] was considered the "founding father" of the South Sydney rugby league club. A hooker and prop forward, Hennessy was Souths' first captain and coach. He was also New South Wales' first captain and Australia's first test captain in 1908.


=== Origins ===
After further premiership success in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1914|1914]] and [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1918|1918]], South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1925|1925]]–[[New South Wales Rugby League season 1932|1932]], only missing out in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1930|1930]]. The 1925 side went through the season undefeated<ref name="Season1925">[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1925.html Season 1925] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> 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".<ref name="rl1908"/><ref>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: [http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs Sydney Olympic Park.]
The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club was formed at a meeting on 17 January 1908 at [[Redfern Town Hall]]<ref name="rl1908">{{cite web |title=South Sydney Rabbitohs |url=http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm |access-date=3 June 2007 |last=Fagan |first=Sean |website=RL1908.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615234902/http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm |archive-date=15 June 2007 }}</ref> when administrator [[J. J. Giltinan]], cricketer [[Victor Trumper]] and politician [[Henry Hoyle]] gathered together in front of a large crowd of supporters.<ref name="Pride of the League">Ian Heads, ''South Sydney, Pride of the League'', Lothian, 2000.</ref> The club played in the first round of the newly formed [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|New South Wales Rugby League]], defeating [[North Sydney Bears|North Sydney]] 11–7 at [[Birchgrove Oval]] on 20 April [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]].<ref name="Pride of the League"/><ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1908.html Season 1908] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306095527/http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1908.html |date=6 March 2008 }} from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> The team went on to win the inaugural premiership then successfully defended its title in the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1909|1909 season]], winning the [[Grand final|Grand Final]] by default.<ref name="Balmainiacs">[http://www.rl1908.com/articles/balmain-1909.htm "The Balmainiacs of 1909"] ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213212011/http://www.rl1908.com/articles/balmain-1909.htm |date=13 February 2007 }}</ref> During these early years [[Arthur Hennessy]] was considered the "founding father" of the South Sydney rugby league club. A hooker and prop forward, Hennessy was Souths' first captain and coach. He was also New South Wales' first captain and Australia's first test captain in 1908. [[S. G. "George" Ball]] became Club Secretary in 1911 after Arthur Hennessy stood down from the position, and he remained in that capacity for over 50 years, only retiring a few years before his death in 1969.
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: [http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm Tom Brock Biography] at the ''Australian Society for Sports History'' website.</ref>


=== NSWRFL & ARL (1908–1997) ===
South Sydney struggled through most of the 1940s, only making the semifinals on two occasions (1944 and 1949). South Sydney's longest losing streak of 22 games was during the period 1945–1947. In the 1945 season they only managed to win one game while in 1946 they were unable to win a single game.
After further premiership success in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1914|1914]] and [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1918|1918]], South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1925|1925]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1932|1932]], missing out only in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1930|1930]]. The 1925 side went through the season undefeated for 12 games.<ref name="Season1925">[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1925.html Season 1925] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417012749/http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1925.html |date=17 April 2011 }} from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> 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".<ref name="rl1908" /><ref name=":0">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: [http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs Sydney Olym hipic Park.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716142740/http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs |date=16 July 2011 }}
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: [http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm Tom Brock Biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515203210/http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm |date=15 May 2007 }} at the ''Australian Society for Sports History'' website. {{cite web |title=South Sydney Rabbitohs |publisher=Sydney Olympic Park Authority |url=http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs |access-date=2007-05-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716142740/http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs |archive-date=16 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>


South Sydney struggled between 1940–1948. South Sydney's longest losing streak of 22 games was during the period 1945–1947. In the 1945 season the club only managed to win one game while in 1946 it was unable to win a single game.
[[Image:Cchurchill.jpg|thumb|left|"The Little Master," [[Clive Churchill]].]]In the 1950s South Sydney again had great success, winning five of the six premierships from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1950|1950]]–[[New South Wales Rugby League season 1955|1955]], and losing the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1952|1952 Grand Final]] against [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Suburbs]] in controversial circumstances. The [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1951|1951]] side's point scoring feat in their 42–14 victory over [[Manly Sea Eagles|Manly-Warringah]]<ref name="Season1951">[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1951.html Season 1951] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1955|'55]]"<ref>See the [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 1955 season summary] (select the year 1955 from the dropdown box at the top of the page and then click the Search button) from the official South Sydney website.</ref><ref>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.</ref> involved South Sydney winning 11 straight [[sudden death]] matches to win the premiership. Players that were involved in these years included [[Denis Donoghue (rugby player)|Denis Donoghue]], [[Jack Rayner]], [[Les Cowie|Les "Chicka" Cowie]], [[John Graves|Johnny Graves]], [[Ian Moir]], [[Greg Hawick]], Ernie Hammerton, [[Bernie Purcell]] and [[Clive Churchill]]. Churchill, nicknamed "the Little Master" for his brilliant attacking fullback play, is universally regarded as one of the greatest ever Australian rugby league players.


==== 1950s golden era (1949–1957) ====
In the late 1950s Souths began a poor run of form failing to make the finals from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1958|1958]]–[[New South Wales Rugby League season 1964|1964]]. However in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1965|1965]] a talented young side made the Grand Final against [[St. George Dragons|St. George]] who were aiming to secure their 10th straight premiership. The young Rabbitohs weren't overawed by the Dragons formidable experience and in front of a record crowd of 78,056<ref>[http://www.sydneycricketground.com.au/Record-Crowds.html Record Crowds] from the ''Sydney Cricket Ground – Aussie Stadium'' website.</ref> at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]], they went down narrowly 12–8.<ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1965.html Season 1965] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> The nucleus of this side went on to feature in [[Australia national rugby league team|Australian representative teams]] for the next six years and ensured another golden period for South Sydney making five successive grand finals from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1967|1967]]–[[New South Wales Rugby League season 1971|1971]], winning four. [[Bob McCarthy]], [[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]], [[Eric Simms (rugby league)|Eric Simms]], [[Ron Coote]], [[Michael Cleary (rugby)|Mike Cleary]] and [[John Sattler]] from 1965 were later joined by [[Elwyn Walters]], [[Ray Branighan]], [[Paul Sait]], [[Gary Stevens (rugby league footballer)|Gary Stevens]] and coach [[Clive Churchill]] to form a fearsome combination before internal strife and poaching by other clubs from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1972|1972]] onwards unravelled the star studded pack.<ref>See the chapter ''Premiers No More'' in Mark Courtney's ''Moving the Goalposts'', Halstead Press, 2000.</ref> From this period comes part of South's and Australian Rugby League folklore when in the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1970|1970]] premiership decider against Manly, captain John Sattler inspired the side to victory playing out 70&nbsp;minutes of the match with his jaw broken<ref>[http://www.eraofthebiff.com/mm09.html 1970 Grand Final, Souths v Manly] from the ''History of Australian Rugby League'' reproduced on the ''Era of the Biff'' website.</ref> in three places after being king hit by Manly prop [[John Bucknall]].<ref>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.</ref><ref>See reference to [http://soaringseaeagles.tripod.com/players/playersb.htm John Bucknall] from the ''Soaring Sea Eagles'' website players page.</ref>
1949 would mark the beginning of almost a decade of great success for South Sydney, winning five of the six premierships from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1950|1950]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1955|1955]], and losing the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1949|1949]] Grand Final against [[St. George Dragons|St. George]], and also the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1952|1952]] Grand Final against [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Suburbs]] in controversial circumstances. The [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1951|1951]] side's point scoring feat in its 42–14 victory over [[Manly Sea Eagles|Manly-Warringah]]<ref name="Season1951">[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1951.html Season 1951] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622174930/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1951.html |date=22 June 2013 }} [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html ''Rugby League Tables & Statistics''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1955|'55]]"<ref name=":1">[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 1955 season summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102194339/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 |date=2 November 2013 }}<!-- (select the year 1955 from the dropdown box at the top of the page and then click the Search button)--> South Sydney Rabbitohs.</ref><ref>Glen Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1955: The Miracle of '55". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). ''Souths: The People's Team'', League Week, ACP Publishing.</ref> involved South Sydney winning 11 straight [[sudden death (sport)|sudden death]] matches to win the premiership. Players that were involved in these years included [[Denis Donoghue (rugby player)|Denis Donoghue]], [[Jack Rayner]], [[Les Cowie|Les "Chicka" Cowie]], [[John Graves (rugby league)|Johnny Graves]], [[Ian Moir]], [[Greg Hawick]], [[Ernie Hammerton]], [[Bernie Purcell]] and [[Clive Churchill]]. Churchill, nicknamed "the Little Master" for his brilliant attacking fullback play, is universally regarded as one of the greatest ever Australian rugby league players.


In the late 1950s Souths began a run of poor form, failing to make the finals from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1958|1958]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1964|1964]], during this time receiving the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1962|1962]] wooden spoon.
[[Image:Eric Simms.JPG|150px|thumb|right|South Sydney goal kicking legend [[Eric Simms (rugby league)|Eric Simms]].]]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 (rugby league)|Jack Gibson]]'s<ref>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]], [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/14/1060588510800.html?from=storyrhs Super coach Gibson salutes his favourite players,]''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 14 August 2003.</ref> arrival turned the club's form, winning the pre-season competition in [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1978|1978]].<ref name="Pride of the League"/> The club captured victories in the mid-week [[Amco Cup|Tooth Cup]] competition in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1981|1981]]<ref>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.</ref> and in the pre-season [[Rugby League World Sevens|"Sevens"]] competition in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1988|1988]].<ref name="Pride of the League"/> The Rabbitohs were able to make the finals on five occasions in the 1980s, including a dominant season to finish as minor premiers in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1989|1989]].<ref name="Pride of the League"/> The [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1989|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 spoon]]ers.


==== More premiership success (1965–1971) ====
The club stayed afloat in the 1990s despite major financial problems. Souths' only success came in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1994|1994]] when they won the pre-season competition, defeating the [[Brisbane Broncos]] 27–26 in the final.<ref name="Pride of the League"/> The [[Super League (Australia)|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 [[National Rugby League season 2000|2000 season]]. Following a series of mergers by other teams,<ref>The [[St George Dragons]] and [[Illawarra Steelers]] merged into the [[St George Illawarra Dragons]] in [[National Rugby League season 1998|1998]], the [[Balmain Tigers]] and [[Western Suburbs Magpies]] merged to form the [[Wests Tigers]] in [[National Rugby League season 1999|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 [[National Rugby League season 2003|2003]]).</ref> South Sydney failed to meet the National Rugby League's selection criteria (criticised as unfair, flawed and biased to favour certain [[News Limited]] associated teams and those teams located in areas contentiously viewed by News Limited as more important to the future of rugby league) to compete in the competition and were subsequently excluded from the premiership at the end of the [[National Rugby League season 1999|1999 season]].
In [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1965|1965]] a talented young side made the Grand Final against [[St. George Dragons|St. George]] who were aiming to secure its tenth straight premiership. The young Rabbitohs were not overawed by the Dragons' formidable experience and in front of a record crowd of 78,056<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Record Crowds |url=http://www.sydneycricketground.com.au/history/facts/record-crowds/ |publisher=Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust |access-date=26 May 2014 |archive-date=9 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109025051/http://sydneycricketground.com.au/history/facts/record-crowds/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]], it went down narrowly 12–8.<ref name=":3">[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1965.html Season 1965] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818174357/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1965.html |date=18 August 2013 }} from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> The nucleus of this side went on to feature in [[Australia national rugby league team|Australian representative teams]] for the next six years and ensured another golden period for South Sydney making five successive grand finals from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1967|1967]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1971|1971]], winning four. [[Bob McCarthy]], [[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]], [[Eric Simms (rugby league)|Eric Simms]], [[Ron Coote]], [[Michael Cleary (rugby)|Mike Cleary]] and [[John Sattler]] from 1965 were later joined by [[Elwyn Walters]], [[Ray Branighan]], [[Paul Sait]], [[Gary Stevens (rugby league footballer)|Gary Stevens]] and coach [[Clive Churchill]] to form a fearsome combination before internal strife and poaching by other clubs from [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1972|1972]] onwards unravelled the star studded pack.<ref>Mark Courtney (2000). "Premiers No More". ''Moving the Goalposts''. Halstead Press.</ref> From this period comes part of South's and Australian Rugby League folklore when in the [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1970|1970]] premiership decider against Manly, captain John Sattler inspired the side to victory playing out 70&nbsp;minutes of the match with his jaw broken<ref name=":4">[http://www.eraofthebiff.com/memorable-matches-from-the-biff-era/m09-1970-grand-final-souths-v-manly-sattlers-courage "1970 Grand Final, Souths v Manly"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207194720/http://www.eraofthebiff.com/memorable-matches-from-the-biff-era/m09-1970-grand-final-souths-v-manly-sattlers-courage |date=7 February 2020 }}. ''History of Australian Rugby League'' – via ''Era of the Biff''.</ref> in three places after being king hit by Manly prop John Bucknall.<ref>A full description of the famous incident is in Glenn Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1970: The Jawdropper". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). ''Souths: The People's Team''. League Week, ACP Publishing.</ref><ref name=":5">See the reference to [http://soaringseaeagles.tripod.com/players/playersb.htm John Bucknall] from the ''Soaring Sea Eagles'' website players' page.</ref>


==== Financial trouble and exclusion (1972–1999) ====
In 2000 and 2001, South Sydney fought their way back into the competition following a string of high profile legal battles<ref>See [http://janus.law.usyd.edu.au/slr/docs_pdfs/editions/slr_v24_n4_bhc.pdf Before the High Court – Sport and the Law: The South Sydney Appeal] by Saul Fridman, Sydney Law Review, Vol 24: 558, 2002.</ref> against the National Rugby League and News Limited.<ref>See [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0521534275&id=Dt_XdDY-VbMC&pg=PA228&lpg=PA228&ots=NtnPyY50gG&dq=south+sydney+Rabbitohs&sig=IZrsqyQ3wNtujSROFxFVmKs-LVs#PPA227,M1 "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 [http://books.google.com Google Books]</ref> 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 of Australia|Federal Court]] in 2001,<ref>See [http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/federal_ct/2001/862.html 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]].</ref> South Sydney won readmission into the premiership for the [[National Rugby League season 2002|2002 season]].<ref name="Souths Revival">See [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1865089184&id=Y_KSvEkUUNIC&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&ots=N183KHJT2w&dq=rabbitohs&sig=VND-p2NDomWFLlcBM-6_YW0uCBM#PPA150,M1 "The Souths Revival"], page 150 of ''Strategic Sports Marketing'' by David Shilbury, Shayne Quick and Hans Westerbeek, Allen & Unwin, 2003 at [http://books.google.com Google Books]</ref>
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"{{NoteTag|Reference to Jack Gibson as a "Super Coach" is common terminology in Australian rugby league circles given Gibson's outstanding coaching record – see: {{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/14/1060588510800.html?from=storyrhs |title=Super coach Gibson salutes his favourite players |date=14 August 2003 |agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]] |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=12 November 2011 }}}} [[Jack Gibson (rugby league)|Jack Gibson]]'s arrival turned the club's form, winning the pre-season competition in [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1978|1978]].<ref name="Pride of the League" /> The club captured victories in the mid-week [[Amco Cup|Tooth Cup]] competition in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1981|1981]]<ref name=":6">Glenn Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1981: The Droughtbreaker". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). ''Souths: The People's Team''. League Week, ACP Publishing.</ref> and in the pre-season [[Rugby League World Sevens|"Sevens"]] competition in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1988|1988]].<ref name="Pride of the League" /> The Rabbitohs made the finals on five occasions in the 1980s, including a dominant season to finish as minor premiers in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1989|1989]].<ref name="Pride of the League" /> The [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1989|1989 season]] proved to be the club's most successful in years, but was also the last time the club reached the finals until 2007. The following season the Rabbitohs finished as [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spooners]].


The club stayed afloat in the 1990s despite major financial problems. Souths' only success came in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1994|1994]] when it won the pre-season competition, defeating the [[Brisbane Broncos]] 27–26 in the final.<ref name="Pride of the League" /> The [[Super League (Australia)|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 [[National Rugby League season 2000|2000 season]]. Following a series of mergers by other teams,{{NoteTag|The [[St George Dragons]] and [[Illawarra Steelers]] merged into the [[St George Illawarra Dragons]] in [[National Rugby League season 1998|1998]], the [[Balmain Tigers]] and [[Western Suburbs Magpies]] merged to form the [[Wests Tigers]] in [[National Rugby League season 1999|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 [[National Rugby League season 2003|2003]]).}} and a planned merger with [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks|Cronulla-Sutherland]] was met with staunch opposition from both clubs,<ref>{{Citation |title=The South Sydney Sharks {{!}} Tales of Reinstatement Ep 5 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2MoJaX79U8 |access-date=2023-05-03 |language=en}}</ref> South Sydney failed to meet the National Rugby League's selection criteria to compete in the competition and were subsequently excluded from the premiership at the end of the [[National Rugby League season 1999|1999 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 spoon (award)|wooden spoons]]. However, following the club's takeover by famous Hollywood actor [[Russell Crowe]] and businessman [[Peter Holmes à Court]] in 2006,<ref>[http://www.southsydneystory.com/Documentary/Episode-2.html Episode 2 – What happened at the Handover Ceremony?] from the "South Sydney Story" website (www.southsydneystory.com).</ref> 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 (rugby league footballer)|Jason Taylor]] as head coach.


[[File:RussellCroweOct05.jpg|upright=0.7|thumb|left|South Sydney Rabbitohs shareholder, actor [[Russell Crowe]].]]
[[Image:RussellCroweOct05.jpg|150px|thumb|left|South Sydney Rabbitohs football club owner, actor [[Russell Crowe]].]]The results were shown on the field with South Sydney winning their first three games of the [[National Rugby League season 2007|2007]] season (marking their best start to a season since [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1972|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.


==== Fight for readmission ====
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.
[[File:Performance Chart NRL SOU.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly table positions for South Sydney Rabbitohs in First Grade Rugby League]]
In 2000 and 2001, South Sydney fought its way back into the competition following a string of high-profile legal battles<ref>{{cite journal |last=Fridman |first=Saul |url=http://sydney.edu.au/law/slr/docs_pdfs/editions/slr_v24_n4_bhc.pdf |title=Before the High Court: sport and the law: The South Sydney appeal |journal=Sydney Law Review |date=December 2002|volume=24|number=4|pages=558–68|issn=0082-0512 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215637/http://sydney.edu.au/law/slr/docs_pdfs/editions/slr_v24_n4_bhc.pdf |archive-date=27 May 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> against the National Rugby League and News Limited.<ref>See [https://books.google.com/books?id=Dt_XdDY-VbMC&dq=south+sydney+Rabbitohs&pg=PA227 "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 – via Google Books</ref> 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 of Australia|Federal Court]] in 2001,<ref>See [http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/federal_ct/2001/862.html ''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]].</ref> South Sydney won readmission into the premiership for the [[National Rugby League season 2002|2002 season]].<ref name="Souths Revival">David Shilburu (2003). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y_KSvEkUUNIC&dq=rabbitohs&pg=PA150 "The Souths' Revival"], page 150 of ''Strategic Sports Marketing'' by David Shilbury, Shayne Quick and Hans Westerbeek, Allen & Unwin, 2003</ref>


=== National Rugby League (2002–present) ===
May 2008 saw the sudden resignation of the then current Executive Chairman and CEO, [[Peter Holmes à Court]]. He had only been appointed to the role of CEO at the start of 2008.<ref>{{cite news|author=AAP|publisher=''The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au)''|title=Richardson quits as Souths CEO |url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/richardson-quits-as-souths-ceo/2007/10/31/1193618941602.html |accessdate=9 September 2008|date=31 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=South Sydney Rabbitohs|publisher=''South Sydney Rabbitohs (rabbitohs.com.au)''|title=Rabbitohs Elevate Internal Staff in Management Restructure |url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Rabbitohs-Elevate-Internal-Staff-in-Management-Restructure.html |accessdate=9 September 2008|date=2 February 2008}}</ref> Reports suggested that Holmes à Court had been forced to stand down after his relationship with Russell Crowe had deteriorated beyond repair.<ref>{{cite news|author=Phil Rothfield and Rebecca Wilson|publisher=''The Daily Telegraph (news.com.au)''|title=Holmes a Court to quit Souths |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,,23713973-23214,00.html |accessdate=7 September 2008|date=18 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Josh Massoud|publisher=''The Daily Telegraph (news.com.au)''|title=How Souths drowned in latte and largesse |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23762623-5001021,00.html |accessdate=7 September 2008|date=27 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Patrick Smith|publisher=''The Australian''|title=A Court in the crossfire: the syndrome threatening to derail Souths |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23769426-12270,00.html |accessdate=7 September 2008|date=28 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Josh Massoud|publisher=''Courier Mail (news.com.au)''|title=Russell Crowe dumps Holmes a Court as Rabbitohs chairman |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23764870-10389,00.html |accessdate=7 September 2008|date=27 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Ray Chesterton|publisher=''The Daily Telegraph (news.com.au)''|title=Crowe's company ruined Souths |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23764954-5007146,00.html |accessdate=7 September 2008|date=27 May 2008}}</ref>
After being readmitted, South Sydney were initially unsuccessful in the premiership, finishing amongst the bottom three teams for five seasons straight including three [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoons]]. Following this, the club was taken over by actor [[Russell Crowe]] and businessman [[Peter Holmes à Court]] in 2006.<ref>[http://www.southsydneystory.com/Documentary/Episode-2.html "Episode 2 – What happened at the Handover Ceremony?"] ''South Sydney Story''. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719143210/http://www.southsydneystory.com/Documentary/Episode-2.html |date=19 July 2008 }}</ref> In the [[2007 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2007 season]] South Sydney played in its first finals campaign since 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 NRL Premiership Round 25 - South Sydney Rabbitohs v Sydney Roosters |url=http://www.ssralmanac.com/mobile/2007/news_20070901.htm |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=www.ssralmanac.com}}</ref>


