Rabbitohs Flegg – Cup – NRL v Eels
By Steve Mavin for Bunnies TV.
NRL Round 12 is Indigenous Round with all 3 grades of the South Sydney Rabbitohs taking on the Parramatta Eels.
The Jersey Flegg Cup will be 11:00am at Erskineville Oval again due to Redfern Oval sheds still being out of action from flood damage. Bunnies TV will be live streaming the game.
The NSW Cup will play the curtain raiser 5:05pm at Accor Stadium before the first grade at 7:35pm.
NRL
The team dropped this afternoon and the big news is Cody Walker has been selected at halfback and Jack Wighton at five-eight.
In the NRL, last placed Souths have 1 win and 9 losses. They have scored 162 points and allowed an alarming 348 points, the worst in the NRL. The second most points conceded is 290 by the 14th placed Eels. Parra has won 3 and lost 7. Their 187 points attack total is only slightly better than the Bunnies.
Needless to say both teams are not playing well, the Eels have lost 4 on the trot and Souths losing streak now stands at 6. We’ve seen some cracking games over the years between these two teams, I used to watch them as a youngster at Redfern Oval and I played in a few of them too.
The Rabbits were better last week in the loss to the Cowboys. Their completion rate, penalties and error count were all better. We saw some good tries and they had a chance to send the game to golden point late in the match. There were however, still too many dropped or missed bombs and lack of organisation. Unfortunately the opposition were again just too good on the day.
Fans are desperate to see South Sydney get back to their winning ways sooner rather than later. Let’s hope it’s on Saturday night at Accor Stadium as we celebrate Indigenous Round.
Official Team Announcement
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their squad for Indigenous Round 12 of the 2024 NRL Premiership against the Parramatta Eels to be played this Saturday 25 May at 7:35pm at Accor Stadium on Wangal/Gadigal land.
Rabbitohs interim Head Coach Ben Hornby has named Cody Walker at halfback and Jack Wighton at five-eighth, with Taane Milne to return to the starting line up alongside Michael Chee Kam in the centres. Jacob Host returns from suspension in the second row which sees Keaon Koloamatangi shift to lock.
Gates open at 5pm on Saturday, with the NSW Cup curtain raiser match between the Rabbitohs and the Eels kicking off at 5:05pm.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for the Indigenous Round 12 clash with the Eels is:
- Latrell Mitchell
- Alex Johnston
- Taane Milne
- Michael Chee Kam
- Jacob Gagai
- Jack Wighton
- Cody Walker (c)
- Davvy Moale
- Damien Cook
- Sean Keppie
- Jacob Host
- Jai Arrow
- Keaon Koloamatangi
Interchange: - Peter Mamouzelos
- Tallis Duncan
- Siliva Havili
- Thomas Burgess
- Dion Teaupa
- Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson
- Matthew French
- Adam Christensen
- Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
Coach – Ben Hornby
NSW Cup
In miserable conditions at North Sydney Oval on Saturday the Bears started strongly and never let the Rabbitohs into the game.
The 9th placed Bunnies meet an Eels team that are 8th on the ladder. Both teams have a similar points differentials so you can expect at tight contest.
A new face in the team is Brandon Mansfield in the centres.
The NSW Cup team to play Parramatta is:
1- Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
2- Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson
3- Brandon Mansfield
4- Codey Kennedy
5- Leonard Skelton
6- Jarrett Subloo
7- Brent Hawkins
8- Matthew French
9- Ryan Gray
10- Yileen Gordon
11- Henry O’Kane
12- Adam Christensen
13- Chase Chapman (c)
Interchange:
14- Liam Le Blanc
15- Tevita Taumoepenu
16- Maila Chanfoon
17- Billy Tsikrikas
Coach – Joe O’Callaghan
Jersey Flegg Cup
Our Flegg boys got the job done at Erko Oval on Saturday live and free on Bunnies TV. Leading the charge was a forward pack stacked with talent both in the starting team and off the bench.
The 5th placed Rabbitohs play an Eels team that sits near the bottom of the ladder in 12th place. If this teams continues to play the solid brand of footy they have been producing lately I’m tipping they’ll run away with this game.
Star winger Haizyn Mellars makes his long awaited return.
1- Dane Towns
2- Daniel Wright
3- Carson Kaho
4- Zane Rugless
5- Haizyn Mellars
6- Jack Field
7- Emmanuel Di Bartolo
8- Noah Reed
9- Aiden Doolan
10- Toby Sullivan
11- Mateus Heslin
12- Mikael Ibrahim
13- Louis Grossemy
Interchange:
14- Bailey Smith
15- William Abou Arrage
16- Jared Johnson
22- Jason Hallie
17- Hayden Molkentein
18- Kayde King
Coach – Chris O’Connell
Indigenous Round 2024
This year’s Indigenous Round celebrations at the South Sydney Rabbitohs are shaping up to be the biggest ever with a massive line up of musical artists set to entertain the crowd at Accor Stadium on Wangal/Gadigal land alongside some of the former Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Rabbitohs greats, leading up to the big game.
Budjerah Headline Performer
The headline performer in the lead up to kick off is world-renowned singer, Coodjinburra artist Budjerah. The two-time ARIA award-winning artist will perform three songs during the pre-game build up including Stranger Love, Therapy (which finished in the top 20 of the Triple J Hottest 100 this year), and a cover of Stomping Ground.
The winner of the 2021 ARIA award for Breakthrough artist and the 2022 ARIA award for Best Soul/R&B release also won the APRA award for the most performed R&B/Soul work in 2022.
