The South Sydney Rabbitiohs’ 2014 Premiership is one of the great sporting stories of recent years.
Whether or not your a fan of the club or the game itself, their rise to the NRL summit has to be admired.
Their battler status is well documented, but that is now history. They were long time paupers residing in the outhouse, now they are princes residing in the penthouse.
For all of the success the club achieved during the late 60s, early 70s and a good 80s, they really plummeted in the 90s.
Souths were a rabble, a bottom feeder. They were so bad, they became extinct as an NRL playing entity. After their readmission in 2002, they were still just making up the numbers until their breakthrough semi-final appearance in 2007. That was the first year under the ownership of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes-Court.
These two men have instigated an incredible turnaround, ably assisted by Chairman Nick Pappas, CEO Shane Richardson and the missing piece of the puzzle – coach Michael Maguire.
Maguires signing in my view is the most pivotal in the club’s recent history. Greg Inglis would be second, and the Burgess brothers third.
Under John Lang, the Rabbits improved and were competitive each week. He set up a solid platform for Maguire but probably doesn’t receive any credit for doing so.
However Maguire has taken the players to a different level in all facets of the game. Most notably self belief, mental toughness and fitness. Madge instilled confidence in the players, club and fans that they could achieve greatness. They players will run through brick walls for him.
The Rabbitohs are now an NRL juggernaut. Success on and off the field has set up the foundations for a prosperous future. I’m not predicting they will repeat in 2015 as history suggests that is darn near impossible.
However, as long as Maguire is coach they will be contenders and or top-eight material. They have a young roster full of great talent mixed with experienced heads, perennial strong juniors coming through and now most importantly they have established a winning culture.
The icing on the cake was James Packer becoming a co-owner and dramatically increasing the value of the club.
It just keeps getting better for the Bunnies.
The squad head off on the weekend to the USA for a two-week camp to begin their pre-season campaign. This is the first time they will embark on such a camp, again illustrating how far they have come and the standards now set.
It really is a fantastic sporting story, that of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Glory, Glory indeed.
Brendan
Guest
Every team has a sprinkling of juniors mixed with some bought in and developed talent Not sure what that has to do with Packer? Maybe you are just secretly hoping the Sydney City or Eastern Suburbs Roosters dont relocate West to WA :)
Brendan
Guest
Barry, whilst i understand your frustrations you are most misguided. You talk about Souths "buying a premiership". Show me a side that hasnt won a premiership by buying players, or as its often referred to these days.. "Recruitment". I know you make a point about Souths always harping on about Manly and the Roosters etc buying premierships and know Souths are doing it. Well tell me this, was the previous model of not buying a premiership successful? It brought about 43 years of no premierships so i think we both know the answer there. As for the 43 years, the thing that annoys me the most is why ppl pick a certain time period and focus on that. Do we just choose to ignore history because it was "before colour tv" or whatever other lame excuse. Going by that logic we should abolish Anzac Day and disregard Australia Day and Captn Cook etc because it all happened before colour tv. I know im drawing a long bow comparing The Anzacs to the Rabbitohs but im sure an intelligent individual such as yourself can see the comparison. And lastly while i agree some of the celebrations were a bit over the top, why dont you allow Souths fans their moment to shine? They have had a lot of misery and im sure several ppl were happy to see the back of them for 2 years and that is the REAL reason for their annoyance.
robertdowney
Guest
good luck to souths for winning . but hardly "one of the great sporting stories in recent years"......
Roy
Guest
Why wasn't my post published?
Muzz
Guest
My favourite Souths Juniors to come through the ranks are GI and the Burgess brothers, oh wait.. I guess they weren't that influential in winning the comp! You've obviously missed the point in regards to the pokies.Souths took the moral high ground only to sell their soul to Mr Packer.God only knows what he has planned for your club. It feels like only yesterday that Packer was singing the Roosters theme song in the SFS Members.Hopefully he'll relocate you to Perth or even better still China. Is Cummings go away with the team for the pre season high altitude camp? : )
The Barry
Roar Guru
Souths fans have given it to manly fans for decades about trying to 'buy a premiership' but now the shoe is on the other foot it's a model that should be 'admired'.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Ben it's not sour grapes to disagree. I have no problem with souths fans celebrating their premiership. What I'm debating isn't that they deserved their premiership it's this 'we're the greatest, glory glory, pride of the league, everyone admire us, what a juggernaut' garbage that's followed one single premiership. Fans wouldn't cop that attitude from broncos, bulldogs or manly fans who've had sustained and regular success over the past 40 years. All clubs have down periods and runs without success. Souths bad run lasted for 40 years. For 25 of those years they were regularly one of the worst teams in the comp. But now I'm supposed to admire them because of one success? Souths pride and spirit and memberships didn't get souths success it was their multi millionaire benefactors. I don't find that model of success particularly admirable. Good luck to souths. If we're here in 10 years and theyve regularly made the semis and have another couple of premierships under their belt I'll gladly eat my words but I'm not going to hail the mighty souths juggernaut after 1 premiership.