[[File:Broncos vs Rabbitohs 01.jpg|thumb|Broncos vs Rabbitohs 2008]]
The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated their centenary year during the [[National Rugby League season 2008|2008 National Rugby League season]]. The club fielded teams in the National Rugby League Telstra Premiership and the [[National Youth Competition (rugby league)|Toyota Cup National Youth Competition]].
May 2008 saw the sudden resignation of the then current executive chairman and CEO, [[Peter Holmes à Court]]. He had been appointed to the role of CEO at the start of 2008.<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]] |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=Richardson quits as Souths CEO |url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/richardson-quits-as-souths-ceo/2007/10/31/1193618941602.html |access-date=9 September 2008 |date=31 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424062351/http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/richardson-quits-as-souths-ceo/2007/10/31/1193618941602.html |archive-date=24 April 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=South Sydney Rabbitohs|title=Rabbitohs Elevate Internal Staff in Management Restructure |url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Rabbitohs-Elevate-Internal-Staff-in-Management-Restructure.html |access-date=26 May 2014|date=2 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225063516/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Rabbitohs-Elevate-Internal-Staff-in-Management-Restructure.html|archive-date=25 February 2012}}</ref> Reports suggested that Holmes à Court had been forced to stand down after his relationship with Russell Crowe had deteriorated beyond repair.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Phil Rothfield|author2=Rebecca Wilson|work=The Sunday Telegraph|title=Holmes a Court to quit Souths|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/holmes-a-court-to-quit-souths/story-e6frfkp9-1111116367302|access-date=26 May 2014|date=18 May 2008|archive-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220036/http://www.news.com.au/national/holmes-a-court-to-quit-souths/story-e6frfkp9-1111116367302|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Josh Massoud|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=How Souths drowned in latte and largesse |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/how-souths-drowned-in-latte-and-largesse/story-e6freuy9-1111116449716 |access-date=26 May 2014|date=27 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Patrick Smith|work=The Australian|publisher=News Corp Australia|title=A Court in the crossfire: the syndrome threatening to derail Souths |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/the-syndrome-that-may-derail-souths/story-e6frg7hf-1111116461056 |access-date=26 May 2014|date=28 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Josh Massoud|work=Courier Mail|title=Russell Crowe dumps Holmes a Court as Rabbitohs chairman|url=http://www.news.com.au/news/crowe-dumps-holmes-a-court/story-fna7dq6e-1111116452894|access-date=26 May 2014|date=27 May 2008|archive-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215633/http://www.news.com.au/news/crowe-dumps-holmes-a-court/story-fna7dq6e-1111116452894|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Ray Chesterton|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=Crowe's company ruined Souths|url=http://www.news.com.au/opinion/crowes-company-ruined-souths/story-e6frfs99-1111116453146|access-date=26 May 2014|date=27 May 2008|archive-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215529/http://www.news.com.au/opinion/crowes-company-ruined-souths/story-e6frfs99-1111116453146|url-status=dead}}</ref>


[[File:Warriors v Bunnies.jpg|thumb|Warriors v Rabbitohs 2009]]
The Rabbitohs also have affiliate clubs in the [[New South Wales Cup]] competition ([[North Sydney Bears]]) and the [[Super League (Europe)|European Super League]] ([[Leeds Rhinos]], the reigning Super League champions).
The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated its centenary year during the [[National Rugby League season 2008|2008 National Rugby League season]]. That year the club were named the [[National Trust of Australia|National Trust]]'s inaugural 'Community Icon', in recognition of the club's significant longstanding contribution to sport and sporting culture at both state and national levels.<ref>{{cite web|title='Pride of the League' Honoured by the National Trust|url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Pride-of-the-League-Honoured-by-the-National-Trust.html|publisher=South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403191336/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Pride-of-the-League-Honoured-by-the-National-Trust.html|archive-date=3 April 2012|date=3 September 2008}}</ref>


==== Return to premiership success ====
On 3 September 2008, the South Sydney Football Club was named the [[National Trust of Australia|National Trust]]'s inaugural 'Community Icon' in recognition of the club's significant longstanding contribution to sport and sporting culture at both state and national levels.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/News/Club-News/Pride-of-the-League-Honoured-by-the-National-Trust.html 'Pride of the League' Honoured by the National Trust] from the official South Sydney website.</ref>
The arrival of [[Sam Burgess]] and [[Greg Inglis]] to the club in the early 2010s saw South Sydney qualify for the finals. In April 2011, Souths announced [[Michael Maguire (rugby league)|Michael Maguire]] would replace retiring coach [[John Lang (Australian rugby league)|John Lang]] for the 2012 season, signing as head coach on a three-year deal.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2011-04-15|title=Maguire announced as Rabbitohs coach|language=en-AU|publisher=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-04-16/maguire-announced-as-rabbitohs-coach/2612518|access-date=2021-10-13}}</ref>
Following consecutive preliminary final exits in [[2012 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2012]] and [[2013 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2013]], it defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2014 preliminary final to advance to its first grand final since the successful 1971 campaign.


Following a slim 6–0 lead in the first half of the [[2014 NRL Grand Final|2014 grand final]], Souths scored four second half tries to defeat Canterbury 30–6. This was South Sydney's first premiership win in 43 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-10-05 |title=Rabbitohs break long drought with fairytale win |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2014/10/05/rabbitohs-break-long-drought-with-fairytale-win/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=National Rugby League |language=en}}</ref> Sam Burgess received the Clive Churchill medal despite playing the entire match with a fractured cheekbone, suffered from a head clash during the first tackle of the match.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chammas |first=Michael |date=2014-10-05 |title=Clive Churchill Medal 2014: Sam Burgess lost for words after galvanising display recognised |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/clive-churchill-medal-2014-sam-burgess-lost-for-words-after-galvanising-display-recognised-20141005-10qn3p.html |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>
==Emblem==
[[Image:Souths emblem orig.JPG|thumb|150px|right|The original Rabbitohs emblem introduced in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1959|1959]]]][[File:South sydney rabbitohs logo 1988.jpg|thumb|150px|right|A later version of the Rabbitohs' logo]]
One version of how the club got the "Rabbitohs" nickname comes from the team's pre-[[History of rugby league#Professional rugby begins in Australia|schism]] days at the turn of the 20th century. During that period, players wearing their [[cardinal red]] and [[myrtle (color)|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. 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.<ref>See the comments of ABC radio reporter Joe O'Brien from the transcript of the ABC ''PM'' radio program [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s324987.htm "Rabbitohs continue historic form"], broadcast on Friday, 6 July 2001.</ref>
[[Image:Souths Centenary.png||thumb|left|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.<ref name="rl1908"/> Yet another version links the Rabbitoh name as being adopted from that of the touring [[Australia national rugby union team|Australian rugby union]] teams of the early 1900s who were nicknamed "Rabbits" prior to discarding the name in 1908 in favour of the moniker "Wallabies".<ref name="New Speculations">[http://www.rl1908.com/clubcomps/origins.htm "Club Histories – New Speculations"] ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan.</ref>


Following the premiership victory, South Sydney were presented with the Keys to the City of Randwick by Mayor Ted Seng at a presentation ceremony at Souths Juniors in Kingsford and later the same day awarded the Keys to the City of Sydney by Lord Mayor [[Clover Moore]] at a reception at [[Sydney Town Hall]].
The "Rabbitoh" emblem (a running white rabbit) first appeared on the team's jersey in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1959|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.


On 23 October 2014, Holmes à Court sold his 50% share of Blackcourt League Investments, and consequently his 37.5% stake in South Sydney, to [[James Packer]]'s [[Consolidated Press Holdings]].<ref name="2014ownership">{{cite news|author=Dean Ritchie|date=24 October 2014|title=Peter Holmes a Court reveals his reasons for selling his South Sydney stake, while James Packer plans for a big future|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|publication-place=Sydney, New South Wales|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/peter-holmes-a-court-reveals-his-reasons-for-selling-his-south-sydney-stake-while-james-packer-plans-for-a-big-future/story-fnp0lyn3-1227100197425|access-date=31 October 2014}}</ref>
The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated their centenary year during 2008. The club released a centenary emblem to commemorate the occasion. To also coincide with the centenary year, Souths opted to alter their logo by removing the red and green oval from their emblem for a solid white rabbit with the words ''Souths Sydney Rabbitohs'' in upper case font as seen above.
<br style="clear:both;" />


After elimination early in the 2015 finals series,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-13/sharks-crush-rabbitohs-to-eliminate-defending-premiers/6772102|title=Sharks beat Rabbitohs 28–12 to eliminate defending premiers|newspaper=ABC News|date=13 September 2015|access-date=15 June 2018}}</ref> a nine-game winning streak in 2018 saw South Sydney return to premiership contention.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-17 |title=Rabbitohs: 2018 season by the numbers |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/17/south-sydney-rabbitohs-2018-season-by-the-numbers/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=National Rugby League |language=en}}</ref> This season marked the start of five consecutive preliminary finals appearances in the late 2010s and early 2020s. After losses in consecutive years to the Sydney Roosters, Canberra,<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Australian Associated Press |date=2019-09-27 |title=Canberra Raiders end 25-year wait to reach NRL grand final with victory over Rabbitohs |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/27/canberra-raiders-end-25-year-wait-to-reach-nrl-grand-final-with-victory-over-rabbitohs |access-date=2023-10-24 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and Penrith,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-17 |title=Penrith reach first NRL grand final since 2003 with thrilling win over South Sydney |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-17/nrl-preliminary-final-penrith-panthers-south-sydney-scorecentre/12774550 |access-date=2023-10-24}}</ref> Souths defeated Manly in 2021 to advance to the [[2021 NRL Grand Final|grand final]] against Penrith.
==Colours==
[[Image:South Sydney home jersey 1908.svg|150px|right]]South Sydney has used [[cardinal red]] and [[myrtle (color)|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 [[New South Wales Rugby Union|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.<ref name="New Speculations"/> 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.


With the game poised at 8–8 in the second half, [[Cody Walker (rugby league)|Cody Walker]] threw a pass that was intercepted by Panthers winger [[Stephen Crichton]] who scored untouched. Souths scored in the final five minutes of the match, but halfback [[Adam Reynolds]] missed the conversion from the sideline and a subsequent field-goal attempt, either of which would have seen the game tied. Penrith won the game 14–12.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-03 |title=2021 NRL Grand Final as it happened |url=https://www.espn.com.au/nrl/story/_/id/32316551/2021-nrl-grand-final-penrith-panthers-south-sydney-rabbitohs-happened |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Penrith would also defeat South Sydney in the 2022 preliminary final, ending Souths' season for the third year in a row.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-24 |title=Panthers book date with Eels in NRL grand final |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-24/nrl-penrith-panthers-defeats-south-sydney-rabbitohs/101470088 |access-date=2023-10-24}}</ref>
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.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/memorabilia.html#Scene_1 South Sydney traditional jersey] from the official South Sydney website.</ref> In [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1945|1945]] and [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1946|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 [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1980|1980]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1984|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"<ref>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.</ref> jersey (so-called due to its apparent similarity to the wrapper design of the popular sweet). 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 [[National Rugby League season 2006|2006 season]].


Prior to the 2022 season, [[Atlassian]] founder [[Mike Cannon-Brookes]] became a partial owner of the Rabbitohs by buying one third of the management firm alongside Crowe and Packer. Together, these three own 75% of the Rabbitohs; the remaining 25% of the club is owned by fans.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-11-15 |title=Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes buys stake in Rabbitohs |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-15/mike-cannon-brookes-buys-rabbitohs-share/100620432 |access-date=2023-05-08}}</ref>
Before the start of the [[National Rugby League season 2007|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 has been styled similarly to the one that initially featured on jerseys in the 1960s.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Home-Jersey.html#Scene_1 South Sydney 2009 home jersey] from the official South Sydney website.</ref> For season 2009, the rabbit emblem is black for home matches whilst the emblem is the original white for away matches.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Away-Jersey-.html#Scene_1 South Sydney 2009 alternate (away) jersey] from the official South Sydney website.</ref>
Despite sitting 2nd at the midway point of [[2023 NRL season|2023]], Souths only won four of their remaining thirteen fixtures to miss the finals series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-south-sydney-rabbitohs-latrell-mitchell-changing-position-centres-halves-fullback-jack-wighton-sam-burgess-2024-jason-demetriou/news-story/d7c72c901f9e61a0b76b55f9162b64cd/|title='Absolute madness': Potential Latrell switch slammed as a 'band aid' for broken Bunnies|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=5 September 2023 }}</ref> This slump continued into 2024, with the Rabbitohs finishing 16th.


==Club symbols==
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.
<!--<gallery perrow="4" align="center" caption="South Sydney Rabbitohs Logos">
File:Souths_R_Logo.jpg|1950–1969
File:Souths_Logo.jpg|1970–1999; 2002-2007
File:Souths2007_logo.jpg|2007-2012-->
<!--File:South Sydney Rabbitohs logo.png|2013–present-->
<!--</gallery>-->
=== Emblem ===
The club mascot is the ''rabbitoh'', a now-disused term that was commonly used in the early 20th century to describe [[hawker (trade)|hawkers]] who captured and skinned rabbits and then sold the meat at markets,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Evening News|publication-place=Sydney, NSW|date=14 June 1904|page=4|title=Bunny}}</ref> so named because they would shout "rabbit-oh!" around the markets and suburbs to attract buyers. The club is also informally referred to as the ''Rabbits'', ''Bunnies'' or ''Souths''.


Exactly how South Sydney came to be known as the Rabbitohs is unknown. According to one version of events, dating from pre-[[History of rugby league#Professional rugby begins in Australia|schism]] days at the turn of the 20th century, some of the club's players earned some extra money on Saturday mornings as rabbit-oh men, staining their jerseys with rabbit blood in the process; 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.<ref>See the comments of ABC radio reporter Joe O'Brien from the transcript of the ABC ''PM'' radio program [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s324987.htm "Rabbitohs continue historic form"], broadcast on Friday, 6 July 2001.</ref> Another version was that the term 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.<ref name="rl1908"/> A third version claims the Rabbitoh name was adopted from that of the touring [[Australia national rugby union team|Australian rugby union]] teams of the early 1900s who were nicknamed "Rabbits" prior to discarding the name in 1908 in favour of the moniker "Wallabies".<ref name="New Speculations">[http://www.rl1908.com/clubcomps/origins.htm "Club Histories – New Speculations"] ''RL1908.com'' by Sean Fagan. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021080342/http://www.rl1908.com/clubcomps/origins.htm |date=21 October 2006 }}</ref>
In 2008 the Rabbitohs wore white shorts to match the white stripe running down the side of their jersey.


The "Rabbitoh" emblem, a running white rabbit, first appeared on the team's jersey in [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1959|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.
==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.<ref>[http://www.angelfire.com/nb/coop/zSOUTH_SYDNEY.htm South Sydney] Co-op.</ref> In 1947 the club played its final season at the Sports Ground, before relocating to [[Redfern Oval]] in 1948.<ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/redfern.html Redfern Oval] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> 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.


The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated its centenary year during 2008. The club released a centenary emblem to commemorate the occasion. To also coincide with the centenary year, Souths opted to alter the logo by removing the red and green oval from the emblem for a solid white rabbit with the words ''South Sydney Rabbitohs'' set in uppercase type.
In 1988, the club began to play in the newly built [[Sydney Football Stadium]],<ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/s.f.s..html Sydney Football Stadium] from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website].</ref> built upon the former Sydney Sports Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground No. 2 Oval. [[Image:Panorama-TelstraStadium-Oct2005.jpg|thumb|[[Stadium Australia|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.

=== 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 [[New South Wales Rugby Union|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 its jerseys.<ref name="New Speculations"/> However, the suburb of Redfern was named in honour of [[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 alternating red and green, and has been used for the vast majority of the club's history.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/memorabilia.html#Scene_1 South Sydney traditional jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102194340/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/memorabilia.html#Scene_1 |date=2 November 2013 }} from the official South Sydney website.</ref> In [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1945|1945]] and [[New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1946|1946]] the club broke with this tradition and used a green design with a red "V" around the collar, before reverting to the original hoop style. From [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1980|1980]] to [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1984|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"<ref>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.</ref> jersey (so-called due to its apparent similarity to the wrapper design of the popular sweet). 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 [[National Rugby League season 2006|2006 season]].

Before the start of the [[National Rugby League season 2007|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 has been styled similarly to the one that initially featured on jerseys in the 1960s.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Home-Jersey.html#Scene_1 South Sydney 2009 home jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102194412/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Home-Jersey.html#Scene_1 |date=2 November 2013 }} from the official South Sydney website.</ref> For season 2009, the rabbit emblem is black for home matches whilst the emblem is the original white for away matches.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Away-Jersey-.html#Scene_1 South Sydney 2009 alternate (away) jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102194418/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Shop/Mens-Apparel/Jerseys/2009-Away-Jersey-.html#Scene_1 |date=2 November 2013 }} from the official South Sydney website.</ref>

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 the traditional playing strip, the decision was made to wear black shorts once more. In 2008 the Rabbitohs wore white shorts to match the white stripe running down the side of the jersey.

<gallery class="center" perrow="6" align="center" caption="South Sydney Rabbitohs – Jerseys">
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1908.png|1908
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1930.png|1909–1944, 1947–1958
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1945.png|1945–1946
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1959.png|1959–1964
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1965.png|1965–1974
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1975.png|1975–1976
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1977.png|1977–1979
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1980.png|1980–1984
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1985.png|1985–1993
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1994.png|1994–1996
Image:South Sydney Jersey 1997.png|1997–1999
</gallery>

==Geographic area==
The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club (precursor to the current corporate entity) was formed, under the original 1908 articles of association with the NSWRL competition, to represent the Sydney municipalities of Alexandria, Botany, Mascot, Waterloo, Redfern and Darlington and the southern parts of the City of Sydney. It additionally represents southern parts of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the suburbs Coogee, Kensington, Kingsford, and Maroubra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turf wars {{!}} Your Say Randwick |url=https://www.yoursay.randwick.nsw.gov.au/turf-wars?tool=survey_tool |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.yoursay.randwick.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>

Souths have a proud history of Indigenous players from the local district clubs including [[La Perouse United]], [[Redfern All Blacks]] and Indigenous recruits from [[Country Rugby League|Country NSW]].

==Stadium==
During the early years of the [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership]], "home games" were not assigned very often. However, South Sydney played most of its games at the [[Royal Agricultural Society Ground]] (Sydney Showground) from 1908 until the club's departure in 1920. From 1911 onwards, the [[Sydney Sports Ground]] was also used interchangeably with the Agricultural Ground over a decade for hosting matches.<ref>[https://www.angelfire.com/nb/coop/zSOUTH_SYDNEY.htm South Sydney] Co-op.</ref> In 1947 the club played its final season at the Sports Ground, before relocating to [[Redfern Oval]] in 1948.<ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/redfern.html Redfern Oval] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016064538/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/redfern.html |date=16 October 2013 }} from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> It was here that team played in the heart of the club's territory and played the vast majority of its allocated home matches.


[[File:Panorama-TelstraStadium-Oct2005.jpg|thumb|[[Stadium Australia]], the Rabbitohs current home ground.]]
During 2004–2005, when the Rabbitohs contract with Sydney Football Stadium was about to expire, new home grounds were investigated at Gosford, North Sydney Oval and Telstra Stadium (Now ANZ Stadium). Eventually the decision was made to relocate to Telstra Stadium at Homebush. The move was controversial as it was claimed to have been made to secure the Rabbitohs future.<ref>{{cite news|author=Greg Prichard|publisher=''The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au)''|title=Rabbitohs in shock move to Homebush |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/Rabbitohs-in-shock-move-to-Homebush/2005/02/26/1109180167664.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=AAP|publisher=''TV NZ (tvnz.co.nz)''|title=Rabbitohs secure new home ground |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/sport_story_skin/479780}}</ref> However history showed that the club was several million dollars in the red at the end of 2005 and was forced into privatisation.<ref>{{cite news|author=ABC|publisher=''ABC (abc.net.au)''|title=Bunnies facing extinction, Crowe tells fans |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/02/12/1568008.htm}}</ref>
In 1988, the club began to play in the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]],<ref>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/s.f.s..html Sydney Football Stadium] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006191639/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/venues/s.f.s..html |date=6 October 2014 }} from the [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html Rugby League Tables & Statistics website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |date=21 August 2007 }}</ref> just 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 when South Sydney was absent from the premiership. During 2004–2005, when the Rabbitoh's contract with Sydney Football Stadium was about to expire, new home grounds were investigated at Gosford, North Sydney Oval and Stadium Australia. Eventually the decision was made to relocate to Stadium Australia at Sydney Olympic Park. The move was generally not well received by the fans,<ref>{{cite news |author=Greg Prichard |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au) |title=Rabbitohs in shock move to Sydney Olympic Park |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/Rabbitohs-in-shock-move-to-SOP/2005/02/26/1109180167664.html |date=27 February 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=One Sport|publisher=TVNZ |title=Rabbitohs secure new home ground |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/content/479780/2422021.html|date=16 March 2005|access-date=26 March 2014}}</ref> but provided considerably more income for the club, which was several million dollars in the red at the end of 2005.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=ABC (abc.net.au)|title=Bunnies facing extinction, Crowe tells fans |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/02/12/1568008.htm}}</ref> In 2008, the club renewed its partnership with Stadium Australia to play NRL home games and home finals at the venue for the next 10&nbsp;years.
[[Image:Redfern Oval RTR 2009.jpg|thumb|left|[[Redfern Oval]], Rabbitohs vs Wests Tigers pre-season trial game, 8 February 2009.]]
In 2006 the club relocated home games to [[Stadium Australia|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&nbsp;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.


