George's Clan Of The Green And Red Shows Its Fighting Colours

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday May 9, 2000

By JOHN HUXLEY

A giant rabbit danced with a group of stockbrokers. Pretty girls in hooped football jumpers handed out car-bumper stickers. And hundreds of proud fans queued patiently to meet their heroes as South Sydney supporters brought Pitt Street Mall to a standstill yesterday lunchtime.

In a colourful demonstration of defiance aimed at rugby league officials who, they say, kicked them out of the national competition and left them to die club stalwarts were celebrating the publication of a new history of the Rabbitohs written by sports commentator Ian Heads.

``This club will never, never die," said long-time fan Paul Bartlett, of Seaforth, who was wearing his biggest and best jumper, emblazoned with the words ``Rabbitoh World Order". Proudly, he opened his shirt to reveal a new tattoo, dedicated to ``The Power, the Glory" of Souths.

``The Rabbitohs have always been a big part of my life," he says. ``You're not talking about a business. You're talking about a community."

Four months into the season, Karen Seton, of Coogee, a supporter for 46 of her 53 years, still refuses to watch a match until Souths are readmitted.

``I'll only ever love my Bunnies," she explained after having a copy of the new book signed by former Souths players, including Eric Simms, Jack Raynor and George Piggins, who has led the fight for survival.

He is idolised by Souths fans, whose cars now carry bumper-stickers reading ``In George We Trust." A former coach, Piggins says that is a weighty responsibility, but one he does not shirk. ``You only have to be here to see the passion for the club shown by its supporters. It's very moving."

Ernie Fairbrother, 77, says it's all to do with traditional, family values. To prove his point, he produces and shows Piggins a faded postcard. It was written in 1915 by his father, then just 17, shortly after he was seriously wounded at Gallipoli.

Sent to his father's mother back home in Sydney, it briefly describes his injuries and inquires after the family's health, before turning to the more serious matter of South Sydney's performance. ``How," he demands to know, ``did the Rabbitohs go against Balmain?"

Like Mr Fairbrother, Piggins is confident Souths can win readmission to the competition when its court case resumes next month. A recent Red and Green Ball, at the University of NSW, added a further $120,000 to its fighting fund.

Piggins says that despite high-power promotion of the game, especially ahead of this week's first State of Origin match between NSW and Queensland, ordinary fans remain seriously disenchanted with those who now run rugby league.

``The game needs people who know and care about the game. It needs teams like Souths, because ultimately it's not about business, but about emotion, excitement, pride."

South Sydney, Pride of the League, is published by Lothian, price $29.95.