He was nominated for the best single and best new artist at the 2023 Rolling Stone Australia awards and Aussie/Kiwi Legend of the Year award at the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Budjerah has teamed up or supported artists such as Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Kylie Minogue, Tina Arena and Jessica Mauboy. Visit Budjerahs’ website here.
More Entertainment
Also performing at the match will be The Glen for Men and The Glen for Women who will be performing traditional dances. Brolga Dance Academy and young musician, Tubba Gah/Wiradjuri woman Millie Mills will be performing at half time of the NRL fixture, plus live didgeridoo performances from Walbunja/Gunai/Dunghutti man Brock Tutt, Minjunbal man Darren Compton, Dja Dja
Wurrung/Ngarrindjeri/Wiradjuri man Arron Nicholls, Badu Island man William O’Keeffe, Gamileroi/Gumeroi man Kaleb Taylor and Wiradjuri man Joe Horoa, including a performance of Glory, Glory to South Sydney on the didgeridoo as the teams enter the arena.
Eric Simms Medal
The Eric Simms Medal will be presented to the player-of-the-match at full time, voted by the past Indigenous Rabbitohs players attending on the night, to be presented at full-time for only the second time by Mr Simms’ children, daughter and Worimi woman Chelsea, and son and Worimi man Nathan.
The Eric Simms Medal pays tribute to one of not only the greatest Aboriginal Rugby League players, but to one of the legendary South Sydney players of all time, Worimi man Eric Simms. Mr Simms played in six Grand Finals for the South Sydney Rabbitohs between 1965 and 1971, winning four Premierships in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1971, being named the man-of-the-match in the 1968 Grand Final. The goalkicking fullback played 206 first grade games for South Sydney, scoring 23 tries, 802 goals and 87 field goals for a total of 1841 points, a Club record which stood for 46 years.
Mr Simms, Rabbitohs first grade player number 540, was such a prolific points scorer that the New South Wales Rugby League changed the value of a field goal from two points down to one point to try and halt his domination of scoreboards across the league. Mr Simms also played nine Test matches for Australia in 1968 and 1970 and represented New South Wales in 1968.
Nathan Merritt
Past and present Indigenous Rabbitohs players, including Indigenous All Stars representative greats, Wiradjuri man from Waterloo/Redfern Nathan Merritt and Dunghutti woman Nakia Davis-Welsh, will also do a lap of honour before kick off and play a role in passing the Eric Simms Medal to his children in a moving pre-game ceremony.
The lap of honour will also feature participants from Souths Cares’ programs, which change people’s lives on a daily basis through their work in the areas of education, health, wellbeing and employment. To learn more about Souths Cares and their incredible work, please click here.
Uncle Allan & Luke Carroll
The Welcome to Country will be performed by Aboriginal elder, Uncle Allan Madden. Emcee for the day will be acclaimed Australian actor and presenter on stage and screen, Wiradjuri/Ngunnawal man Luke Carroll.
At half-time of the curtain raising Rabbitohs vs Eels NSW Cup match, the mini-league matches will feature South Sydney juniors teams Redfern All Blacks, La Perouse Panthers and Marrickville RSL.
Rabbitohs corporate partners USANA and Bannershop will be handing out Indigenous-themed TRY cards and flags respectively to Members and supporters as they enter through the gates at Accor Stadium, with Indigenous-themed Rabbitohs merchandise also available including jerseys, training gear, footballs and caps.
Indigenous Jersey
The Rabbitohs’ Indigenous jersey for 2024 is designed by Wahlabul man Uncle Joe Walker. This is a powerful tribute to the ‘warrior spirit’ of all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. it showcases each of the nine Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander full-time South Sydney players’ strength and resilience through their totems and design.
The jersey displays the nine players’ silhouettes in warrior poses, symbolising their resilience and courage on and off the field. Each silhouette features the players’ personal totems, linking back to their cultural identities and responsibilities as proud Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men.
The top of the jersey features red and green Aboriginal art that is symbolic of traditional meeting places. The importance of coming together as one, and the sharing of knowledge. The inclusion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on the sleeves further celebrates the diverse backgrounds of the players and their communities.
The Rabbitohs Indigenous players featured on the jersey are represented by their silhouettes and
totems, as listed below:
- Cody Walker, proud Bundjalung and Yuin man, represented by the Goanna and Black Duck.
- Latrell Mitchell, proud Biripi and Wiradjuri man, represented by the Kangaroo.
- Alex Johnston, proud Koedal Klan Saibai man, represented by the Crocodile.
- Jack Wighton, proud Wiradjuri man, represented by the Goanna.
- Isaiah Tass, proud Yuwibara man, represented by the Black Tail Kangaroo.
- Shaquai Mitchell, proud Biripi and Wiradjuri man, represented by the Shark and Goanna.
- Tyrone Munro, proud Gomeroi man, represented by the Goanna.
- Jacob Gagai, proud Badu and Yam Island man, represented by the Shovel Nose Shark and Tern Bird.
- Tallis Duncan, proud Wonnarua man, represented by the Wedge Tail Eagle.
Rabbitohs Merchandise
The Rabbitohs Indigenous-themed merchandise items are available for purchase by clicking here or shopping in store at the Rabbitohs Centre, Maroubra.
The Rabbitohs have also an Indigenous Round Membership for season 2024. This includes two tickets to the match against the Eels plus a limited edition Rabbitohs-Indigenous hoodie.
Tickets for the Rabbitohs vs Eels match in Indigenous Round on Saturday 25 May at 7:35pm can be purchased from Ticketek. Gates are set to open at Accor Stadium at 5pm on Saturday.
Rabbitohs Flegg – Cup – NRL v Eels.
Add comment