During 2008 the [[City of Sydney|City of Sydney Council]]<ref name="Redfern Park upgrade">[http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/CityImprovements/RedfernParkUpgrade.asp Proposed Redfern Park Upgrade,] [[City of Sydney]] website.</ref> completed a $19.5 million upgrade and renovation of Redfern Oval. From season 2009, the upgraded Redfern Oval will provide the Rabbitohs with training facilities and a venue for hosting pre-season and exhibition matches.<ref name="Redfern Park upgrade">[http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/CityImprovements/RedfernParkUpgrade.asp Proposed Redfern Park Upgrade], on the [[City of Sydney]] website.</ref>
[[File:Redfern Oval RTR 2009.jpg|thumb|left|[[Redfern Oval]], Rabbitohs vs Wests Tigers pre-season trial game, 8 February 2009.]]During 2008, the [[City of Sydney|City of Sydney Council]]<ref name="Redfern Park upgrade">{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/CityImprovements/RedfernParkUpgrade.asp |title=Proposed Redfern Park Upgrade |publisher=City of Sydney |date=28 July 2006 |access-date=26 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824011340/http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/CityImprovements/RedfernParkUpgrade.asp |archive-date=24 August 2006}}</ref> completed a $19.5 million upgrade and renovation of Redfern Oval. From season 2009, the upgraded Redfern Oval provided the Rabbitohs with training facilities and a venue for hosting pre-season and exhibition matches.


In 2023, the Rabbitohs relocated its headquarters and first team training facilities from Redfern Oval to the [[Heffron Park|Heffron Centre]],<ref>{{cite news |author=Christian Nicolussi |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au) |title=So long, old girl: Rabbitohs train at Redfern for last time |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/so-long-old-girl-rabbitohs-train-at-redfern-for-last-time-20230412-p5czuf.html |date=12 April 2023}}</ref> a $58M community sporting complex in Maroubra owned by [[City of Randwick|Randwick City Council]].<ref name="The Heffron Centre">{{cite web |url=https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/planning-and-building/council-works-and-upgrades/major-projects/the-heffron-centre |title=The Heffron Centre |publisher=Randwick City Council |date=18 April 2023 |access-date=16 May 2023}}</ref> The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ $26M Community and High Performance Centre provides training facilities for the NRL, Women’s and NSW Cup teams, as well as facilities for the administrative, commercial and [[Souths Cares]] staff members.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs played the Wests Tigers in a pre-season match on Sunday, 8 February 2009. The seating capacity for this games was only 5,000, so only members from South Sydney and the Tigers were allowed to purchase tickets for the match. The Tigers won the game 30–26 in front of a sold out crowd.


==Supporters==
==Supporters==
The South Sydney Rabbitohs continue to have a large supporter base in its traditional areas of South-eastern Sydney, despite having moved from [[Redfern Oval]] two decades ago, while also enjoying wide support throughout other rugby league playing centres around the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Supporter Groups|url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/about/supporter-groups.html|publisher=South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club|access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref> The official South Sydney [[supporter group]] is known as "[[The Burrow (Support)|The Burrow]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theburrow.com.au/about_us.html|title=About us|work=theburrow.com.au|access-date=14 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109060932/http://www.theburrow.com.au/about_us.html|archive-date=9 January 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[Image:Rabbitohs737.JPG|thumb|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|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.<ref>[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Supporter-Groups.html#Scene_1 South Sydney supporter groups] from the official South Sydney website.</ref> The main South Sydney supporters group at matches is known as "The Burrow."<ref>[http://www.theburrow.com.au/about_us.html The Burrow website.]</ref>


South Sydney at one stage had the highest football club membership in the National Rugby League, with membership exceeding 35,000 as of June 23, 2015. That member number also included more than 11,000 ticketed members, the highest of the Sydney-based NRL clubs. Following the conclusion of the [[2021 NRL season]], new figures showed South Sydney to have the second highest membership of Sydney NRL clubs behind [[Parramatta Eels|Parramatta]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2021/09/02/parramatta-eels-membership-breaks-all-time-record/#:~:text=The%20Parramatta%20Eels%20would%20like,league%20and%20in%20Western%20Sydney./|title=Eels membership breaks all time record|website=www.parraeels.com.au| date=2 September 2021 }}</ref>
As at March 2010,<ref>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 [http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=24713 "Holmes à Court: Setting the Record Straight"], by Peter Holmes à Court, from the World of Rugby League website, 15 March 2006.</ref> the Rabbitohs had the highest football club membership in the National Rugby League, with total membership exceeding 17,500. The total member number also includes more than 11,000 ticketed members to date, the highest of the Sydney-based NRL Clubs. It was announced during the 2010 [[Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)|Charity Shield]] game that both St George Illawarra and Souths had exceeded the 10,000 milestone, making the 2010 season the first time two Sydney clubs have entered the season with 10,000 ticketed members each. The club has members from every state in Australia and international members located in 22 countries. Football club membership had peaked at some 22,000 when the club was readmitted to the National Rugby League for [[National Rugby League season 2002|season 2002]].<ref>Glenn Jackson, [http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/pride-in-the-rabbitohs-jersey--and-dollars-too/2006/12/19/1166290546793.html Pride in the Rabbitohs jersey – and dollars, too], ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 20 December 2006.</ref>


It was announced during the 2010 [[Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)|Charity Shield]] game that both St. George Illawarra and Souths had exceeded the 10,000 milestone, making the 2010 season the first time two Sydney clubs had entered the season with 10,000 ticketed members each. The club had members from every state in Australia and international members in 22 countries. Football club membership peaked at some 22,000 when the club was re-admitted to the National Rugby League for [[National Rugby League season 2002|season 2002]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/pride-in-the-rabbitohs-jersey--and-dollars-too/2006/12/19/1166290546793.html |title=Pride in the Rabbitohs jersey – and dollars, too |author=Jackson, Glenn |date=20 December 2006 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref>
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 [[Sport in Australia|Australian sporting history]]. In that year 40,000 people<ref>[http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=76&menubox=&scholar=131 Reclaiming the Game: Fandom, Community and Globalisation], by Michael Moller, from the APINetwork website.</ref> attended a rally in the [[Sydney central business district|Sydney CBD]] in support of South Sydney's cause.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/austory/transcripts/s336534.htm In George We Trust], producd by Helen Grasswill, ''Australian Story'' transcript, 2 August 2001, from the ABC website.</ref><ref>See the chapters ''Reclaim the Game'' and ''Taking it to the Streets'' in Mark Courtney's ''Moving the Goalposts'', Halstead Press, 2000.</ref> In 2000 and 2001, public street marches took place in Sydney with in excess of 80,000 people rallying behind the Rabbitohs.<ref name="Souths Revival"/> 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.<ref>See [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Media/docs/Corporate-Brochure2009-FA-LR-cc110f55-0112-49bd-901c-50631bdfb578.pdf South's 2009 Corporate Partnership Brochure.]</ref><ref>See [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Warnes-new-job-being-Shane-Warne/2007/01/07/1168104863495.html Warne's new job: being Shane Warne] from the Sydney Morning Herald website, 7 January 2007 .</ref>


"Group 14", a collection of club backers including businessmen, politicians, musicians and media personalities, was formed before the Rabbitohs' exclusion from the NRL in 1999.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/austory/series4/9932text.htm "Mission Impossible"] 23 September 1999 ''[[Australian Story]]'' archives at abc.net.au</ref> Members include [[Anthony Albanese]], [[Laurie Brereton]], [[Michael Cheika]], [[Rodger Corser]], [[Michael Daley]], [[Andrew Denton]], [[Cathy Freeman]], [[Nick Greiner]], [[Deirdre Grusovin]], [[Ron Hoenig]], [[Ray Martin (television presenter)|Ray Martin]], [[Mikey Robins]], and [[Mike Whitney]].<ref>{{Cite news |author-link=Kip Gamblin
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.
| last = Gamblin
| first = Kip
| title = Souths power bloc backs Crowe bid
| work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
| publisher = [[Fairfax Media]]
| date = 5 March 2006
| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/souths-power-bloc-backs-crowe-bid/2006/03/04/1141191887305.html
| access-date =5 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
| last = Walter
| first = Brad
| title = Souths support group enters Crowe fray
| work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
| place = Australia
| publisher = [[Fairfax Media]]
| date = 18 February 2006
| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/souths-support-group-enters-crowe-fray/2006/02/17/1140151817221.html
| access-date =5 October 2010}}</ref> They contributed to South Sydney's bid for reinstatement, following the club's exclusion from the competition at the end of the 1999 season. A sustained campaign of public support that year, unprecedented in [[Sport in Australia|Australian sporting history]], saw 40,000 people<ref>[http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=76&menubox=&scholar=131 Reclaiming the Game: Fandom, Community and Globalisation], by Michael Moller, from the APINetwork website.</ref> attend a rally in the [[Sydney central business district|Sydney CBD]] in support of South Sydney's cause.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/austory/transcripts/s336534.htm In George We Trust], produced by Helen Grasswill, ''Australian Story'' transcript, 2 August 2001, from the ABC website.</ref><ref>See the chapters ''Reclaim the Game'' and ''Taking it to the Streets'' in Mark Courtney's ''Moving the Goalposts'', Halstead Press, 2000.</ref> In 2000 and 2001, public street marches took place in Sydney with in excess of 80,000 people rallying behind the Rabbitohs.<ref name="Souths Revival"/> The club also has a number of high-profile supporters as well, many of whom were dominant figures in Souths' battle to be readmitted into the premiership in 2000 and 2001.<ref>See [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Media/docs/Corporate-Brochure2009-FA-LR-cc110f55-0112-49bd-901c-50631bdfb578.pdf South's 2009 Corporate Partnership Brochure.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915134941/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/Media/docs/Corporate-Brochure2009-FA-LR-cc110f55-0112-49bd-901c-50631bdfb578.pdf |date=15 September 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Warnes-new-job-being-Shane-Warne/2007/01/07/1168104863495.html |title=Warne's new job: being Shane Warne |date=7 January 2007 |agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]] |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref> In 2007, supporters set a new club record for attendance with an average home crowd figure of 15,702 being the highest ever since the introduction of the home and away system in 1974.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Rabbitohs make ANZ Stadium home for next 10 years|date=8 Feb 2008<!-- 01:10-->|url=http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=29705|publisher=rleague (from a South Sydney press release)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403183357/http://rleague.com/content/article.php?id=29705|archive-date=3 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>


In 2023, 31st [[Prime Minister of Australia]], Anthony Albanese, a lifelong South Sydney supporter, was named the club’s number one ticket-holder.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/cronulla-sharks-consider-revoking-scott-morrisons-no-1-ticketholder-status-amid-robodebt-scandal/news-story/59d25a6450701ae4cb517e99653cacfe# | title=Cronulla Sharks consider revoking Scott Morrison's No. 1 ticketholder status amid Robodebt scandal | date=10 July 2023 }}</ref>
'''Famous fans'''
*[[Andrew Denton]], comedian and television presenter<ref>{{cite news
| last = Stewart
| first = Heather
| coauthors =
| title = Rabbitohs fans devastated
| work = abc.net.au
| place =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]
| date = 15 October 1999
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s59761.htm
| accessdate = 28 September 2009}}</ref>
*[[Ray Martin (television presenter)|Ray Martin]], television presenter<ref>{{cite news
| last = Bennett
| first = Adam
| coauthors =
| title = Ray Martin to broadcast Pope's visit
| work = Adelaide Now
| place =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = [[News Limited]]
| date = 28 March 2008
| url = http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23446123-5005962,00.html
| accessdate = 28 September 2009}}</ref>
*[[Anthony Maroon]], radio personality<ref>{{cite news
| last = smh.com.au
| first =
| coauthors =
| title = Crowe to miss final, Jackman in doubt
| work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald|Sydney Morning Herald, The]]
| place =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = Fairfax Digital
| date = 6 September 2007
| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Crowe-to-miss-final-Jackman-in-doubt/2007/09/06/1188783405904.html
| accessdate = 28 September 2009}}</ref>


=== Reggie the Rabbit ===
*[[Anthony Albanese]], politician<ref>{{cite news
Reggie the Rabbit is the Rabbitohs' mascot. The mascot first appeared in lifesize form in 1968 after celebrity fan [[Don Lane]] brought back a suit from the US in time for the 1968 grand final against [[Manly Warringah Sea Eagles]], won by the Rabbitohs 13–9. Perhaps the most notable of the early Reggies was the club's groundsman Reg Fridd. Standing just over four feet tall, the Rabbitohs lured the diminutive New Zealander from a touring production of ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarves'', the same troupe that had yielded the second Reggie, Roscoe Bova, killed in a car accident in the early 1970s. Most teams in the [[National Rugby League]] maintain mascots. During 2000 and 2001, when Souths was excluded from the NRL, Anth Courtney was Reggie Rabbit appearing at the second Town Hall rally and at games at [[Redfern Oval]] as well as being active in travelling extensively around the state to attend fundraisers as Reggie Rabbit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Time Out &#124; Best Things to do and Events in Cities Worldwide |url=http://www.au.timeout.com/Sydney/the-bridge/features/1377/19-reggie-the-rabbit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 September 2013 |title=Reggie the Rabbit: The Rabbitohs 18th Man and the Most Famous Bunny in Australia! |url=http://www.travelingwithjared.com/2013/09/30/reggie-the-rabbit-the-rabbitohs-18th-man-and-the-most-famous-bunny-in-australia/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 September 2013 |title=Masked or not, he's a devoted Rabbitoh |url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/masked-or-not-hes-a-devoted-rabbitoh-20130926-2ugzx.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sport in Sydney - Sydney Outdoor activities |url=http://www.au.timeout.com/Sydney/the-bridge/features/1377/19-reggie-the-rabbit |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204073617/http://www.au.timeout.com/Sydney/the-bridge/features/1377/19-reggie-the-rabbit |archive-date=4 February 2015 |access-date=14 May 2015 |work=Time Out Sydney |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| last = Sean Nicholls and Emily Dunn
| first =
| coauthors =
| title = Ethical concerns go up a notch
| work = brisbanetimes.com.au
| place =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = Fairfax Digital
| date = 13 August 2009
| url = http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/the-diary/ethical-concerns-go-up-a-notch-20090812-eieb.html
| accessdate = 28 September 2009}}</ref>
*[[Don Lane]], entertainer and talk show host<ref>{{cite news
| last = Heads
| first = Ian
| coauthors =
| title = Canterbury all fired up
| work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald|Sydney Morning Herald, The]]
| place =
| pages = 26
| language =
| publisher =
| date = 10 May 1982
| url = http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZTsRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BOcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5104,4213788&dq=don-lane
| accessdate = 28 September 2009}}</ref>


Charlie Gallico has been South Sydney's Reggie Rabbit since 2002,<ref>https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/charlie-rabbit-the-movie#:~:text=The%20man%2C%20the%20Rabbit%20and,will%20always%20last%20a%20lifetime.</ref>
==Link to the indigenous community==
Souths has a long history of producing talented [[Indigenous Australians|indigenous]] players, including stars such as [[Eric Simms (rugby league)|Eric Simms]], [[Eric Robinson (rugby league)|Eric Robinson]], [[Kevin Longbottom]] and, more recently, [[Nathan Merritt]].<ref>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.</ref> Throughout its history the club has been a provider of opportunity for young [[Indigenous Australians|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<ref>[http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?c=7-2153-20427-0-0&sID=18925 Who are the Redfern All Blacks] from the Redfern All Blacks website.</ref><ref>[http://www1.aiatsis.gov.au/dawn/docs/v19/s03/3.pdf A Club to be proud of...] by Ken Brindle, Hon. Secretary Redfern All Blacks, in ''New Dawn'', June 1970.</ref> in 1930, a vitally important nursery for Souths over the years.<ref>See section on [http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=26140 The History of the Rabbitohs and the Indigenous Community] by Ian Heads in the article ''Rabbitohs and NASCA Form New Alliance'', from the World of Rugby League website (www.rleague.com).</ref>


==South Sydney Leagues Club==
Indigenous players in the current Souths squad include [[Nathan Merritt]], [[Rhys Wesser]], [[Beau Champion]] and [[Chris Sandow]].
[[File:1 Souths Juniors Sydney1.JPG|thumb|upright|Souths Juniors on [[Anzac Parade, Sydney|Anzac Parade]] in [[Kingsford, New South Wales|Kingsford]]|207x207px]]

===The Juniors===
'''The Juniors''' aka Souths Juniors on [[Anzac Parade, Sydney|Anzac Parade]] in [[Kingsford, New South Wales]] has been the club's leagues club since the old Souths Leagues closed in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejuniors.com.au/|title=The Juniors|work=thejuniors.com.au|access-date=14 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="smh.com.au">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/south-sydney-leagues-club-in-administration-20130307-2fnny.html |first=Tim |last=Barlass |date=7 March 2013 |title=South Sydney Leagues Club in administration |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=14 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="Kent">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/promises-come-to-nought-as-souths-leagues-shuts-with-debts-of-55m/story-e6frexqr-1226605802512?nk=7c249bf49ac3d4fddd8af453efa2d14e |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150118215129/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/promises-come-to-nought-as-souths-leagues-shuts-with-debts-of-55m/story-e6frexqr-1226605802512?nk=7c249bf49ac3d4fddd8af453efa2d14e |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 January 2015 |title=Promises come to nought as Souths Leagues shuts with debts of $5.5m |first=Paul |last=Kent |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |date=26 March 2013 |access-date=14 May 2015 }}</ref> The club is owned by the [[South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League]].

====Juniors at the Junction====
'''Juniors @ The Junction''' (Since 2009) – The result of a merger with South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club (Kingsford) and the struggling [[Maroubra Junction, New South Wales|Maroubra]] [[Returned and Services League of Australia|Returned and Services League (RSL) Club]]. The club is on the site of the former Maroubra RSL club on Anzac Parade and Haig Street.<ref name="southern-courier.whereilive.com.au">{{cite news |url=http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/clubs-fight-to-survive/ |title=Clubs fight to survive |newspaper=Southern Courier |date=14 April 2009}}</ref>

====The Juniors on Hawkesbury====
'''The Juniors on Hawkesbury''' (Since 2008) – in the [[Hawkesbury River]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thejuniors.com.au/shop/item/juniors-on-hawkesbury|title=Juniors On Hawkesbury|website=Thejuniors.com.au|access-date=14 May 2015|archive-date=17 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317072156/http://www.thejuniors.com.au/shop/item/juniors-on-hawkesbury|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===South Sydney Leagues Club===
The South Sydney Leagues Club, colloquially known as Souths Leagues, was the club's official leagues club. The club closed in 2013 after being placed into administration with large debts.<ref name="smh.com.au"/><ref name="Kent"/>

==Culture and tradition==
In 1999 Russell Crowe bought the foundation bell at the Red and Green Ball for the club.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/fifteen-years-after-russell-crowe-paid-42000-the-foundation-bell-will-be-rung-again-at-the-grand-final/news-story/4445efc705c4e4ca4859a9921318830b|title=Finally, foundation bell will ring again|website=Daily Telegraph |first=David|last=Riccio|date=4 October 2014|access-date=27 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/you-re-still-the-prince-of-redfern-crowe-anoints-luke-as-grand-final-bell-ringer-20210929-p58vsq.html |title=You're still the prince of Redfern: Crowe anoints Luke as grand final bell ringer |date=29 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/09/29/mccarthy-rings-foundation-bell-before-2014-grand-final/ |title=McCarthy rings foundation bell before 2014 grand final|date=29 September 2021 }}</ref>

=== Team songs ===

==== Glory, Glory to South Sydney ====
The club's most well known song is played when the team runs out for home games and after victories at home. Originally recorded in 1967 <ref name=":0" /> by the Will Dower Sounds as "South's Victory Song" [sic], "Glory, Glory to South Sydney" is one of the best-known NRL team songs, prominently featuring in promotional materials, merchandise and even the #GGTSS hashtag.

The original version was written when there were 10 clubs in the NSWRFL premiership, and predates the admission of [[Penrith Panthers|Penrith]] and [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks|Cronulla-Sutherland]] for the 1967 season, despite its release date.

The song is likely to have been inspired by [[Glory Glory (football chant)]], sharing [[Battle Hymn of the Republic]]'s tune and coincided with the club's most recent "golden era". While the NSWRFL premiership had been won for 11 consecutive seasons by the [[St. George Dragons]], the Rabbitohs had a strong team and won the [[1967 NSWRFL season|1967 NSWRFL premiership]], going back-to-back in 1968 and winning all but one Grand Final between then and 1971.