Slartibartfast
Guest
The very same machines in every other leagues club!
Slartibartfast
Guest
Souths don't care if they have a leagues club or not, seems to bother you though. Oh that's right there is that club called South juniors. You know juniors? Oh then again being one of those endangered species " A roosters fan" juniors is not a term you would be familiar with.
Charlie
Guest
20 plus premierships....thats a juggernaut...end of story
Ben Lewis
Guest
As an Eels fan I will never forgive Ricky Stuart for what he did to our club xD
Ben Lewis
Guest
Barry as always everybody gets their opinion but it's really starting to seem like sour grapes. Of course their fans are still going to be celebrating; and posting stuff like this because they were literally kicked out 14 years ago. If the North Sydney (Central Coast) Bears were readmitted and won a title you wouldn't stop reading fan articles for 4 years!
Vermin
Guest
To buy the players and coach, Souths had to asset strip their 50 year old leagues club and kill it. For premiership # 22 they will have to sell Souths Juniors.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Souths took forever to join the modern world. About time they did too since, like Parramatta, all they did for several decades was rest on their history. That's no way to ensure one's survival.
Muzz
Guest
Well they drew a moral line in the sand and removed the pokies and the place went broke.It was an admirable thing to do until they had Crown as their major sponsor.They also have Packer as part owner now.Packer makes a very good living catering to addicted gamblers who poor their rent, grocery etc money into these machines.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm not bitter at all. I'm very happy for souths fans they got to enjoy making a GF and winning a comp. But after 1 comp in 43 years now it's all hail the mighty souths juggernaut. I'm not at anti-souths. I just think at the moment there's an inflated opinion of where souths stand in the scheme of things. It's not only not winning a comp for 43 years it was that they regularly finished bottom 3 for about 30 of those years. The pride of the league didn't do anything to restore their glory - it was a rich benefactor.
Mark Ferguson
Roar Rookie
Can someone please tell me the address of their Leagues Club of thats right they don't have one.
Spider rabbit
Guest
1 in 43 may not to equate to success but 21 in 106 is better than anyone else. Barry your sounding a tad bitter and twisted and jealous about Souths. Souths had a fan who had a bit of money decided to help Souths out did what he had to to get Souths into a winning position. Put people who knew what they were doing got the right administrators coaches and advisers took their advice employed the right players. Made Souths into a professional team. Marketed themselves well, got the members, got the sponsors and won a premiership. Sounds like success to me. 30,000+ members. The richest man in Aust on board. Running at a profit and not at a loss. When Canterbury or whatever club you support is down and out for 43 years and then win a premiership after fighting their way back and there was plenty of fighting for money and survival prior to Russel Crowe. Then maybe as a fan of your club you will understand what it means to Souths fans. Until then I would suggest you don't understand and probably never will until you have experienced the ridicule and embarrassment and hatred directed at your club for 43 years. Souths got back up and now all the haters of Souths and those who sought enjoyment in Seeing Souths on their knees, you know the haters, the ones who like to use such insightful comments as Souths have done nuffin for 43 years, chuck,em out of the comp, Souths are never gonna win anything ever. these haters are now having to put up with a bit egg on their faces and the tables have turned and they don't like it. until you have lived through all that then and only then will you begin to understand what the "hype" is all about. I am not saying you have to like Souths, I don't even care if you even admire the comeback, but one thing for sure is we are not going away and right now with the 2014 premiership tucked away we are the pride of the league.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Try and have a nice weekend Barry !
The Barry
Roar Guru
So it's just coincidence that they didn't win a comp for 40 years, then rusty took over and they won.