The song was heavily played and featured in the club's "fightback" effort when Souths were excluded from the 14-team NRL seasons in 2000 and 2001. In 2004, [[Allan Caswell]] wrote an updated and modernised version, referencing the 15 teams in the NRL Telstra Premiership at the time, which was played at home games for several years before being replaced by the original.

Somewhat controversially, whilst sponsored by [[Real Insurance]] in 2005 and 2006, the club made its entrance to a version of [[The Real Thing (Russell Morris song)|The Real Thing]] as a tie-in. Upon the expiration of the deal, the club reverted to "Glory Glory", but this time a modernised pop version incorporating only the chorus and "South Sydney" chant sung by a female vocalist.

As of 2023, the original 1967 version is used officially by the club<ref name=":6" /> and featured at the club's 2014 and 2021 Grand Final appearances.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!1967 Lyrics<ref name=":1" />
|-
|South Sydney marches on!

'''Chorus:'''

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

South Sydney marches on

When speaking of the champions, one stands above the rest

Of glories old and records proud, when often put to test

Of fine traditions, history, that others cannot best

They wear the Red and Green

'''Chorus'''

They mauled the [[Balmain Tigers]]

Slew the [[St. George Dragons|Dragons from St. George]]

The [[Manly Warringah Sea Eagles|Seagulls]] and the [[North Sydney Bears|Mounties]] next

Were crushed by mighty force

They humbled [[Parramatta Eels|Parramatta]]

And the [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|Berries]] in due course

They wear the Red and Green

'''Chorus'''

They plucked the [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Magpies]]

Slashed the [[Newtown Jets|Newtown bag of blue]]

The [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs Rooster]] crowed

And then was conquered too

The greatest name in any game

Within South Sydney grew

They wear the Red and Green

'''Chorus x2'''

South Sydney marches on!
|}

==== Victory song ====
The Rabbitohs' victory song (also known as the "player's song"<ref name=":3" />) appears to be of pre-WWII origin, but awareness has grown over the years and especially around the passing of club legend [[John Sattler]], whose performances of the song around the club's [[2014 NRL Grand Final|2014]] and [[2021 NRL Grand Final]] in various media have become somewhat iconic within the South Sydney community and were played after the club's win the week after his passing.

The lyrics have varied over the year in a form of [[Oral tradition]] - the current version sung by the players after a win only features the first verse/stanza, preceded recently (in 2023) by a player or special guest calling out "[[If You're Happy and You Know It]]", responded en masse with claps.

The tune of the song differs by segment - the main part as still sung, according to John Sattler's version, is based on the melody of [[The Stars and Stripes Forever]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Current lyrics
|-
|And now that we're all around the bar
And the Captain's declared it a quorum

We are drinking our way through the night

And we're having the time of our lives

Throw the empties away, start again!

Start again!

For the boys of South Sydney are together

And we'll drink 'til the dawn breaks again!

May the sessions of South Sydney last forever

Up the Rabbitohs!
|}
==== Botany Road ====
[[The Burrow (supporters' group)]] began singing a chant to the tune of [[Take Me Home, Country Roads]] during the club's resurgence in the 2010s, generally reserving this chant for when victory was assured within 5 minutes of full time.

Flags, banners and scarves bearing [[Botany Road]] are found throughout South Sydney's supporters at games, referencing the eponymous road that runs through the heart of the South Sydney geographical area.

The song is now an iconic part of the Rabbitohs fan experience, especially during rivalry and Finals Series games. The early repetitions are normally sung at a slow and deliberate pace ''a capella'', with the pace increasing closer to full time and supporters clapping along as the time runs down.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Lyrics<ref name=":5" />
|-
|Take me home, Botany Road
To the place I belong

Back to Redfern, South Sydney

Take me home, Botany Road!
|}

==== Other club songs ====

===== The Burrow chants =====
The Burrow have numerous [[Football chant]]s, both in support of the club and its players as well as against rivals. Some of the most prominent songs and chants, as found in their songbooks, include "South Sydney 'Til I Die", "Rabbitohs", the aforementioned "Botany Road" and several player-based songs, including a version of [[Whole Again]] in appreciation of [[Damien Cook]].

The Burrow also gather in their bay to sing their own version of [[Under the Southern Cross I Stand]] after Rabbitohs victories, adapted from the [[Australia national cricket team|Australian national cricket team]].

===== Fightback-era songs =====
During the club's exile, numerous supporters of the club contributed songs to raise awareness of their plight and to serve as a fundraiser through the sale of "The Glory of South Sydney"[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMT3hORCYjLL1ce46gnq9J90uQt_XIv0R] CD and VHS.

Allan Caswell and Mark Egan penned "Souths Can Stand Alone", which was performed at several fundraisers and protests. The song claims "if they dump South Sydney, they're dumping Rugby League" and thanks [[George Piggins]] for his efforts. A music video featuring a montage of South Sydney moments and heroes was included on the VHS version.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h2XCQdziVA]

Caswell himself became a prominent figure in the campaign, creating several satirical or parody versions of well-known songs, including the club's own "Glory Glory", in protest of [[News Corp Australia]] and the [[National Rugby League]]'s decision to exclude South Sydney from the 2000 and future seasons.

Other contributions included "Glory in their Eyes", a song by John Maclean that touches on the long period since Souths' last premiership and the struggle of long-time Souths supporters having to accept the loss of their club, "Rabbitohs" by Daniel Lissing which concludes with the line "South Sydney marches on" in defiance of the club's exclusion, as well as "Calling All Rabbits" which was constructed from commentary and news soundbytes relating to famous moments on-field, the fight to remain in and return to NRL competition and the like.

===== Other songs =====
One of the more famous South Sydney inspired songs in recent years is "The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6OuMgCQpQI] by [[Perry Keyes]] and later covered by [[The Whitlams]] and the Black Stump Band, referencing not only the famous heroics of [[John Sattler]] in the 1970 Grand Final, but also life in 1970s Australia and inner-city Sydney. The song's chorus incorporates [[Frank Hyde]]'s famous "if it's high enough, if it's long enough, it's straight between the posts" commentary.

A Rabbitohs fan covered [[Eddie Vedder]]'s song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emc9ZClofL8 All the Way], adapting the original's references to the [[Chicago Cubs]]' century-long struggle to win its next [[World Series]] to South Sydney's exclusion and long premiership drought, and the ending of that drought in 2014. The Cubs would win its first World Series since 1908 (also the year Souths participated and won in the inaugural NSWRFL competition) in 2016.

Several supporters have written songs of their own, occasionally garnering some interest within the community.

Pre-game, Souths often have a hype package put together as well as team lineups presented to music. Previous choices for these have included [[Cochise (song)|Cochise]], [[Kryptonite (3 Doors Down song)|Kryptonite]] and [[Hail to the King (song)|Hail to the King]], often interpolated with the "South Sydney" chant just prior to the entrance of the players.

==Kit sponsors and manufacturers==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year
! Kit manufacturer
! Main shirt sponsor
! Back sponsors
! Sleeve sponsors
! Shorts sponsors
|-
| 1977–1978 || rowspan="9" | [[Classic Sportswear]] || [[VIP Insurance]]|| rowspan="4" | — || rowspan="5" | — || rowspan="10" | —
|-
| 1978–1980 || [[KLG Sparkplugs]]
|-
| 1981–1983 || [[100 Pipers|100 Pipers Scotch]]
|-
| 1984–1985 || [[Ignis Refrigerators]]
|-
| 1986–1991 || colspan="2" | [[Smith's Snackfood Company|Smith's Crisps]]
|-
| 1992–1994 || colspan="2" | [[Northwest Airlines]]|| [[Amiga| Amiga Computers]]
|-
| 1995–1997 || colspan="2" | [[Canon Inc.|Canon]]|| [[Canon Inc.|Canon]]
|-
| 1998 || colspan="2" | —
''Proposed'': Souths Juniors (rejected by NRL)
| —
|-
| [[1999 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|1999]]|| colspan="2" | [[Downtown Duty Free]]|| [[RSL COM]]
|-
| [[2002 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2002]] || rowspan="15" | [[International Sports Clothing]] || colspan="2" | [[TV Week]] || rowspan="5" | Arrive Alive
|-
| [[2003 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2003]] || colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Allight|| Linddales Personnel
|-
| [[2004 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2004]]
|Linddales Personnel
Hopeshore
|-
|[[2005 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2005]]
|[[Real Insurance]][[Cinderella Man|/Cinderella Man]] (select fixtures)
|[[Real Insurance]]
|Linddales Personnel
Westpoint
|-
|[[2006 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2006]]
|[[Real Insurance]]
|[[Real Insurance]]/Glen Alpine Properties
|BBX
Bettaplex
|-
| [[2007 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2007]]|| colspan="3" | [[Firepower International|Firepower]] (home)/[[High concept|High Concept]] (away)
''Placement alternated on back/sleeves''
| rowspan="3" | [[Virgin Australia|Virgin Blue]]
|-
| [[2008 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2008]]|| colspan="2" rowspan="2" | [[National Australia Bank]] (home)/[[De'Longhi]] (away)
''Placement alternated on back''
| [[Trivest]]
|-
| [[2009 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2009]]–[[2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2010]]|| [[State of Play (film)]]
|-
| [[2011 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2011]]|| colspan="2" | [[The Star, Sydney|Star City]] (home)/[[De'Longhi]] (away)
''Placement alternated on back''
|[[Supercars Championship|V8 Supercars]]
|[[Kenwood Corporation|Kenwood]]
|-
| [[2012 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2012]]–[[2013 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2013]]
| colspan="2" |[[The Star, Sydney|Star City/The Star]] (home)/[[De'Longhi]] (away)
''Placement alternated on back''

AFEX (sternum)
|[[Kenwood Corporation|Kenwood]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Alcatel One Touch]]
|-
| [[2014 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2014]]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |[[Crown Resorts]]/[[Fujitsu]]
|[[Crown Resorts|Fujitsu]]
|-
| [[2015 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2015]]–[[2017 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2017]]
| [[Crown Resorts]]
|-
|[[2018 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2018]]
| colspan="2" |[[Fujitsu]]/[[Crown Resorts]]
| [[Crown Resorts|Fujitsu]]|| rowspan="2" | PlayUp
|-
|[[2019 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2019]]|| rowspan="2" | Aqualand/[[Alcatel Mobile|Alcatel]]
Zoom (sternum)
|Safe2Pay
[[TCL Technology|TCL]]/Aqualand
|—
|-
|[[2020 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2020]]
|Safe2Pay(R1-2)/[[Wotif]](R3-)
[[TCL Technology|TCL]]/Aqualand
| rowspan="4" |[[Crown Resorts]]
|[[Menulog]][[Hostplus]]
|-
|[[2021 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2021]] || rowspan="4" | [[Classic Sportswear]]
|Aqualand/[[TCL Technology|TCL]]
Zoom (sternum)
|[[Menulog]]/TCL(Home)/Aqualand(Away)
| rowspan="3" |Ingenia Holiday Parks
|-
|[[2022 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2022]]
| rowspan="3" |[[MG Motor]]/[[Wotif]] (sternum)
| rowspan="3" |[[Menulog]]/Aqualand
|-
|[[2023 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2023]]
|-
|2024
| colspan="2" |Ingenia Holiday Parks
|}


==Rivalries==
==Rivalries==
A book, ''[[Book of Feuds|The Book of Feuds]]'', chronicling the rivalries of the Rabbitohs with its 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.<ref>[http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/bitter-feud-to-get-public-airing/2007/09/01/1188067436982.html "Bitter feud to get public airing"], Adrian Proszenko, ''League HQ'', 2 September 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907034256/http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/bitter-feud-to-get-public-airing/2007/09/01/1188067436982.html |date=7 September 2007 }}</ref>
The Rabbitohs and their fans have built up rivalries with other clubs, [[Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs rivalry|particularly the Sydney Roosters]], the other remaining foundation club.<ref>Will Swanton, [http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/shove-thy-neighbour-souths-rule-the-roost/2005/08/20/1124435184478.html Shove thy neighbour: Souths rule the roost], ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 21 August 2005.</ref> The Rabbitohs and the Roosters share inner-Sydney territory, resulting in a strong rivalry since 1908 when Souths beat [[Sydney Roosters|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.<ref>Iain Payten, [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21384078-5001021,00.html Souths' bitter blast at Roosters] ''The Daily Telegraph'', 15 March 2007.</ref> The rivalry increased after 1950 due to conflict between [[Sydney Roosters Juniors|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 (rugby league)|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. In Round 1, 2010, the Rabbitohs and Roosters became the first (and likely to be the only) clubs to play 200 matches against each other. The Roosters' 36–10 victory put the ledger at 105 games won by South Sydney, 90 by the Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), and 5 drawn. a<ref>[http://www.theburrow.net.au/burrow-songs-burrowinfo-61/2009/02title=Rabbitohs Sign Craig Wing for Four Years] from The Burrow website (www.theburrow.net.au), 25 June 2007</ref> To celebrate their rivalry, the Rabbitohs and Roosters contest the [[Ron Coote]] Cup annually.<ref>{{cite news

=== Main ===
[[File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg|15px]] '''Sydney Roosters''' – South Sydney and its fans have built up rivalries with other clubs, particularly the [[Sydney Roosters]] (Eastern Suburbs), the only other remaining foundation club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/shove-thy-neighbour-souths-rule-the-roost/2005/08/20/1124435184478.html |title=Shove thy neighbour: Souths rule the roost |author=Swanton, Will |date=21 August 2005 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref> While South Sydney were historically strongly working class, the Roosters were viewed by South’s supporters as ‘Silvertails’ - supported by upper class folk from Sydney’s Eastern suburbs.

South Sydney and the Roosters share inner-Sydney territory, resulting in a strong rivalry since 1908 when Souths beat [[Sydney Roosters|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.<ref name="News.com.au_1111113156647">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/souths-bitter-blast-at-roosters/story-e6freuzi-1111113156647 |title=Souths' bitter blast at Roosters |author=Payten, Iain |date=15 March 2007 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref> The rivalry increased after 1950 due to conflict between [[Sydney Roosters Juniors|junior territories]] and since the 1970s escalated once more as both clubs drew key players away from each other.

In 2022, South Sydney had declared the club wanted to leave [[Stadium Australia]] and make the [[Sydney Football Stadium (2022)|new Sydney Football Stadium]] as their home ground. Roosters CEO Nick Politis said to Fox Sports “I’ve heard other people say they want to play there because it’s their home, The point is we’ve been there since 1928. We started with the old sports ground and then 30 years with the old [Sydney Football] Stadium, Nobody else has played there. For another club to say we want to go there because it’s our home, it’s not their home. The Roosters are the only people that belong there. It’s our true home and it’s very sacred". Despite Politis' claims, the South Sydney club had used the [[Sydney Sports Ground]] as a home ground before Eastern Suburbs and the two clubs often ground shared for the first 30 years of its existence at the venue.<ref>{{cite web|url= |title='It's our home': Roosters supremo's blunt message to cross-town rivals ahead of blockbuster clash|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}</ref>

In the 2022 elimination final between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters, seven players were sin binned, setting a record for the most in an NRL-era game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-sin-bin-punch-sydney-roosters-victor-radley-south-sydney-rabbitohs-taane-milne-thomas-burgess-ashley-klein-video-high-tackle/news-story/769cf6e583f605ae656c0617f5064469/|title=SEVEN players binned in historic first after Roosters-Rabbitohs clash explodes|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=13 September 2022 }}</ref>

To celebrate the rivalry, South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters play for the [[Ron Coote Cup]] annually.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Monahan
| last = Monahan
| first = Jeremy
| first = Jeremy
| coauthors =
| title = The rivalry between South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters is legendary
| title = The rivalry between South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters is legendary
| work = Southern Courier
| work = Southern Courier
| place =Australia
| place =Australia
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = News Community Media
| publisher = News Community Media
| date = 10 March 2010
| date = 10 March 2010
| url = http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/the-rivalry-between-south-sydney-rabbitohs-and-the-sydney-roosters-is-legen/
| url = http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/the-rivalry-between-south-sydney-rabbitohs-and-the-sydney-roosters-is-legen/
| accessdate = 11 March 2010}}</ref>
| access-date =11 March 2010}}</ref>


===Major===
Other long-time traditional rivals include the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] (who since 1970 purchased many of Souths' star players)<ref> 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.</ref> and former clubs the St George Dragons (resulting in the annual [[Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)|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.<ref name="rl1908"/><ref name="Balmainiacs"/> In [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1969|1969]] enmity was again fueled between the clubs with Balmain's controversial<ref>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 [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 1969 season summary] (select the year 1969 from the dropdown box at the top of the page and then click the Search button) from the official South Sydney website.</ref> victory against the Rabbitohs in the grand final that year.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/30/1096527870183.html Five of the best: grand final controversies] from the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' website, 1 October 2004.</ref>


[[File:St. George colours.svg|15px]] '''[[St George Dragons]]''' and '''[[St George Illawarra Dragons]]''' – The long-standing rivalry against St. George results in the annual [[Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)|Charity Shield]] match, originally played against the original St. George Dragons and now (since the joint venture formed with [[Illawarra Steelers]]) played against the current team, St. George Illawarra.
A book, [[Book of Feuds|''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.<ref>[http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/bitter-feud-to-get-public-airing/2007/09/01/1188067436982.html "Bitter feud to get public airing"], Adrian Proszenko, ''League HQ'', 2 September 2007</ref>


South Sydney and St. George have met several times in grand finals prior to the joint-venture and being the north-eastern neighbours of St. George, had many fierce encounters. In 2001, South Sydney chairman and club legend [[George Piggins]] said there would be no chance of the Charity Shield being revived if Souths were to be included back into the [[NRL]] saying "The Dragons: They sold us out". This was in reference to St. George signing an affidavit at the time which included that it would be detrimental if Souths were returned to the competition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-14 |title=January 14: Birth of the Bluebags; Widdop becomes Dragons skipper |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/14/january-14-birth-of-the-bluebags-widdop-becomes-dragons-skipper/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225142842/https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/14/january-14-birth-of-the-bluebags-widdop-becomes-dragons-skipper/ |archive-date=2021-02-25 |access-date=2021-07-15 |publisher=[[National Rugby League]]}}</ref>
==Statistics and Records==
{{details|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.


[[File:Wests Tigers colours.svg|15px]] '''[[Balmain Tigers]]''' – From 1908–1999, South Sydney had a fierce rivalry with Balmain. The rivalry with Balmain began in 1909 when both teams agreed to boycott the final which was being held as curtain raiser to a Kangaroos v Wallabies match. As agreed, Balmain did not turn up. However, Souths did turn up and were officially awarded the Premiership when it kicked off to an empty half of the field.<ref name="rl1908" /><ref name="Balmainiacs" />
The club boasts some notable achievements:


South Sydney would later meet Balmain in the 1916 premiership final which Balmain won 5–3. In 1924, Balmain and Souths met in the grand final which is also the lowest scoring grand final in NSWRL/NRL History. Balmain ran out 3-0 winners with the match only seeing one try.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/07/29/july-29-gerard-first-to-300-joey-smashes-record-taylor-passes-halligan/|title=Gerard first to 300; Joey smashes record; Taylor passes Halligan|website=NRL|date=28 July 2021 }}</ref>
* The Rabbitohs have won the most first grade premierships ([[South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours|20]]) during the history of elite rugby league competition in Australia.<ref name="SportsAustralia">[http://sportsaustralia.com/league/premiers.html List of Australian Rugby League Premiership Winners] from the Sports Australia website.</ref>
In 1939, Balmain and Souths met once more in the grand final with Balmain winning 33–4. In the [[1969 NSWRFL season]] enmity was again fueled between the clubs with Balmain's controversial{{NoteTag|Balmain players feigned injury in order to slow down the game, disrupt Souths attacking momentum and run-down the clock to full-time.<ref>See the [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 1969 season summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102194339/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Season-Archive.html#Scene_1 |date=2 November 2013 }} <!--(select the year 1969 from the dropdown box at the top of the page and then click the Search button)--> from the official South Sydney website.</ref>}} victory against South Sydney in the grand final that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/30/1096527870183.html |title=Five of the best: grand final controversies |date=1 October 2004 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=12 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-have-century-old-axe-to-grind-20090510-gdtiup.html/|title=Tigers have century-old axe to grind|website=www.smh.com.au|date=10 May 2009 }}</ref>


=== Minor ===
* Souths have also won the most reserve grade<ref name="Premier 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]].</ref> premierships ([[NSWRL Premier League|20]]).
[[File:Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg|15px]] '''[[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]]''' – South Sydney first met Manly-Warringah in the [[1951 NSWRFL season]]'s Grand Final. South Sydney would win the match 42-14 which as of 2022 is the highest scoring grand final in NSWRL/NRL history. Souths would then meet in the 1968 and 1970 grand finals which South Sydney both won.


Manly have, since 1970, purchased many of Souths' star players including [[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]], [[Ray Branighan]], [[Ian Roberts (rugby league)|Ian Roberts]],{{NoteTag|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.}} and more recently [[Dylan Walker]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrl.com/manly-sign-luke-burgess/tabid/10874/newsid/83473/default.aspx |title=Manly sign Luke Burgess |publisher=[[National Rugby League]] |date=21 January 2015 |access-date=14 May 2015 }}</ref>
* 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.<ref name="Season1951"/>


[[File:Canterbury colours.svg|15px]] '''[[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs]]''' – A more recent feud that primarily developed in the years 2014 and 2015, following the [[2014 NRL Grand Final]] and a controversial Good Friday match. Canterbury were also Grand Finalists in 1967 with South Sydney prevailing 12−10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/canterbury-bulldogs-and-south-sydney-rabbitohs-rivalry-now-biggest-in-nrl-20150820-gj3afl.html|title=Canterbury Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs rivalry now biggest in NRL|last=Chammas|first=Michael|date=2015-08-20|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-08-25}}</ref> Annually, South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown compete in the [[NRL Good Friday Game|Good Friday game]], competing for the Good Friday Cup.
* Souths' 1925 first grade side is one of six New South Wales sides to ever go through a season undefeated.<ref name="Season1925"/> 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).


== Players ==
* In 2008, the Rabbitohs equalled the second biggest comeback in Australian Rugby League history. After being down 28–4 after 53 minutes against the [[North Queensland Cowboys]], the Rabbitohs won the match 29–28.
=== Current squad ===
{{South Sydney Rabbitohs current squad}}


===Notable players===
The club's players have also achieved some notable individual game and point scoring milestones:
{{further|South Sydney Rabbitohs players}}


==== The Magnificent XIII (2002) ====
* Bob McCarthy holds the record for the most first grade games for the club, having played 211 matches between 1963 and 1978.<ref name="SSRrecords">[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Club-Records.html Rabbitohs Club Records] from the official South Sydney Rabbitohs website.</ref> 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.<ref name="SSRrecords"/>
In 2002 on the Rabbitohs' readmission to the competition, ''The Magnificent XIII'',<ref name="MagXIII">"The Magnificent XIII" in the article ''Hall of Fame''. In Angus Fontaine (ed.). ''Souths: The People's Team''. ACP Publishing, 2002.</ref> a team consisting of great South Sydney players over the years was selected by a panel 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 [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]] through to [[National Rugby League season 2002|2002]].
{{Rls
|squadname=[[South Sydney Rabbitohs|{{color|white|South Sydney Rabbitohs}}]] – The Magnificent XIII
|BC1=green
|FC1=white
|BC2=#B50000
|FC2=white
|source=<ref name="MagXIII"/>
|date={{date|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}|DMY}}


|column1_title=Starting XIII
* Jack Rayner holds the individual record of the most grand final successes as a captain (5) and coach (5) achieved between 1950 and 1955.
|list1a= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;1| nat=Australia| pos=FB| name=[[Clive Churchill]]|captain=y}}
|list1b= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;2| nat=Australia| pos=WG| name=[[Harold Horder]]}}
|list1c= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;3| nat=Australia| pos=CE| name=[[Ray Branighan]]}}
|list1d= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;4| nat=Australia| pos=CE| name=[[Paul Sait]]}}
|list1e= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;5| nat=Australia| pos=WG| name=[[Ian Moir]]}}
|list1f= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;6| nat=Australia| pos=FE| name=[[Alf Blair]]}}
|list1g= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;7| nat=Australia| pos=HB| name=[[Bob Grant (rugby league)|Bob Grant]]}}
|list1h= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;8| nat=Australia| pos=PR| name=[[John Sattler]]}}
|list1i= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;9| nat=Australia| pos=HK| name=[[George Piggins]]}}
|list1j= {{Rls player| no=10| nat=Australia| pos=PR| name=[[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]]}}
|list1k= {{Rls player| no=11| nat=Australia| pos=SR| name=[[Jack Rayner]]}}
|list1l= {{Rls player| no=12| nat=Australia| pos=SR| name=[[Bob McCarthy]]}}
|list1m= {{Rls player| no=13| nat=Australia| pos=LK| name=[[Ron Coote]]}}
|column2_title=Reserves


|list4a= {{Rls player| no=14| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Terry Fahey]]}}
* Eric Simms holds the club record for the most points, tallying 1841 points between 1965 and 1975.<ref name="SSRrecords"/>
|list4b= {{Rls player| no=15| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Ziggy Niszczot]]}}
|list4c= {{Rls player| no=16| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Elwyn Walters]]}}
|list4d= {{Rls player| no=17| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[George Treweek]]}}
|column3_title=Coaching staff
|coach= [[Bernie Purcell]]
}}


==== Dream Team (2004) ====
*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.<ref name="SSRrecords"/> The 1969 tally was once a league record, and has since been broken by a number of players at other clubs.
The Rabbitohs announced the South Sydney Dream Team at a gala dinner held on 29 July 2004, at the Westin Hotel in Sydney. 17 players were selected in position as well as a coach to represent the South Sydney Football Club from 1908 through to 2004. The team was selected by a group of rugby league experts, historians and by Rabbitohs fans through a public vote.<ref name="DreamTeam">{{Cite web |date=2023-10-23 |title=Dream Team – South Sydney Rabbitohs |url=https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/dream-team |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Site Name, i.e. Moz |language=en}}</ref>
{{Rls
|squadname=[[South Sydney Rabbitohs|{{color|white|South Sydney Rabbitohs}}]] – Dream Team 2004
|BC1=green
|FC1=white
|BC2=#B50000
|FC2=white
|source=<ref name="DreamTeam"/>
|date=29 July 2004


|column1_title=Starting XIII
* 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).
|list1a= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;1| nat=Australia| pos=FB| name=[[Clive Churchill]]}}
|list1b= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;2| nat=Australia| pos=WG| name=[[Harold Horder]]}}
|list1c= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;3| nat=Australia| pos=CE| name=[[Herb Gilbert]]}}
|list1d= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;4| nat=Australia| pos=CE| name=[[Paul Sait]]}}
|list1e= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;5| nat=Australia| pos=WG| name=[[Ian Moir]]}}
|list1f= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;6| nat=Australia| pos=FE| name=[[Jimmy Lisle]]}}
|list1g= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;7| nat=Australia| pos=HB| name=[[Bob Grant (rugby league)|Bob Grant]]}}
|list1h= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;8| nat=Australia| pos=PR| name=[[John Sattler]]|captain=y}}
|list1i= {{Rls player| no=&nbsp;9| nat=Australia| pos=HK| name=[[Elwyn Walters]]}}
|list1j= {{Rls player| no=10| nat=Australia| pos=PR| name=[[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]]}}
|list1k= {{Rls player| no=11| nat=Australia| pos=SR| name=[[George Treweek]]}}
|list1l= {{Rls player| no=12| nat=Australia| pos=SR| name=[[Bob McCarthy]]}}
|list1m= {{Rls player| no=13| nat=Australia| pos=LK| name=[[Ron Coote]]}}
|column2_title=Reserves


|list4a= {{Rls player| no=14| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Greg Hawick]]}}
* Johnny Graves' tally of 29 points in a match against Eastern Suburbs in 1952<ref name="SSRrecords"/> 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.
|list4b= {{Rls player| no=15| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Ray Branighan]]}}
|list4c= {{Rls player| no=16| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Ian Roberts (rugby league)|Ian Roberts]]}}
|list4d= {{Rls player| no=17| nat=Australia| pos= | name=[[Les Cowie]]}}
|column3_title=Coaching staff
|coach= [[Jack Rayner]]
}}


==Season summaries==
* Between 1921 and 1933 [[Benny Wearing]] scored 144 tries in his 172 games for the club,<ref name="SSRrecords"/> which is an exceptional proportion of tries per games played.


=== NSWRFL (1908-1994) ===
* [[Les Brennan]]'s 29 tries in 19 games in 1954 remains a club record,<ref name="SSRrecords"/> having broken Johnny Graves' tally of 28 in 17 games set just three years earlier.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Season
!Ladder position
!Result
|-
| [[1908 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|'''1908''']]||'''1st'''||'''Premiers'''
|-
| [[1909 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|'''1909''']]||'''1st'''||'''Premiers'''
|-
| [[1910 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|1910]]||2nd||Runner-up
|-
| [[1911 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|1911]]||3rd||Finals
|-
|[[1912 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|1912]]
|4th
|
|-
|1913
|3rd
|
|-
|'''1914'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1915
|4th
|
|-
|1916
|2nd
|Grand final
|-
|1917
|2nd
|
|-
|'''1918'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1919
|6th
|
|-
|1920
|2nd
|
|-
|1921
|5th
|
|-
|1922
|4th
|
|-
|1923
|2nd
|Grand final
|-
|1924
|2nd
|Grand final
|-
|'''1925'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1926'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1927'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1928'''
|'''3rd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1929'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1930
|3rd
|Semi final
|-
|'''1931'''
|'''2nd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1932'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1933
|3rd
|Semi final
|-
|1934
|4th
|Semi final
|-
|1935
|2nd
|Grand final
|-
|1936
|7th
|
|-
|1937
|2nd
|
|-
|1938
|2nd
|Semi final
|-
|1939
|4th
|Grand final
|-
|1940
|6th
|
|-
|1941
|7th
|
|-
|1942
|5th
|
|-
|1943
|5th
|
|-
|1944
|4th
|Semi final
|-
|1945
|8th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|1946
|8th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|1947
|7th
|
|-
|1948
|7th
|
|-
|1949
|1st
|Grand final
|-
|'''1950'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1951'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1952
|3rd
|Grand final
|-
|'''1953'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1954'''
|'''2nd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1955'''
|'''4th'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1956
|3rd
|Preliminary final
|-
|1957
|3rd
|Preliminary final
|-
|1958
|8th
|
|-
|1959
|6th
|
|-
|1960
|8th
|
|-
|1961
|7th
|
|-
|1962
|10th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|1963
|9th
|
|-
|1964
|5th
|
|-
|1965
|4th
|Grand final
|-
|1966
|6th
|
|-
|'''1967'''
|'''2nd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1968'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1969
|1st
|Grand final
|-
|'''1970'''
|'''1st'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|'''1971'''
|'''2nd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|1972
|4th
|Semi final
|-
|1973
|7th
|
|-
|1974
|5th
|Qualifying final
|-
|1975
|12th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|1976
|10th
|
|-
|1977
|11th
|
|-
|1978
|7th
|
|-
|1979
|9th
|
|-
|1980
|5th
|Qualifying final
|-
|1981
|9th
|
|-
|1982
|6th
|
|-
|1983
|8th
|
|-
|1984
|5th
|Semi final
|-
|1985
|9th
|
|-
|1986
|2nd
|Semi final
|-
|1987
|5th
|Semi final
|-
|1988
|8th
|
|-
|1989
|1st
|Preliminary final
|-
|1990
|16th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|1991
|14th
|
|-
|1992
|14th
|
|-
|1993
|14th
|
|-
|1994
|9th
|
|}


=== ARL (1995-1997) ===
* During his career Bob McCarthy scored 100 tries for the club, the most by a forward.<ref name="SSRrecords"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
==Players==
|+
===Current Squad===
!Season
The following list comprises players who are in the Rabbitohs full-time first-grade squad for the [[2010 NRL season|2010]] season in the NRL Telstra Premiership.
!Ladder position
!Finish
|-
|1995
|18th
|
|-
|1996
|19th
|
|-
|1997
|11th
|
|}


=== NRL (1998–present) ===
{{Rugby league squad start}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=New Zealand|pos=PR|name=[[Roy Asotasi]] (C)}}
|+
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Colin Best]]}}
!Season
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=England|pos=PR|name=[[Sam Burgess]]}}
!Ladder
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=FE|name=[[Luke Capewell]]}}
!Finish
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Beau Champion]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Shaune Corrigan]]}}
|1998
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=SR|name=[[Michael Crocker]]}}''
|18th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=PR|name=[[Garrett Crossman]]}}
|
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=LK|name=[[Jason Clark (rugby league)|Jason Clark]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=HK|name=[[Beau Falloon]]}}
|1999
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=PR|name=[[Scott Geddes]]}}
|12th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Dylan Farrell]]}}
|
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=LK|name=[[Ben Lowe (rugby player)|Ben Lowe]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=New Zealand|pos=HK|name=[[Issac Luke]]}}
|2002
{{Rugby league squad mid}}
|14th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=SR|name=[[Shannan McPherson]]}}
|
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=WG|name=[[Chris McQueen]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=WG|name=[[Nathan Merritt]]}}
|2003
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=New Zealand|pos=SR|name=[[Eddy Pettybourne]]}}
|15th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=PR|name=[[Ben Ross]]}}
|Wooden spoon
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=HB|name=[[Chris Sandow]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Jamie Simpson]]}}
|2004
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=SR|name=[[Luke Stuart]]}}
|15th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=FE|name=[[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]]}}
|Wooden spoon
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Tonga|pos=WG|name=[[Fetuli Talanoa]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=PR|name=[[David Taylor (rugby league)|David Taylor]]}}
|2005
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=SR|name=[[Rugby league player David Tyrrell|David Tyrrell]]}}
|13th
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=CE|name=[[Taioalo Vaivai]]}}
|
{{Rugby league squad player|nat=Australia|pos=FB|name=[[Rhys Wesser]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad end}}
|2006
|15th
|Wooden spoon
|-
|2007
|7th
|Semi finals
|-
|2008
|14th
|
|-
|2009
|10th
|
|-
|2010
|9th
|
|-
|2011
|10th
|
|-
|2012
|3rd
|Preliminary final
|-
|2013
|2nd
|Preliminary final
|-
|'''2014'''
|'''3rd'''
|'''Premiers'''
|-
|2015
|7th
|Elimination final
|-
|2016
|12th
|
|-
|2017
|12th
|
|-
|2018
|3rd
|Preliminary final
|-
|2019
|3rd
|Preliminary final
|-
|2020
|6th
|Preliminary final
|-
|2021
|3rd
|Grand final
|-
|2022
|7th
|Preliminary final
|-
|2023
|9th
|
|-
|2024
|16th
|
|}


==Club honours==
===Player Gains and Losses for 2010===
{{further|South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours}}
*'''Gains'''
{| class="wikitable"
**[[Sam Burgess]] ([[Bradford Bulls]], [[Super League]])
|+ style="text-align:center; background-color:#bdb76b;" | Premierships
**[[Ben Ross]] ([[Cronulla Sharks]])
|-
**[[David Taylor (rugby league)|David Taylor]] ([[Brisbane Broncos]])
!Competition
*'''Losses'''
!Level
**[[David Fa'alogo]] ([[Huddersfield Giants]], [[Super League]])
!Wins
**[[Michael Greenfield (rugby league)|Michael Greenfield]] ([[St George Illawarra Dragons]])
!Years won
**[[David Kidwell]] (retired; appointed coach of South's [[National Youth Competition (rugby league)|Toyota Cup]] team for 2010)
|-
**[[Jaiman Lowe]] ([[Northern Pride RLFC]], [[Queensland Cup]])
|[[Australian rugby league premiers|NSWRFL/ARL/NRL]]
**[[Craig Wing]] (NTT Communications, [[Top League|Japanese Rugby Union]])
|First Grade
|21
|[[1908 NSWRFL season|1908]], [[1909 NSWRFL season|1909]], [[1914 NSWRFL season|1914]], [[1918 NSWRFL season|1918]], [[1925 NSWRFL season|1925]], [[1926 NSWRFL season|1926]], [[1927 NSWRFL season|1927]], [[1928 NSWRFL season|1928]], [[1929 NSWRFL season|1929]], [[1931 NSWRFL season|1931]], [[1932 NSWRFL season|1932]], [[1950 NSWRFL season|1950]], [[1951 NSWRFL season|1951]], [[1953 NSWRFL season|1953]], [[1954 NSWRFL season|1954]], [[1955 NSWRFL season|1955]], [[1967 NSWRFL season|1967]], [[1968 NSWRFL season|1968]], [[1970 NSWRFL season|1970]], [[1971 NSWRFL season|1971]], [[2014 NRL season|2014]]
|-
|[[NSW Cup]]
|Second Grade
|21
|1913, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1983, 2023
|-
|[[Jersey Flegg Cup]]
| scope="row" style="text-align: left" |Under 21s
|9
|1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 2019
|-
|[[S. G. Ball Cup]]
|Under 18s
|10
|1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998
|-
|[[Harold Matthews Cup]]
|Under 16s
|1
|1974
|-
|[[NSWRL Women's Premiership|NSWRL Women's]]
|Women's
|2
|1996, 1997
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="text-align:center; background-color:#bdb76b;" |Other titles and honours
!Competition
!Level
!Wins
!Years won
|-
|[[World Club Challenge]]
|World Championship
|1
|[[2015 World Club Series|2015]]
|-
|[[NRL State Championship|State Championship]]
|Second Grade
|1
|2023
|-
|[[NRL Nines]]
|Pre season
|1
|2015
|-
|[[Ron Coote Cup]]
|First Grade
|9
|2009, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
|-
|[[Charity Shield (NRL)|Charity Shield]]
|Pre season
|23
|1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="text-align:center; background:#bdb76b;" |Finishing positions
!Competition
!Level
!Wins
!Years won
|-
| rowspan="3" scope="row" style="text-align: left" |NSWRFL/ARL/NRL
|Minor premiership
<small>([[J. J. Giltinan Shield|J.J.Giltinan Shield]])</small>
|17
|1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989
|-
|Runner up
|14
|1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021
|-
|Wooden spoons
|8
|1945, 1946, 1962, 1975, 1990, 2003, 2004, 2006
|}


== Individual awards ==
===Notable players===

{{details|South Sydney Rabbitohs players}}
=== Club Best & Fairest ===
The South Sydney Rabbitohs' greatest club side in history, the ''South Sydney Dream Team'',<ref>[http://forums.rleague.com/posts/archive/index.php/t-4963.html South Sydney Dream Team] from the World of Rugby League website.</ref> 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 [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]] through to [[National Rugby League season 2004|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 Rugby League team|New South Wales]], 3 games for [[Queensland State of Origin Team|Queensland]] and 158 Tests for [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]].
The George Piggins Medal is the award given to the Rabbitohs player determined to have been the "[[best and fairest]]" throughout an NRL season. The inaugural winner of the award in 2003 was [[Bryan Fletcher (rugby league player)|Bryan Fletcher]]. In 2013, [[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]] and [[Greg Inglis]] became the first joint winners of the award.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=Inglis and Sutton Crowned as First Joint Winners of the George Piggins Medal in 2013|url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/content/rabbitohs/club/news/2013/10/10/inglis-and-sutton-crowned-as-first-joint-winners-of-the-george-piggins-medal-in-2013.html|publisher=South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club|access-date=26 May 2014|date=10 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083951/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/content/rabbitohs/club/news/2013/10/10/inglis-and-sutton-crowned-as-first-joint-winners-of-the-george-piggins-medal-in-2013.html|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2014/10/10/greg_inglis_claims_best_try_award.html|title=Greg Inglis Claims Best Try Award|date=10 October 2014|access-date=15 June 2018}}</ref>
{{Rugby league squad start}}

{{Rugby league squad player | no=1 | nat=Australia | pos=FB | name=[[Clive Churchill]]}}
==== George Piggins Medal (first grade) ====
{{Rugby league squad player | no=2 | nat=Australia | pos=WG | name=[[Harold Horder]]}}
{{main|George Piggins Medal}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=3 | nat=Australia | pos=CE | name=[[Herb Gilbert]]}}
{| class="wikitable"
{{Rugby league squad player | no=4 | nat=Australia | pos=CE | name=[[Paul Sait]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=5 | nat=Australia | pos=WG | name=[[Ian Moir]]}}
! Season !! Player !! Position
{{Rugby league squad player | no=6 | nat=Australia | pos=FE | name=[[Jim Lisle]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=7 | nat=Australia | pos=HB | name=[[Bob Grant (rugby league)|Bob Grant]]}}
|[[2003 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2003]] || [[Bryan Fletcher (rugby league)|Bryan Fletcher]] || Second-row
{{Rugby league squad player | no=8 | nat=Australia | pos=PR | name=[[John Sattler]] | other=c}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=9 | nat=Australia | pos=HK | name=[[Elwyn Walters]]}}
|[[2004 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2004]] || [[Ashley Harrison]] || Lock
{{Rugby league squad mid}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=10 | nat=Australia | pos=PR | name=[[John O'Neill (rugby league footballer)|John O'Neill]]}}
|[[2005 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2005]] || [[Peter Cusack (rugby league)|Peter Cusack]] || Prop
{{Rugby league squad player | no=11 | nat=Australia | pos=SR | name=[[George Treweek]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=12 | nat=Australia | pos=SR | name=[[Bob McCarthy]]}}
|[[2006 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2006]] || [[David Fa'alogo]] || Second-row
{{Rugby league squad player | no=13 | nat=Australia | pos=LK | name=[[Ron Coote]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=14 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Greg Hawick]]}}
|[[2007 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2007]] || [[Roy Asotasi]] || Prop
{{Rugby league squad player | no=15 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Ray Branighan]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no=16 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Ian Roberts (rugby league)|Ian Roberts]]}}
|[[2008 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2008]] || [[Luke Stuart]] || Prop
{{Rugby league squad player | no=17 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Les Cowie]]}}
|-
{{Rugby league squad player | no= | nat=Australia | pos=CO | name=[[Jack Rayner]] | other=coach}}
|[[2009 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2009]] || [[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]] || Five eighth
{{Rugby league squad end}}
|-
|[[2010 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2010]]
|[[Issac Luke]]
|Hooker
|-
|[[2011 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2011]]
|[[Nathan Merritt]]
|Wing
|-
|[[2012 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2012]]
|[[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]] (2)
|Five eighth
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2013 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2013]]
|[[John Sutton (rugby league)|John Sutton]] (3)
|Five eighth
|-
|[[Greg Inglis]]
|Fullback
|-
|[[2014 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2014]]
|[[Sam Burgess]]
|Lock
|-
|[[2015 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2015]]
|[[Greg Inglis]] (2)
|Fullback
|-
|[[2016 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2016]]
|[[Sam Burgess]] (2)
|Lock
|-
|2017
|[[Sam Burgess]] (3)
|Lock
|-
|[[2018 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2018]]
|[[Damien Cook]]
|Hooker
|-
|[[2019 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2019]]
|[[Damien Cook]] (2)
|Hooker
|-
|[[2020 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2020]]
|[[Cody Walker (rugby league)|Cody Walker]]
|Five eighth
|-
|[[2021 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2021]]
|[[Cody Walker (rugby league)|Cody Walker]] (2)
|Five eighth
|-
|[[2022 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2022]]
|[[Junior Tatola]]
|Prop
|-
|[[2023 South Sydney Rabbitohs season|2023]]
|[[Campbell Graham]]
|Centre
|-
|2024
|[[Jack Wighton]]
|Five eighth
|}

=== Clive Churchill Medal ===
The Clive Churchill medal is awarded annually to the player adjudged best on ground in the grand final.

* [[Clive Churchill]] ([[1954 NSWRL Grand Final|1954]])*
* [[Jack Rayner]] ([[1955 NSWRFL Grand Final|1955]])*
* [[Eric Simms (rugby league)|Eric Simms]] ([[1968 NSWRFL Grand Final|1968]])*
* [[Bob Grant (rugby league)|Bob Grant]] ([[1970 NSWRFL Grand Final|1970]])*
* [[Ron Coote]] ([[1971 NSWRFL Grand Final|1971]])*
* [[Sam Burgess]] ([[2014 NRL Grand Final|2014]])

''* Retrospective medals''

=== Dally M Award Winners ===
==== Dally M Medal ====
Awarded annually to the player of the year over the course of the first grade regular season.
* [[Robert Laurie (rugby league)|Robert Laurie]] (1980)

==== Rookie of the Year ====
* [[Jim Serdaris|Jim Sedaris]] (1989)
*[[Chris Sandow]] (2008)
*[[Adam Reynolds]] (2012)
*[[George Burgess (rugby league)|George Burgess]] (2013)

==== Coach of the Year ====
* [[Anthony Seibold]] (2018)

==== Team of the Year ====
* [[Robert Laurie (rugby league)|Robert Laurie]] (Five-eighth, 1980)
* [[Nathan Gibbs]] (Second row, 1980)
* [[Mick Pattison]] (Five-eighth, 1981)
* [[Ian Roberts (rugby league)|Ian Roberts]] (Prop, 1987)
* [[Phil Blake]] (Five-eighth, 1989)
* [[Matt Parsons]] (Prop, 1999)
* [[Greg Inglis]] (Fullback, 2013)
* [[Sam Burgess]] (Lock, 2014)
* [[Damien Cook]] (Hooker, 2018)
* [[Cameron Murray (rugby league)|Cameron Murray]] (Lock, 2019)
* [[Cody Walker (rugby league)|Cody Walker]] (Five-eighth, 2021)
* [[Alex Johnston (rugby league)|Alex Johnston]] (Wing, 2022)

=== NRL Immortals ===

* [[Clive Churchill]] (1981)
* [[Ron Coote]] (2024)

=== NRL Hall of Fame ===
The [[National Rugby League Hall of Fame|NRL Hall of Fame]] recognises the contribution to rugby league in Australia since 1908.
* [[Clive Churchill]] (2002)
* [[Harold Horder]] (2004)
* [[Ron Coote]] (2005)
* [[George Treweek]] (2006)
* [[Harry Wells (rugby league)|Harry Wells]] (2007)
* [[Cec Blinkhorn]] (2018)
* [[Billy Cann]] (2018)
* [[Herb Gilbert]] (2018)
* [[Howard Hallett]] (2018)
* [[Brian Hambly]] (2018)
* [[Bob McCarthy]] (2018)
* [[John O'Neill (rugby league)|John O'Neill]] (2018)
* [[John Sattler]] (2018)
* [[Benny Wearing]] (2018)
* [[Sam Burgess]] (2024)
* [[Greg Inglis]] (2024)
* [[Benji Marshall]] (2024)
* [[Wayne Bennett (rugby league)|Wayne Bennett]] (2024, coach)

=== Other distinctions ===

* [[Nathan Merritt]] (2006, [[Ken Irvine Medal]])
* [[Nathan Merritt]] (2011, [[Ken Irvine Medal]])
* [[Chris Sandow]] (2011, top point scorer)
* [[Greg Inglis]] (2013, [[Provan-Summons Medal]])
* [[Damien Cook]] (2018, [[Provan-Summons Medal]])
* [[Adam Reynolds]] (2020, top point scorer)
* [[Alex Johnston (rugby league)|Alex Johnston]] (2020, [[Ken Irvine Medal]])
*[[Alex Johnston (rugby league)|Alex Johnston]] (2021, [[Ken Irvine Medal]])
*[[Alex Johnston (rugby league)|Alex Johnston]] (2022, [[Ken Irvine Medal]])

== Statistics and records ==
{{Main list|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 NSW rugby league.

The club achievements include:
* The Rabbitohs have won the most first grade premierships ([[South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours|21]]) during the history of elite rugby league competition in Australia,<ref name="SportsAustralia">[http://sportsaustralia.com/league/premiers.html List of Australian Rugby League Premiership Winners] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104055143/http://sportsaustralia.com/league/premiers.html |date=4 November 2013 }} from the Sports Australia website.</ref> in addition to the most reserve grade{{NoteTag|name="Premier 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]].}} premierships ([[NSWRL Premier League|21]]).
* The club has the distinction of being the only team to win a premiership in its inaugural season (1908).
* The club also 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.<ref name="Season1951"/>
* South Sydney's 1925 first grade side is one of six New South Wales sides to ever go through a season undefeated.<ref name="Season1925" /> 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).
* In 2008, the Rabbitohs equalled the second biggest comeback in Australian Rugby League history. After being down 28–4 after 53 minutes against the [[North Queensland Cowboys]], the Rabbitohs won the match 29–28.

The club's players have also achieved some notable individual game and point scoring milestones:
* John Sutton holds the record for the most first grade games for the club, having played 336 matches between 2004 and 2019.
* Jack Rayner holds the individual record of the most grand final successes as a captain (5) and coach (5) achieved between 1950 and 1955.
* Adam Reynolds holds the club record for the most points, tallying 1896 points between 2012 and 2021.<ref name="SSRrecords">[http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Club-Records.html Rabbitohs Club Records] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319204248/http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Club-Records.html|date=19 March 2012}} from the official South Sydney Rabbitohs website.</ref>
* Eric Simms scored 265 points on his own for South Sydney in 1969 and this tally remains unsurpassed by any other player at the club.<ref name="SSRrecords" />
* Eric Simms still holds a club and competition record for the most 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<ref name="SSRrecords" /> 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.
* Alex Johnston is the only player to score 30 tries in a single season in the NRL era. He achieved the feat in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the only player in Australian rugby league history to complete the feat twice.
* During his career Bob McCarthy scored 100 tries for the club, the most by a forward.<ref name="SSRrecords" />
* Alex Johnston equalled the South Sydney club record of 5 tries in a 2017 match against Penrith at ANZ Stadium in a 42–14 win, joining greats such as Nathan Merritt, Harold Horder, Johnny Graves and Ian Moir. Johnston went on to score another 5 tries against the Sydney Roosters in a 60–8 win in the final round of the 2020 season.
* Alex Johnston passed Nathan Merritt's all-time try scoring record in Souths win 44–18 against Wests Tigers in round 12 of the 2022 season, with 166 tries as of the end of the 2022 season.

==Head-to-head records==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Opponent !!style="width:5em"|Played !!style="width:5em"|Won !!style="width:5em"|Drawn !!style="width:5em"|Lost !!style="width:5em"|Win %
|-
|{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Titans|18}} [[Gold Coast Titans]] || 22 || 16 || 0 || 6 || 65.22
|-
|{{leagueicon|Dolphins|18}} [[Dolphins (NRL)|Dolphins]] || 3 || 2 || 0 || 1 || '''66.666'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|18}} [[Wests Tigers]] || 42 || 25 || 0 || 17 || '''59.52'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Parramatta Eels|18}} [[Parramatta Eels]] || 134 || 75 || 3 || 56 || '''55.97'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|North Queensland Cowboys|18}} [[North Queensland Cowboys]] || 40 || 21 || 1 || 18 || '''52.50'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|New Zealand Warriors|18}} [[New Zealand Warriors|Warriors]] || 40 || 21 || 0 || 19 || '''52.50'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|St. George Illawarra Dragons|18}} [[St George Illawarra Dragons|St George-Illawarra Dragons]] || 40 || 21 || 0 || 19 || '''52.50'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|18}} [[Sydney Roosters]] || 231 || 120 || 5 || 106 || '''51.95'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|18}} [[Penrith Panthers]] || 94 || 48 || 1 || 45 || '''51.06'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|18}} [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] || 149 || 72 || 0 || 77 || '''48.32'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Bulldogs|18}} [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs]] || 168 || 80 || 4 || 84 || '''47.62'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Cronulla Sharks|18}} [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks|Cronulla Sharks]] || 94 || 43 || 3 || 48 || '''45.74'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Newcastle Knights|18}} [[Newcastle Knights]] || 47 || 19 || 0 || 28 || '''40.43'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|18}} [[Canberra Raiders]] || 60 || 24 || 0 || 36 || '''40.00'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|18}} [[Brisbane Broncos]] || 48 || 15 || 1 || 32 || '''31.25'''
|-
|{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|18}} [[Melbourne Storm]] || 39 || 7 || 0 || 32 || '''17.95'''
|- class="sortbottom"
|}

=== Defunct teams ===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
In 2002 on the Rabbitohs readmission to the competition, ''The Magnificent XIII'',<ref>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.</ref> a team consisting of great South Sydney players over the years was selected by a panel 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 [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1908|1908]] through to [[National Rugby League season 2002|2002]].
|+
|-
! Opponent !! Played !! Won !! Drawn !! Lost !! Win%
|-
| [[Cumberland (rugby league team)|Cumberland]]|| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 100.00%
|-
| [[Northern Eagles]]|| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 100.00%
|-
| [[University (rugby league team)|University]]|| 31 || 30 || 1 || 0 || 98.38%
|-
| [[Annandale (rugby league team)|Annandale]]|| 21 || 19 || 1 || 1 || 92.85%
|-
| [[Newcastle Rebels|Newcastle (1908–09)]]|| 5 || 4 || 0 || 1 || 80.00%
|-
| [[South Queensland Crushers|South Queensland]]|| 4 || 3 || 0 || 1 || 64.70%
|-
| [[Glebe Dirty Reds|Glebe]]|| 42 || 27 || 0 || 15 || 64.28%
|-
| [[North Sydney Bears|North Sydney]]|| 175 || 104 || 6 || 65 || 61.14%
|-
| [[Newtown Jets|Newtown]]|| 153 || 90 || 7 || 56 || 61.11%
|-
| [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Suburbs]]|| 182 || 106 || 5 || 71 || 59.61%
|-
| [[Balmain Tigers|Balmain]] || 178 || 95 || 3 || 80 || 54.21%
|-
| [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast]]|| 18 || 9 || 1 || 8 || 52.77%
|-
| [[WA Reds|Western Reds/Perth]]|| 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 50.00%
|-
| [[St. George Dragons|St George]]|| 163 || 69 || 2 || 92 || 42.94%
|-
| [[Illawarra Steelers|Illawarra]]|| 31 || 12 || 2 || 17 || 41.93%
|-
| [[Adelaide Rams|Adelaide]]|| 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0.00%
|}


==See also==
{{Rugby league squad start}}
{{Portal|New South Wales|Sports}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=1 | nat=Australia | pos=FB | name=[[Clive Churchill]] | other=c}}
*[[List of teams in the NSWRL/ARL/SL/NRL]]
{{Rugby league squad player | no=2 | nat=Australia | pos=WG | name=[[Harold Horder]]}}
*[[List of rugby league clubs in Australia]]
{{Rugby league squad player | no=3 | nat=Australia | pos=CE | name=[[Ray Branighan]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=4 | nat=Australia | pos=CE | name=[[Paul Sait]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=5 | nat=Australia | pos=WG | name=[[Ian Moir]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=6 | nat=Australia | pos=FE | name=[[Alf Blair]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=7 | nat=Australia | pos=HB | name=[[Bob Grant (rugby league)|Bob Grant]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=8 | nat=Australia | pos=PR | name=[[John Sattler]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=9 | nat=Australia | pos=HK | name=[[George Piggins]]}}
{{Rugby league squad mid}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=10 | nat=Australia | pos=PR | name=[[John O'Neill (rugby league footballer)|John O'Neill]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=11 | nat=Australia | pos=SR | name=[[Jack Rayner]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=12 | nat=Australia | pos=SR | name=[[Bob McCarthy]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=13 | nat=Australia | pos=LK | name=[[Ron Coote]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=14 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Terry Fahey]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=15 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Ziggy Niszczot]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=16 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[Elwyn Walters]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no=17 | nat=Australia | pos=RE | name=[[George Treweek]]}}
{{Rugby league squad player | no= | nat=Australia | pos=CO | name=[[Bernie Purcell]] | other=coach}}
{{Rugby league squad end}}


==Honours==
== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}
{{details|South Sydney Rabbitohs competition honours}}
*{{sport honours|[[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|New South Wales Rugby League]], [[Australian Rugby League]] and [[National Rugby League]] Premierships<ref>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]].</ref>|20|1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971}}
*{{sport honours|Premiership runners-up|13|1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969}}
*{{sport honours|[[New South Wales Rugby League]], [[Australian Rugby League]] and [[National Rugby League]] minor premierships|17|1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989}}
*{{sport honours|[[New South Wales Rugby League]] Club Championships|9|1932, 1933, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1989}}
*{{sport honours|[[City Cup]]|5|1912, 1919, 1921, 1924, 1925}}
*{{sport honours|Pre-Season Cup titles|4|1966, 1969, 1972, 1978}}
*{{sport honours|[[Amco Cup|Tooth Cup]]|1|1981}}
*{{sport honours|Tooheys Challenge|1|1994}}
*{{sport honours|[[Rugby League World Sevens|Sevens]]|1|1988}}
*{{sport honours|Sports Ground Cup|2|1914, 1915}}
*{{sport honours|League Cup|5|1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1922}}
*{{sport honours|[[Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)|Charity Shield]]|13|1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010}}
*{{sport honours|First Division, [[NSWRL Premier League|Premier League]]<ref name="Premier League"/>|20|1913, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1983}}
*{{sport honours|Third Grade|10|1912, 1918, 1925, 1928, 1933, 1962, 1969, 1981, 1986, 1989}}
*{{sport honours|[[Jersey Flegg Cup]]|8|1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978}}


== References ==
== References ==
===Footnotes===
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}
<!--This article uses the Cite.php citation mechanism. If you would like more information on how to add references to this article, please see [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cite/Cite.php] -->
{{Reflist|2}}


=== Works cited ===
=== Sources ===
{{Refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book
* {{Cite book
| last = Andrews
| last = Andrews
| first = Malcolm
| first = Malcolm
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = The ABC of Rugby League
| title = The ABC of Rugby League
| year = 2006
| year = 2006
| publisher = ABC Books
| publisher = ABC Books
| location = Australia
| location = Australia
| isbn = 9780733319464
| isbn = 978-0-7333-1946-4
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Courtney
| last = Courtney
| first = Mark
| first = Mark
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Moving the Goalposts (Out of print)
| title = Moving the Goalposts (Out of print)
| year = 2000
| year = 2000
| publisher = Halstead Press
| publisher = Halstead Press
| location =
| isbn = 1-875684-49-2
| isbn = 1-8756-8449-2
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Fontaine
| editor-last = Fontaine
| first = Angus (ed)
| editor-first = Angus
| authorlink =
| author = League Week
| title = Souths The People's Team
| coauthors = League Week
| title = Souths The People's Team
| year = 2002
| year = 2002
| publisher = ACP Publishing
| publisher = ACP Publishing
| location =
| id =
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Heads
| last = Heads
| first = Ian
| first = Ian
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = South Sydney, Pride of the League
| title = South Sydney, Pride of the League
| year = 2000
| year = 2000
| publisher = Lothian
| publisher = Lothian
| location =
| isbn = 0-7344-0152-3
| isbn = 0-7344-0152-3
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Little
| last = Little
| first = Charles
| first = Charles
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Through Thick and Thin, The South Sydney Rabbitohs and their Community
| title = Through Thick and Thin, The South Sydney Rabbitohs and their Community
| year = 2009
| year = 2009
| publisher = Walla Walla Press
| publisher = Walla Walla Press
| location =
| isbn = 978-1-876718-07-7
| isbn = 978-1-876718-07-7
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Piggins
| last1 = Piggins
| first = George
| first1 = George
| authorlink =
| last2 = Heads
| coauthors = as told to Ian Heads
| first2 = Ian
| title = Never Say Die – The Fight to Save the Rabbitohs (Out of print)
| title = Never Say Die – The Fight to Save the Rabbitohs (Out of print)
| year = 2002
| year = 2002
| publisher = Macmillan
| publisher = Macmillan
| location =
| isbn = 978-0-7329-1105-8
| isbn = 9780732911058
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Ryder
| last = Ryder
| first = Brad
| first = Brad
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = They Wear the Read and Green
| title = They Wear the Read and Green
| year = 2009
| year = 2009
| publisher = Longueville Books
| publisher = Longueville Books
| location =
| isbn = 978-1-920681-47-0
| isbn = 9781920681470
}}
}}
*{{cite book
* {{cite book
| last = Whiticker
| last1 = Whiticker
| first = Alan
| first1 = Alan
| authorlink =
| last2 = Hudson
| coauthors = Hudson, Glen
| first2 = Glen
| title = The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players – South Sydney Rabbitohs
| title = The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players – South Sydney Rabbitohs
| year = 2005
| year = 2005
| publisher = Bas Publishing
| publisher = Bas Publishing
| location =
| isbn = 1-920910-58-1
| isbn = 1920910581
}}
}}
*{{cite web |
* {{cite web
title=Rabbitohs Club Records |
| title = Rabbitohs Club Records
work=South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| publisher = South Sydney Rabbitohs
url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Club-Records.html |
| url = http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Club-Records.html
accessdate=10 June 2009}}
| access-date = 10 June 2009
}}
*{{cite web |
* {{cite web
title=Rugby League Tables and Statistics |
| title=Rugby League Tables and Statistics
work=The World of Rugby League |
| work=The World of Rugby League
url=http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html |
| url=http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html
accessdate=5 May 2007}}
| access-date=5 May 2007
*{{cite web |
| archive-date=21 August 2007
title=South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821095436/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/rl_index.html
work=South Sydney Rabbitohs Official Website|
| url-status=dead
url=http://www.souths.com.au|
}}
accessdate=23 December 2007}}
*{{cite web |
* {{cite web
| title=South Sydney Rabbitohs
title=[[Sean Fagan]]'s Rugby League History |
| work=South Sydney Rabbitohs Official Website
work=RL1908.com |
url=http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm South Sydney Rabbitohs|
| url=http://www.rabbitohs.com.au
accessdate=5 May 2007}}
| access-date=26 May 2014
}}
*{{cite web |
* {{cite web |title=Sean Fagan's Rugby League History |website=RL1908.com |url=http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm |access-date=5 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615234902/http://rl1908.com/Clubs/South-Sydney-Rabbitohs.htm |archive-date=15 June 2007 }}
title= Sydney Olympic Park|
* {{cite web |title=Sydney Olympic Park |website=Sydney Olympic Park Website |url=http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs |access-date=5 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716142740/http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}
work= Sydney Olympic Park Website|
* {{cite web
url=http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Home_of_sport/home_teams/south_sydney_rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| title = Tom Brock Biography
accessdate=5 May 2007}}
| publisher = Australian Society for Sports History
*{{cite web |
| url = http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm
title= Biography|
| access-date = 5 May 2007
work= Australian Society for Sports History |
| archive-date = 15 May 2007
url=http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm Tom Brock |
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070515203210/http://www.sporthistory.org/TomBrockbio.htm
accessdate=5 May 2007}}
| url-status = dead
{{Refend}}
}}
{{refend}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/ The Official South Sydney Rabbitohs website]
* {{Official website|https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/}}
* [http://www.therabbitohs.com.au/ The NRL Club Network site of the South Sydney Rabbitohs]
* [http://www.rebelrabbitohs.com/ Rebel Rabbitohs - Truth @ Souths]
* [http://thepride.250x.com/ The Pride]


{{South Sydney Rabbitohs}}
{{South Sydney Rabbitohs}}
{{South Sydney Rabbitohs squad}}
{{NRL}}
{{NRL}}
{{NSW Cup}}
{{Sydney Sports Teams}}
{{Sydney Sports Teams}}
{{Rugby League in New South Wales}}


[[Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs| ]]
[[Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs| ]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league teams]]
[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1908]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 1908]]
[[Category:National Rugby League clubs]]
[[Category:National Rugby League clubs]]
[[Category:Rugby league teams in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Rugby league teams in Sydney]]
[[Category:Rugby league teams in Sydney]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Australia]]

[[Category:Redfern, New South Wales]]
[[fr:South Sydney Rabbitohs]]

Latest revision as of 15:22, 5 December 2024

 South Sydney Rabbitohs 
Club information
Full nameSouth Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)
Official
Rabbitohs, Souths
Colloquial
Bunnies, Rabbits, The Red and Green, The Cardinal and Myrtle, The Pride of the League
Colours  Red
  Green
Founded17 January 1908; 116 years ago (1908-01-17)
Websiterabbitohs.com.au
Current details
Ground(s)
CEOBlake Solly
ChairmanNick Pappas
CoachWayne Bennett
CaptainCameron Murray
2024 season16th
Current season
Uniforms
Home colours
Away colours
Records
Premierships21 (1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 2014)
Runners-up14 (1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021)
Minor premierships17 (1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989)
Wooden spoons8 (1945, 1946, 1962, 1975, 1990, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Most capped336John Sutton
Highest try scorer195Alex Johnston
Highest points scorer1,896Adam Reynolds
Arthur Hennessy, South Sydney's first captain and coach

The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club, also known as the South Sydney Rabbitohs, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). They are often nicknamed Souths or the Bunnies.

The club was formed in 1908, as one of the founding members of the New South Wales Rugby Football League, making it one of Australia's oldest rugby league teams. It is one of only two NSW foundation clubs still present in the NRL, the other being the Sydney Roosters.[note 1]

South Sydney's traditional heartland covers the once typically working-class suburbs of inner-south Sydney. The club is based in Redfern, where its administration and training facilities are located, however it has long held a wide supporter base spread all over New South Wales. The team's home ground is currently Stadium Australia in Sydney Olympic Park. South Sydney is the most successful professional team in the history of Australian rugby league with twenty-one first grade premierships.

History

[edit]

Origins

[edit]

The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club was formed at a meeting on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall[1] when administrator J. J. Giltinan, cricketer Victor Trumper and politician Henry Hoyle gathered together in front of a large crowd of supporters.[2] 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.[2][3] The team went on to win the inaugural premiership then successfully defended its title in the 1909 season, winning the Grand Final by default.[4] During these early years Arthur Hennessy was considered the "founding father" of the South Sydney rugby league club. A hooker and prop forward, Hennessy was Souths' first captain and coach. He was also New South Wales' first captain and Australia's first test captain in 1908. S. G. "George" Ball became Club Secretary in 1911 after Arthur Hennessy stood down from the position, and he remained in that capacity for over 50 years, only retiring a few years before his death in 1969.

NSWRFL & ARL (1908–1997)

[edit]

After further premiership success in 1914 and 1918, South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from 1925 to 1932, missing out only in 1930. The 1925 side went through the season undefeated for 12 games.[5] 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".[1][6]

South Sydney struggled between 1940–1948. South Sydney's longest losing streak of 22 games was during the period 1945–1947. In the 1945 season the club only managed to win one game while in 1946 it was unable to win a single game.

1950s golden era (1949–1957)

[edit]

1949 would mark the beginning of almost a decade of great success for South Sydney, winning five of the six premierships from 1950 to 1955, and losing the 1949 Grand Final against St. George, and also the 1952 Grand Final against Western Suburbs in controversial circumstances. The 1951 side's point scoring feat in its 42–14 victory over Manly-Warringah[7] remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of '55"[8][9] 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. Churchill, nicknamed "the Little Master" for his brilliant attacking fullback play, is universally regarded as one of the greatest ever Australian rugby league players.

In the late 1950s Souths began a run of poor form, failing to make the finals from 1958 to 1964, during this time receiving the 1962 wooden spoon.

More premiership success (1965–1971)

[edit]

In 1965 a talented young side made the Grand Final against St. George who were aiming to secure its tenth straight premiership. The young Rabbitohs were not overawed by the Dragons' formidable experience and in front of a record crowd of 78,056[10] at the Sydney Cricket Ground, it went down narrowly 12–8.[11] 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 to 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 onwards unravelled the star studded pack.[12] 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[13] in three places after being king hit by Manly prop John Bucknall.[14][15]

Financial trouble and exclusion (1972–1999)

[edit]

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"[note 2] Jack Gibson's arrival turned the club's form, winning the pre-season competition in 1978.[2] The club captured victories in the mid-week Tooth Cup competition in 1981[16] and in the pre-season "Sevens" competition in 1988.[2] The Rabbitohs made the finals on five occasions in the 1980s, including a dominant season to finish as minor premiers in 1989.[2] The 1989 season proved to be the club's most successful in years, but was also the last time the club reached 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 it won the pre-season competition, defeating the Brisbane Broncos 27–26 in the final.[2] 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,[note 3] and a planned merger with Cronulla-Sutherland was met with staunch opposition from both clubs,[17] South Sydney failed to meet the National Rugby League's selection criteria to compete in the competition and were subsequently excluded from the premiership at the end of the 1999 season.

South Sydney Rabbitohs shareholder, actor Russell Crowe.

Fight for readmission

[edit]
Chart of yearly table positions for South Sydney Rabbitohs in First Grade Rugby League

In 2000 and 2001, South Sydney fought its way back into the competition following a string of high-profile legal battles[18] against the National Rugby League and News Limited.[19] 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,[20] South Sydney won readmission into the premiership for the 2002 season.[21]

National Rugby League (2002–present)

[edit]

After being readmitted, South Sydney were initially unsuccessful in the premiership, finishing amongst the bottom three teams for five seasons straight including three wooden spoons. Following this, the club was taken over by actor Russell Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes à Court in 2006.[22] In the 2007 season South Sydney played in its first finals campaign since 1989.[23]

Broncos vs Rabbitohs 2008

May 2008 saw the sudden resignation of the then current executive chairman and CEO, Peter Holmes à Court. He had been appointed to the role of CEO at the start of 2008.[24][25] Reports suggested that Holmes à Court had been forced to stand down after his relationship with Russell Crowe had deteriorated beyond repair.[26][27][28][29][30]

Warriors v Rabbitohs 2009

The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated its centenary year during the 2008 National Rugby League season. That year the club were named the National Trust's inaugural 'Community Icon', in recognition of the club's significant longstanding contribution to sport and sporting culture at both state and national levels.[31]

Return to premiership success

[edit]

The arrival of Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis to the club in the early 2010s saw South Sydney qualify for the finals. In April 2011, Souths announced Michael Maguire would replace retiring coach John Lang for the 2012 season, signing as head coach on a three-year deal.[32] Following consecutive preliminary final exits in 2012 and 2013, it defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2014 preliminary final to advance to its first grand final since the successful 1971 campaign.

Following a slim 6–0 lead in the first half of the 2014 grand final, Souths scored four second half tries to defeat Canterbury 30–6. This was South Sydney's first premiership win in 43 years.[33] Sam Burgess received the Clive Churchill medal despite playing the entire match with a fractured cheekbone, suffered from a head clash during the first tackle of the match.[34]

Following the premiership victory, South Sydney were presented with the Keys to the City of Randwick by Mayor Ted Seng at a presentation ceremony at Souths Juniors in Kingsford and later the same day awarded the Keys to the City of Sydney by Lord Mayor Clover Moore at a reception at Sydney Town Hall.

On 23 October 2014, Holmes à Court sold his 50% share of Blackcourt League Investments, and consequently his 37.5% stake in South Sydney, to James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings.[35]

After elimination early in the 2015 finals series,[36] a nine-game winning streak in 2018 saw South Sydney return to premiership contention.[37] This season marked the start of five consecutive preliminary finals appearances in the late 2010s and early 2020s. After losses in consecutive years to the Sydney Roosters, Canberra,[38] and Penrith,[39] Souths defeated Manly in 2021 to advance to the grand final against Penrith.

With the game poised at 8–8 in the second half, Cody Walker threw a pass that was intercepted by Panthers winger Stephen Crichton who scored untouched. Souths scored in the final five minutes of the match, but halfback Adam Reynolds missed the conversion from the sideline and a subsequent field-goal attempt, either of which would have seen the game tied. Penrith won the game 14–12.[40] Penrith would also defeat South Sydney in the 2022 preliminary final, ending Souths' season for the third year in a row.[41]

Prior to the 2022 season, Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes became a partial owner of the Rabbitohs by buying one third of the management firm alongside Crowe and Packer. Together, these three own 75% of the Rabbitohs; the remaining 25% of the club is owned by fans.[42] Despite sitting 2nd at the midway point of 2023, Souths only won four of their remaining thirteen fixtures to miss the finals series.[43] This slump continued into 2024, with the Rabbitohs finishing 16th.

Club symbols

[edit]

Emblem

[edit]

The club mascot is the rabbitoh, a now-disused term that was commonly used in the early 20th century to describe hawkers who captured and skinned rabbits and then sold the meat at markets,[44] so named because they would shout "rabbit-oh!" around the markets and suburbs to attract buyers. The club is also informally referred to as the Rabbits, Bunnies or Souths.

Exactly how South Sydney came to be known as the Rabbitohs is unknown. According to one version of events, dating from pre-schism days at the turn of the 20th century, some of the club's players earned some extra money on Saturday mornings as rabbit-oh men, staining their jerseys with rabbit blood in the process; 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.[45] Another version was that the term 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.[1] A third version claims the Rabbitoh name was adopted from that of the touring Australian rugby union teams of the early 1900s who were nicknamed "Rabbits" prior to discarding the name in 1908 in favour of the moniker "Wallabies".[46]

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 celebrated its centenary year during 2008. The club released a centenary emblem to commemorate the occasion. To also coincide with the centenary year, Souths opted to alter the logo by removing the red and green oval from the emblem for a solid white rabbit with the words South Sydney Rabbitohs set in uppercase type.

Colours

[edit]

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 its jerseys.[46] However, the suburb of Redfern was named in honour of 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 alternating red and green, and has been used for the vast majority of the club's history.[47] In 1945 and 1946 the club broke with this tradition and used a green design with a red "V" around the collar, before reverting 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"[48] jersey (so-called due to its apparent similarity to the wrapper design of the popular sweet). 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 has been styled similarly to the one that initially featured on jerseys in the 1960s.[49] For season 2009, the rabbit emblem is black for home matches whilst the emblem is the original white for away matches.[50]

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 the traditional playing strip, the decision was made to wear black shorts once more. In 2008 the Rabbitohs wore white shorts to match the white stripe running down the side of the jersey.

Geographic area

[edit]

The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club (precursor to the current corporate entity) was formed, under the original 1908 articles of association with the NSWRL competition, to represent the Sydney municipalities of Alexandria, Botany, Mascot, Waterloo, Redfern and Darlington and the southern parts of the City of Sydney. It additionally represents southern parts of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the suburbs Coogee, Kensington, Kingsford, and Maroubra.[51]

Souths have a proud history of Indigenous players from the local district clubs including La Perouse United, Redfern All Blacks and Indigenous recruits from Country NSW.

Stadium

[edit]

During the early years of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, "home games" were not assigned very often. However, South Sydney played most of its games at the Royal Agricultural Society Ground (Sydney Showground) from 1908 until the club's departure in 1920. From 1911 onwards, the Sydney Sports Ground was also used interchangeably with the Agricultural Ground over a decade for hosting matches.[52] In 1947 the club played its final season at the Sports Ground, before relocating to Redfern Oval in 1948.[53] It was here that team played in the heart of the club's territory and played the vast majority of its allocated home matches.

Stadium Australia, the Rabbitohs current home ground.

In 1988, the club began to play in the Sydney Football Stadium,[54] just 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 when South Sydney was absent from the premiership. During 2004–2005, when the Rabbitoh's contract with Sydney Football Stadium was about to expire, new home grounds were investigated at Gosford, North Sydney Oval and Stadium Australia. Eventually the decision was made to relocate to Stadium Australia at Sydney Olympic Park. The move was generally not well received by the fans,[55][56] but provided considerably more income for the club, which was several million dollars in the red at the end of 2005.[57] In 2008, the club renewed its partnership with Stadium Australia to play NRL home games and home finals at the venue for the next 10 years.

Redfern Oval, Rabbitohs vs Wests Tigers pre-season trial game, 8 February 2009.

During 2008, the City of Sydney Council[58] completed a $19.5 million upgrade and renovation of Redfern Oval. From season 2009, the upgraded Redfern Oval provided the Rabbitohs with training facilities and a venue for hosting pre-season and exhibition matches.

In 2023, the Rabbitohs relocated its headquarters and first team training facilities from Redfern Oval to the Heffron Centre,[59] a $58M community sporting complex in Maroubra owned by Randwick City Council.[60] The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ $26M Community and High Performance Centre provides training facilities for the NRL, Women’s and NSW Cup teams, as well as facilities for the administrative, commercial and Souths Cares staff members.

Supporters

[edit]

The South Sydney Rabbitohs continue to have a large supporter base in its traditional areas of South-eastern Sydney, despite having moved from Redfern Oval two decades ago, while also enjoying wide support throughout other rugby league playing centres around the country.[61] The official South Sydney supporter group is known as "The Burrow".[62]

South Sydney at one stage had the highest football club membership in the National Rugby League, with membership exceeding 35,000 as of June 23, 2015. That member number also included more than 11,000 ticketed members, the highest of the Sydney-based NRL clubs. Following the conclusion of the 2021 NRL season, new figures showed South Sydney to have the second highest membership of Sydney NRL clubs behind Parramatta.[63]

It was announced during the 2010 Charity Shield game that both St. George Illawarra and Souths had exceeded the 10,000 milestone, making the 2010 season the first time two Sydney clubs had entered the season with 10,000 ticketed members each. The club had members from every state in Australia and international members in 22 countries. Football club membership peaked at some 22,000 when the club was re-admitted to the National Rugby League for season 2002.[64]

"Group 14", a collection of club backers including businessmen, politicians, musicians and media personalities, was formed before the Rabbitohs' exclusion from the NRL in 1999.[65] Members include Anthony Albanese, Laurie Brereton, Michael Cheika, Rodger Corser, Michael Daley, Andrew Denton, Cathy Freeman, Nick Greiner, Deirdre Grusovin, Ron Hoenig, Ray Martin, Mikey Robins, and Mike Whitney.[66][67] They contributed to South Sydney's bid for reinstatement, following the club's exclusion from the competition at the end of the 1999 season. A sustained campaign of public support that year, unprecedented in Australian sporting history, saw 40,000 people[68] attend a rally in the Sydney CBD in support of South Sydney's cause.[69][70] In 2000 and 2001, public street marches took place in Sydney with in excess of 80,000 people rallying behind the Rabbitohs.[21] The club also has a number of high-profile supporters as well, many of whom were dominant figures in Souths' battle to be readmitted into the premiership in 2000 and 2001.[71][72] In 2007, supporters set a new club record for attendance with an average home crowd figure of 15,702 being the highest ever since the introduction of the home and away system in 1974.[73]

In 2023, 31st Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, a lifelong South Sydney supporter, was named the club’s number one ticket-holder.[74]

Reggie the Rabbit

[edit]

Reggie the Rabbit is the Rabbitohs' mascot. The mascot first appeared in lifesize form in 1968 after celebrity fan Don Lane brought back a suit from the US in time for the 1968 grand final against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, won by the Rabbitohs 13–9. Perhaps the most notable of the early Reggies was the club's groundsman Reg Fridd. Standing just over four feet tall, the Rabbitohs lured the diminutive New Zealander from a touring production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the same troupe that had yielded the second Reggie, Roscoe Bova, killed in a car accident in the early 1970s. Most teams in the National Rugby League maintain mascots. During 2000 and 2001, when Souths was excluded from the NRL, Anth Courtney was Reggie Rabbit appearing at the second Town Hall rally and at games at Redfern Oval as well as being active in travelling extensively around the state to attend fundraisers as Reggie Rabbit.[75][76][77][78]

Charlie Gallico has been South Sydney's Reggie Rabbit since 2002,[79]

South Sydney Leagues Club

[edit]
Souths Juniors on Anzac Parade in Kingsford

The Juniors

[edit]

The Juniors aka Souths Juniors on Anzac Parade in Kingsford, New South Wales has been the club's leagues club since the old Souths Leagues closed in 2013.[80][81][82] The club is owned by the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League.

Juniors at the Junction

[edit]

Juniors @ The Junction (Since 2009) – The result of a merger with South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club (Kingsford) and the struggling Maroubra Returned and Services League (RSL) Club. The club is on the site of the former Maroubra RSL club on Anzac Parade and Haig Street.[83]

The Juniors on Hawkesbury

[edit]

The Juniors on Hawkesbury (Since 2008) – in the Hawkesbury River[84]

South Sydney Leagues Club

[edit]

The South Sydney Leagues Club, colloquially known as Souths Leagues, was the club's official leagues club. The club closed in 2013 after being placed into administration with large debts.[81][82]

Culture and tradition

[edit]

In 1999 Russell Crowe bought the foundation bell at the Red and Green Ball for the club.[85][86][87]

Team songs

[edit]

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

[edit]

The club's most well known song is played when the team runs out for home games and after victories at home. Originally recorded in 1967 [6] by the Will Dower Sounds as "South's Victory Song" [sic], "Glory, Glory to South Sydney" is one of the best-known NRL team songs, prominently featuring in promotional materials, merchandise and even the #GGTSS hashtag.

The original version was written when there were 10 clubs in the NSWRFL premiership, and predates the admission of Penrith and Cronulla-Sutherland for the 1967 season, despite its release date.

The song is likely to have been inspired by Glory Glory (football chant), sharing Battle Hymn of the Republic's tune and coincided with the club's most recent "golden era". While the NSWRFL premiership had been won for 11 consecutive seasons by the St. George Dragons, the Rabbitohs had a strong team and won the 1967 NSWRFL premiership, going back-to-back in 1968 and winning all but one Grand Final between then and 1971.

The song was heavily played and featured in the club's "fightback" effort when Souths were excluded from the 14-team NRL seasons in 2000 and 2001. In 2004, Allan Caswell wrote an updated and modernised version, referencing the 15 teams in the NRL Telstra Premiership at the time, which was played at home games for several years before being replaced by the original.

Somewhat controversially, whilst sponsored by Real Insurance in 2005 and 2006, the club made its entrance to a version of The Real Thing as a tie-in. Upon the expiration of the deal, the club reverted to "Glory Glory", but this time a modernised pop version incorporating only the chorus and "South Sydney" chant sung by a female vocalist.

As of 2023, the original 1967 version is used officially by the club[16] and featured at the club's 2014 and 2021 Grand Final appearances.

1967 Lyrics[8]
South Sydney marches on!

Chorus:

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

Glory, Glory to South Sydney

South Sydney marches on

When speaking of the champions, one stands above the rest

Of glories old and records proud, when often put to test

Of fine traditions, history, that others cannot best

They wear the Red and Green

Chorus

They mauled the Balmain Tigers

Slew the Dragons from St. George

The Seagulls and the Mounties next

Were crushed by mighty force

They humbled Parramatta

And the Berries in due course

They wear the Red and Green

Chorus

They plucked the Western Magpies

Slashed the Newtown bag of blue

The Eastern Suburbs Rooster crowed

And then was conquered too

The greatest name in any game

Within South Sydney grew

They wear the Red and Green

Chorus x2

South Sydney marches on!

Victory song

[edit]

The Rabbitohs' victory song (also known as the "player's song"[11]) appears to be of pre-WWII origin, but awareness has grown over the years and especially around the passing of club legend John Sattler, whose performances of the song around the club's 2014 and 2021 NRL Grand Final in various media have become somewhat iconic within the South Sydney community and were played after the club's win the week after his passing.

The lyrics have varied over the year in a form of Oral tradition - the current version sung by the players after a win only features the first verse/stanza, preceded recently (in 2023) by a player or special guest calling out "If You're Happy and You Know It", responded en masse with claps.

The tune of the song differs by segment - the main part as still sung, according to John Sattler's version, is based on the melody of The Stars and Stripes Forever.

Current lyrics
And now that we're all around the bar

And the Captain's declared it a quorum

We are drinking our way through the night

And we're having the time of our lives

Throw the empties away, start again!

Start again!

For the boys of South Sydney are together

And we'll drink 'til the dawn breaks again!

May the sessions of South Sydney last forever

Up the Rabbitohs!

Botany Road

[edit]

The Burrow (supporters' group) began singing a chant to the tune of Take Me Home, Country Roads during the club's resurgence in the 2010s, generally reserving this chant for when victory was assured within 5 minutes of full time.

Flags, banners and scarves bearing Botany Road are found throughout South Sydney's supporters at games, referencing the eponymous road that runs through the heart of the South Sydney geographical area.

The song is now an iconic part of the Rabbitohs fan experience, especially during rivalry and Finals Series games. The early repetitions are normally sung at a slow and deliberate pace a capella, with the pace increasing closer to full time and supporters clapping along as the time runs down.

Lyrics[15]
Take me home, Botany Road

To the place I belong

Back to Redfern, South Sydney

Take me home, Botany Road!

Other club songs

[edit]
The Burrow chants
[edit]

The Burrow have numerous Football chants, both in support of the club and its players as well as against rivals. Some of the most prominent songs and chants, as found in their songbooks, include "South Sydney 'Til I Die", "Rabbitohs", the aforementioned "Botany Road" and several player-based songs, including a version of Whole Again in appreciation of Damien Cook.

The Burrow also gather in their bay to sing their own version of Under the Southern Cross I Stand after Rabbitohs victories, adapted from the Australian national cricket team.

Fightback-era songs
[edit]

During the club's exile, numerous supporters of the club contributed songs to raise awareness of their plight and to serve as a fundraiser through the sale of "The Glory of South Sydney"[1] CD and VHS.

Allan Caswell and Mark Egan penned "Souths Can Stand Alone", which was performed at several fundraisers and protests. The song claims "if they dump South Sydney, they're dumping Rugby League" and thanks George Piggins for his efforts. A music video featuring a montage of South Sydney moments and heroes was included on the VHS version.[2]

Caswell himself became a prominent figure in the campaign, creating several satirical or parody versions of well-known songs, including the club's own "Glory Glory", in protest of News Corp Australia and the National Rugby League's decision to exclude South Sydney from the 2000 and future seasons.

Other contributions included "Glory in their Eyes", a song by John Maclean that touches on the long period since Souths' last premiership and the struggle of long-time Souths supporters having to accept the loss of their club, "Rabbitohs" by Daniel Lissing which concludes with the line "South Sydney marches on" in defiance of the club's exclusion, as well as "Calling All Rabbits" which was constructed from commentary and news soundbytes relating to famous moments on-field, the fight to remain in and return to NRL competition and the like.

Other songs
[edit]

One of the more famous South Sydney inspired songs in recent years is "The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw"[3] by Perry Keyes and later covered by The Whitlams and the Black Stump Band, referencing not only the famous heroics of John Sattler in the 1970 Grand Final, but also life in 1970s Australia and inner-city Sydney. The song's chorus incorporates Frank Hyde's famous "if it's high enough, if it's long enough, it's straight between the posts" commentary.

A Rabbitohs fan covered Eddie Vedder's song All the Way, adapting the original's references to the Chicago Cubs' century-long struggle to win its next World Series to South Sydney's exclusion and long premiership drought, and the ending of that drought in 2014. The Cubs would win its first World Series since 1908 (also the year Souths participated and won in the inaugural NSWRFL competition) in 2016.

Several supporters have written songs of their own, occasionally garnering some interest within the community.

Pre-game, Souths often have a hype package put together as well as team lineups presented to music. Previous choices for these have included Cochise, Kryptonite and Hail to the King, often interpolated with the "South Sydney" chant just prior to the entrance of the players.

Kit sponsors and manufacturers

[edit]
Year Kit manufacturer Main shirt sponsor Back sponsors Sleeve sponsors Shorts sponsors
1977–1978 Classic Sportswear VIP Insurance
1978–1980 KLG Sparkplugs
1981–1983 100 Pipers Scotch
1984–1985 Ignis Refrigerators
1986–1991 Smith's Crisps
1992–1994 Northwest Airlines Amiga Computers
1995–1997 Canon Canon
1998

Proposed: Souths Juniors (rejected by NRL)

1999 Downtown Duty Free RSL COM
2002 International Sports Clothing TV Week Arrive Alive
2003 Allight Linddales Personnel
2004 Linddales Personnel

Hopeshore

2005 Real Insurance/Cinderella Man (select fixtures) Real Insurance Linddales Personnel

Westpoint

2006 Real Insurance Real Insurance/Glen Alpine Properties BBX

Bettaplex

2007 Firepower (home)/High Concept (away)

Placement alternated on back/sleeves

Virgin Blue
2008 National Australia Bank (home)/De'Longhi (away)

Placement alternated on back

Trivest
20092010 State of Play (film)
2011 Star City (home)/De'Longhi (away)

Placement alternated on back

V8 Supercars Kenwood
20122013 Star City/The Star (home)/De'Longhi (away)

Placement alternated on back

AFEX (sternum)

Kenwood Alcatel One Touch
2014 Crown Resorts/Fujitsu Fujitsu
20152017 Crown Resorts
2018 Fujitsu/Crown Resorts Fujitsu PlayUp
2019 Aqualand/Alcatel

Zoom (sternum)

Safe2Pay

TCL/Aqualand

2020 Safe2Pay(R1-2)/Wotif(R3-)

TCL/Aqualand

Crown Resorts MenulogHostplus
2021 Classic Sportswear Aqualand/TCL

Zoom (sternum)

Menulog/TCL(Home)/Aqualand(Away) Ingenia Holiday Parks
2022 MG Motor/Wotif (sternum) Menulog/Aqualand
2023
2024 Ingenia Holiday Parks

Rivalries

[edit]

A book, The Book of Feuds, chronicling the rivalries of the Rabbitohs with its 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.[88]

Main

[edit]

Sydney Roosters – South Sydney and its fans have built up rivalries with other clubs, particularly the Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs), the only other remaining foundation club.[89] While South Sydney were historically strongly working class, the Roosters were viewed by South’s supporters as ‘Silvertails’ - supported by upper class folk from Sydney’s Eastern suburbs.

South Sydney 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.[90] 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.

In 2022, South Sydney had declared the club wanted to leave Stadium Australia and make the new Sydney Football Stadium as their home ground. Roosters CEO Nick Politis said to Fox Sports “I’ve heard other people say they want to play there because it’s their home, The point is we’ve been there since 1928. We started with the old sports ground and then 30 years with the old [Sydney Football] Stadium, Nobody else has played there. For another club to say we want to go there because it’s our home, it’s not their home. The Roosters are the only people that belong there. It’s our true home and it’s very sacred". Despite Politis' claims, the South Sydney club had used the Sydney Sports Ground as a home ground before Eastern Suburbs and the two clubs often ground shared for the first 30 years of its existence at the venue.[91]

In the 2022 elimination final between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters, seven players were sin binned, setting a record for the most in an NRL-era game.[92]

To celebrate the rivalry, South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters play for the Ron Coote Cup annually.[93]

Major

[edit]

St George Dragons and St George Illawarra Dragons – The long-standing rivalry against St. George results in the annual Charity Shield match, originally played against the original St. George Dragons and now (since the joint venture formed with Illawarra Steelers) played against the current team, St. George Illawarra.

South Sydney and St. George have met several times in grand finals prior to the joint-venture and being the north-eastern neighbours of St. George, had many fierce encounters. In 2001, South Sydney chairman and club legend George Piggins said there would be no chance of the Charity Shield being revived if Souths were to be included back into the NRL saying "The Dragons: They sold us out". This was in reference to St. George signing an affidavit at the time which included that it would be detrimental if Souths were returned to the competition.[94]

Balmain Tigers – From 1908–1999, South Sydney had a fierce rivalry with Balmain. The rivalry with Balmain began in 1909 when both teams agreed to boycott the final which was being held as curtain raiser to a Kangaroos v Wallabies match. As agreed, Balmain did not turn up. However, Souths did turn up and were officially awarded the Premiership when it kicked off to an empty half of the field.[1][4]

South Sydney would later meet Balmain in the 1916 premiership final which Balmain won 5–3. In 1924, Balmain and Souths met in the grand final which is also the lowest scoring grand final in NSWRL/NRL History. Balmain ran out 3-0 winners with the match only seeing one try.[95] In 1939, Balmain and Souths met once more in the grand final with Balmain winning 33–4. In the 1969 NSWRFL season enmity was again fueled between the clubs with Balmain's controversial[note 4] victory against South Sydney in the grand final that year.[97][98]

Minor

[edit]

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles – South Sydney first met Manly-Warringah in the 1951 NSWRFL season's Grand Final. South Sydney would win the match 42-14 which as of 2022 is the highest scoring grand final in NSWRL/NRL history. Souths would then meet in the 1968 and 1970 grand finals which South Sydney both won.

Manly have, since 1970, purchased many of Souths' star players including John O'Neill, Ray Branighan, Ian Roberts,[note 5] and more recently Dylan Walker.[99]

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs – A more recent feud that primarily developed in the years 2014 and 2015, following the 2014 NRL Grand Final and a controversial Good Friday match. Canterbury were also Grand Finalists in 1967 with South Sydney prevailing 12−10.[100] Annually, South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown compete in the Good Friday game, competing for the Good Friday Cup.

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]
Top 30 squad - 2025 NRL season Supplementary list Coaching staff

Extended squad

Head coach

Assistant coaches


Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 5 December 2024
Source(s): Rabbitohs squad


Notable players

[edit]

The Magnificent XIII (2002)

[edit]

In 2002 on the Rabbitohs' readmission to the competition, The Magnificent XIII,[101] a team consisting of great South Sydney players over the years was selected by a panel 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.

South Sydney Rabbitohs – The Magnificent XIII
Starting XIII Reserves Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 5 December 2024
Source(s): [101]


Dream Team (2004)

[edit]

The Rabbitohs announced the South Sydney Dream Team at a gala dinner held on 29 July 2004, at the Westin Hotel in Sydney. 17 players were selected in position as well as a coach to represent the South Sydney Football Club from 1908 through to 2004. The team was selected by a group of rugby league experts, historians and by Rabbitohs fans through a public vote.[102]

South Sydney Rabbitohs – Dream Team 2004
Starting XIII Reserves Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 29 July 2004
Source(s): [102]


Season summaries

[edit]

NSWRFL (1908-1994)

[edit]
Season Ladder position Result
1908 1st Premiers
1909 1st Premiers
1910 2nd Runner-up
1911 3rd Finals
1912 4th
1913 3rd
1914 1st Premiers
1915 4th
1916 2nd Grand final
1917 2nd
1918 1st Premiers
1919 6th
1920 2nd
1921 5th
1922 4th
1923 2nd Grand final
1924 2nd Grand final
1925 1st Premiers
1926 1st Premiers
1927 1st Premiers
1928 3rd Premiers
1929 1st Premiers
1930 3rd Semi final
1931 2nd Premiers
1932 1st Premiers
1933 3rd Semi final
1934 4th Semi final
1935 2nd Grand final
1936 7th
1937 2nd
1938 2nd Semi final
1939 4th Grand final
1940 6th
1941 7th
1942 5th
1943 5th
1944 4th Semi final
1945 8th Wooden spoon
1946 8th Wooden spoon
1947 7th
1948 7th
1949 1st Grand final
1950 1st Premiers
1951 1st Premiers
1952 3rd Grand final
1953 1st Premiers
1954 2nd Premiers
1955 4th Premiers
1956 3rd Preliminary final
1957 3rd Preliminary final
1958 8th
1959 6th
1960 8th
1961 7th
1962 10th Wooden spoon
1963 9th
1964 5th
1965 4th Grand final
1966 6th
1967 2nd Premiers
1968 1st Premiers
1969 1st Grand final
1970 1st Premiers
1971 2nd Premiers
1972 4th Semi final
1973 7th
1974 5th Qualifying final
1975 12th Wooden spoon
1976 10th
1977 11th
1978 7th
1979 9th
1980 5th Qualifying final
1981 9th
1982 6th
1983 8th
1984 5th Semi final
1985 9th
1986 2nd Semi final
1987 5th Semi final
1988 8th
1989 1st Preliminary final
1990 16th Wooden spoon
1991 14th
1992 14th
1993 14th
1994 9th

ARL (1995-1997)

[edit]
Season Ladder position Finish
1995 18th
1996 19th
1997 11th

NRL (1998–present)

[edit]
Season Ladder Finish
1998 18th
1999 12th
2002 14th
2003 15th Wooden spoon
2004 15th Wooden spoon
2005 13th
2006 15th Wooden spoon
2007 7th Semi finals
2008 14th
2009 10th
2010 9th
2011 10th
2012 3rd Preliminary final
2013 2nd Preliminary final
2014 3rd Premiers
2015 7th Elimination final
2016 12th
2017 12th
2018 3rd Preliminary final
2019 3rd Preliminary final
2020 6th Preliminary final
2021 3rd Grand final
2022 7th Preliminary final
2023 9th
2024 16th

Club honours

[edit]
Premierships
Competition Level Wins Years won
NSWRFL/ARL/NRL First Grade 21 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 2014
NSW Cup Second Grade 21 1913, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1968, 1983, 2023
Jersey Flegg Cup Under 21s 9 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 2019
S. G. Ball Cup Under 18s 10 1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998
Harold Matthews Cup Under 16s 1 1974
NSWRL Women's Women's 2 1996, 1997
Other titles and honours
Competition Level Wins Years won
World Club Challenge World Championship 1 2015
State Championship Second Grade 1 2023
NRL Nines Pre season 1 2015
Ron Coote Cup First Grade 9 2009, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Charity Shield Pre season 23 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
Finishing positions
Competition Level Wins Years won
NSWRFL/ARL/NRL Minor premiership

(J.J.Giltinan Shield)

17 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1989
Runner up 14 1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021
Wooden spoons 8 1945, 1946, 1962, 1975, 1990, 2003, 2004, 2006

Individual awards

[edit]

Club Best & Fairest

[edit]

The George Piggins Medal is the award given to the Rabbitohs player determined to have been the "best and fairest" throughout an NRL season. The inaugural winner of the award in 2003 was Bryan Fletcher. In 2013, John Sutton and Greg Inglis became the first joint winners of the award.[103][104]

George Piggins Medal (first grade)

[edit]
Season Player Position
2003 Bryan Fletcher Second-row
2004 Ashley Harrison Lock
2005 Peter Cusack Prop
2006 David Fa'alogo Second-row
2007 Roy Asotasi Prop
2008 Luke Stuart Prop
2009 John Sutton Five eighth
2010 Issac Luke Hooker
2011 Nathan Merritt Wing
2012 John Sutton (2) Five eighth
2013 John Sutton (3) Five eighth
Greg Inglis Fullback
2014 Sam Burgess Lock
2015 Greg Inglis (2) Fullback
2016 Sam Burgess (2) Lock
2017 Sam Burgess (3) Lock
2018 Damien Cook Hooker
2019 Damien Cook (2) Hooker
2020 Cody Walker Five eighth
2021 Cody Walker (2) Five eighth
2022 Junior Tatola Prop
2023 Campbell Graham Centre
2024 Jack Wighton Five eighth

Clive Churchill Medal

[edit]

The Clive Churchill medal is awarded annually to the player adjudged best on ground in the grand final.

* Retrospective medals

Dally M Award Winners

[edit]

Dally M Medal

[edit]

Awarded annually to the player of the year over the course of the first grade regular season.

Rookie of the Year

[edit]

Coach of the Year

[edit]

Team of the Year

[edit]

NRL Immortals

[edit]

NRL Hall of Fame

[edit]

The NRL Hall of Fame recognises the contribution to rugby league in Australia since 1908.

Other distinctions

[edit]

Statistics and records

[edit]

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

The club achievements include:

  • The Rabbitohs have won the most first grade premierships (21) during the history of elite rugby league competition in Australia,[105] in addition to the most reserve grade[note 6] premierships (21).
  • The club has the distinction of being the only team to win a premiership in its inaugural season (1908).
  • The club also 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.[7]
  • South Sydney's 1925 first grade side is one of six New South Wales sides to ever go through a season undefeated.[5] 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).
  • In 2008, the Rabbitohs equalled the second biggest comeback in Australian Rugby League history. After being down 28–4 after 53 minutes against the North Queensland Cowboys, the Rabbitohs won the match 29–28.

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

  • John Sutton holds the record for the most first grade games for the club, having played 336 matches between 2004 and 2019.
  • Jack Rayner holds the individual record of the most grand final successes as a captain (5) and coach (5) achieved between 1950 and 1955.
  • Adam Reynolds holds the club record for the most points, tallying 1896 points between 2012 and 2021.[106]
  • Eric Simms scored 265 points on his own for South Sydney in 1969 and this tally remains unsurpassed by any other player at the club.[106]
  • Eric Simms still holds a club and competition record for the most 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[106] 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.
  • Alex Johnston is the only player to score 30 tries in a single season in the NRL era. He achieved the feat in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the only player in Australian rugby league history to complete the feat twice.
  • During his career Bob McCarthy scored 100 tries for the club, the most by a forward.[106]
  • Alex Johnston equalled the South Sydney club record of 5 tries in a 2017 match against Penrith at ANZ Stadium in a 42–14 win, joining greats such as Nathan Merritt, Harold Horder, Johnny Graves and Ian Moir. Johnston went on to score another 5 tries against the Sydney Roosters in a 60–8 win in the final round of the 2020 season.
  • Alex Johnston passed Nathan Merritt's all-time try scoring record in Souths win 44–18 against Wests Tigers in round 12 of the 2022 season, with 166 tries as of the end of the 2022 season.

Head-to-head records

[edit]
Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win %
Gold Coast Titans 22 16 0 6 65.22
Dolphins 3 2 0 1 66.666
Wests Tigers 42 25 0 17 59.52
Parramatta Eels 134 75 3 56 55.97
North Queensland Cowboys 40 21 1 18 52.50
Warriors 40 21 0 19 52.50
St George-Illawarra Dragons 40 21 0 19 52.50
Sydney Roosters 231 120 5 106 51.95
Penrith Panthers 94 48 1 45 51.06
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 149 72 0 77 48.32
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 168 80 4 84 47.62
Cronulla Sharks 94 43 3 48 45.74
Newcastle Knights 47 19 0 28 40.43
Canberra Raiders 60 24 0 36 40.00
Brisbane Broncos 48 15 1 32 31.25
Melbourne Storm 39 7 0 32 17.95

Defunct teams

[edit]
Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win%
Cumberland 1 1 0 0 100.00%
Northern Eagles 1 1 0 0 100.00%
University 31 30 1 0 98.38%
Annandale 21 19 1 1 92.85%
Newcastle (1908–09) 5 4 0 1 80.00%
South Queensland 4 3 0 1 64.70%
Glebe 42 27 0 15 64.28%
North Sydney 175 104 6 65 61.14%
Newtown 153 90 7 56 61.11%
Western Suburbs 182 106 5 71 59.61%
Balmain 178 95 3 80 54.21%
Gold Coast 18 9 1 8 52.77%
Western Reds/Perth 2 1 0 1 50.00%
St George 163 69 2 92 42.94%
Illawarra 31 12 2 17 41.93%
Adelaide 1 0 0 1 0.00%

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ In Australia, a foundation club is one that played in the first season of competition. South Sydney played in the first season of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, some call it the predecessor to the National Rugby League competition.
  2. ^ Reference to Jack Gibson as a "Super Coach" is common terminology in Australian rugby league circles given Gibson's outstanding coaching record – see: "Super coach Gibson salutes his favourite players". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 14 August 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  3. ^ 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).
  4. ^ Balmain players feigned injury in order to slow down the game, disrupt Souths attacking momentum and run-down the clock to full-time.[96]
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Fagan, Sean. "South Sydney Rabbitohs". RL1908.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ian Heads, South Sydney, Pride of the League, Lothian, 2000.
  3. ^ Season 1908 Archived 6 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "The Balmainiacs of 1909" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan. Archived 13 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b Season 1925 Archived 17 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ a b 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 Olym hipic Park. Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine 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 Archived 15 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine at the Australian Society for Sports History website. "South Sydney Rabbitohs". Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
  7. ^ a b Season 1951 Archived 22 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine Rugby League Tables & Statistics Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ a b 1955 season summary Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine South Sydney Rabbitohs.
  9. ^ Glen Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1955: The Miracle of '55". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). Souths: The People's Team, League Week, ACP Publishing.
  10. ^ "Record Crowds". Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ^ a b Season 1965 Archived 18 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Mark Courtney (2000). "Premiers No More". Moving the Goalposts. Halstead Press.
  13. ^ "1970 Grand Final, Souths v Manly" Archived 7 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine. History of Australian Rugby League – via Era of the Biff.
  14. ^ A full description of the famous incident is in Glenn Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1970: The Jawdropper". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). Souths: The People's Team. League Week, ACP Publishing.
  15. ^ a b See the reference to John Bucknall from the Soaring Sea Eagles website players' page.
  16. ^ a b Glenn Jackson (2002). "10 of the Best – 1981: The Droughtbreaker". In Angus Fontaine (ed.). Souths: The People's Team. League Week, ACP Publishing.
  17. ^ The South Sydney Sharks | Tales of Reinstatement Ep 5, retrieved 3 May 2023
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  19. ^ 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 – via Google Books
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ a b David Shilburu (2003). "The Souths' Revival", page 150 of Strategic Sports Marketing by David Shilbury, Shayne Quick and Hans Westerbeek, Allen & Unwin, 2003
  22. ^ "Episode 2 – What happened at the Handover Ceremony?" South Sydney Story. Archived 19 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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  39. ^ "Penrith reach first NRL grand final since 2003 with thrilling win over South Sydney". ABC News. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  40. ^ "2021 NRL Grand Final as it happened". ESPN.com. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  41. ^ "Panthers book date with Eels in NRL grand final". ABC News. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
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  43. ^ "'Absolute madness': Potential Latrell switch slammed as a 'band aid' for broken Bunnies". www.foxsports.com.au. 5 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Bunny". Evening News. Sydney, NSW. 14 June 1904. p. 4.
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  46. ^ a b "Club Histories – New Speculations" RL1908.com by Sean Fagan. Archived 21 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  47. ^ South Sydney traditional jersey Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine from the official South Sydney website.
  48. ^ 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.
  49. ^ South Sydney 2009 home jersey Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine from the official South Sydney website.
  50. ^ South Sydney 2009 alternate (away) jersey Archived 2 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine from the official South Sydney website.
  51. ^ "Turf wars | Your Say Randwick". www.yoursay.randwick.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  52. ^ South Sydney Co-op.
  53. ^ Redfern Oval Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  54. ^ Sydney Football Stadium Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine from the Rugby League Tables & Statistics website Archived 21 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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  101. ^ a b "The Magnificent XIII" in the article Hall of Fame. In Angus Fontaine (ed.). Souths: The People's Team. ACP Publishing, 2002.
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Sources

[edit]
[edit]