Brothers in Arms - Rabbitohs and Bulldogs

[East Coast Tiger]

From memory, I remember reading a list of the 14 clubs and whether they supported Souths or not. The only three who did was Newcastle, Bulldogs and Northern Eagles. NQ and Warriors were on the fence/didn't care, and the rest did not support their re-entry. Not even the Wests Tigers who had been forced to merge.

 

[Saint Doc]

I find it so laughable that souths fans want to act like Canterbury are a Knight in shining armour.

What about the ARL clubs who stood in the trenches with you, turned down the offer of millions of dollars and fought for the establishment.

The only reason you got kicked out was because super league created 2 extra clubs, bringing it to 22. Everyone lost a lot of money and it was determined rationalisation was needed.

You forget that, to some degree, stgeorge, balmain, western suburbs, Illawarra, norths, (manly at the time) and less emotionally gold coast, perth, south Queensland, Adelaide and hunter all list their position in the league.

Of course Canterbury and Newcastle would stand by you. Newcastle, along with Brisbane and Auckland, were GUARRANTEED a place in the league, they were exempt from criteria.

Canterbury were now the richest, most profitable club in Sydney and by far the strongest SL Sydney team. They would have been number 4 to be included.

If you want to re-write history go for it. But it's like, after WW2, looking back and saying Australia respects Japan the most because they had a nice ceremony for Australia in 1948, ignoring kokoda, bombings, Sydney harbour subs etc. Canterbury were at war with you and you almost died, wake up!!

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

From memory, I remember reading a list of the 14 clubs and whether they supported Souths or not. The only three who did was Newcastle, Bulldogs and Northern Eagles. NQ and Warriors were on the fence/didn't care, and the rest did not support their re-entry. Not even the Wests Tigers who had been forced to merge.

That's how you see it. As a Tigers fan, as far as I'm concerned, we had done the hard yards and done what we had to do to get a spot in the comp - when we had every bit as much history as the rabbits, twice over. It was simple self interest for us in that regard. If it could be us, after sacrificing so much to simply continue to exist in some way, or Souths, then sorry, but nuts to you.

 

[Apey]

Newcastle also supported Souths' re-entry, so the Dogs were not the ONE club that did so.

This 100%. Newcastle was the main club I remember supporting us.

Agree Knights were the most openly supportive club at that time

Ah well, we all make mistakes. :sarcasm:

 

[East Coast Tiger]

That's how you see it. As a Tigers fan, as far as I'm concerned, we had done the hard yards and done what we had to do to get a spot in the comp - when we had every bit as much history as the rabbits, twice over. It was simple self interest for us in that regard. If it could be us, after sacrificing so much to simply continue to exist in some way, or Souths, then sorry, but nuts to you.

That's exactly what the Tigers' attitude at the time was. "We shit ourselves and merged instead of fighting so even though you could survive we don't want you to".

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

That's exactly what the Tigers' attitude at the time was. "We shit ourselves and merged instead of fighting so even though you could survive we don't want you to".

So say you. Fact is there were criteria that had to be met. The clubs did what they had to to meet them. Other clubs problems were the problems of other clubs. None were rushing to our rescue with fair and equitable offers, just takeovers for the same reasons. The only difference was the vastly superior junior base that we have.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

No, it literally was their attitude. They said so at the time. "We had to merge so f**k 'em". Except Balmain didn't have to merge. It made the 14.

And Souths fought against the "fact" that criteria had to be met, and essentially won. Other clubs didn't have that conviction.

 

[Parra]

FFS you morons.

If Canterbury don't jump to super league, there is very close to being no super league.

Exactly. f**k the dogs. This article might contain some truths, but it is also an attempt to rewrite history.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

The financial situation of Balmain meant that it was simply a stay of execution. We sucked it up and saved ourselves from becoming the 'Blue and Gold Tigers'.

And don't peddle that rubbish about conviction. Some would say that no club wanted to merge with the Rabbits because they were a basket case and remained so for many years. Even now they're not completely out of the woods, but kudos for improving their situation a great deal. By selling out. Not through a merger, but a straight takeover. Same end result, different means. Newcastle and Canterbury as clubs stood up for the Rabbits. So did tens of thousands of fans from other clubs, and all the pretty words from the dogs and the knights counted for little beside that outpouring of support from fans of the game.

 

[Vic Mackey]

LOL I take it the OP is 15

The dogs were interested in one thing, themselves, as they always have been. They had their eyes on your junior base having just snared the most sought after junior in the country (braith anasta) from you the second you were kicked out.

 

[Parra]

Same end result, different means.

Not at all. South Sydney Rabbitohs still exist.

Balmain, Western Suburbs, Illawarra, Norths have all been killed off by mergers. St George came out of the merger debacle OK, you could argue the Tigers did but they come across more as a cheerleader squad than a footy team. And they are a soulless entity with no home or identity.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The financial situation of Balmain meant that it was simply a stay of execution. We sucked it up and saved ourselves from becoming the 'Blue and Gold Tigers'.

And don't peddle that rubbish about conviction. Some would say that no club wanted to merge with the Rabbits because they were a basket case and remained so for many years. Even now they're not completely out of the woods, but kudos for improving their situation a great deal. By selling out. Not through a merger, but a straight takeover. Same end result, different means.

Rubbish. If Balmain was dying in the arse and it wasn't the criteria that killed it then you can't argue the merger had to happen for the same reason that Souths got the boot. And to suggest Souths wanted to merge but couldn't find a merger partner is bullshit. They didn't want to merge. And I don't even know WTF you're on about in regards to "selling out". They were privatised. It's not the same as a merger by any possible measure.

 

[Valheru]

The only good thing about souffs re-entry is that we get a round 1 bye every year. I hate the dogs with a passion but I am supporting them tonight. I genuinely hope that I never have to see souths play in a GF let alone win one in my life time.

Luckily Melbourne will flog the winner either way.

 

[Moffo]

Oooo dogs bum hurt I like it haha

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

And I don't even know WTF you're on about in regards to "selling out". They were privatised. It's not the same as a merger by any possible measure.

Not at all. South Sydney Rabbitohs still exist.

Balmain, Western Suburbs, Illawarra, Norths have all been killed off by mergers. St George came out of the merger debacle OK, you could argue the Tigers did but they come across more as a cheerleader squad than a footy team. And they are a soulless entity with no home or identity.

LOL. Just LOL. Souths. Run by members. Who voted to sell out in order to get the cash to survive. The idea that there is any more soul in SSFC pty ltd, (property of Rusty) than Wests Tigers is a media farce as far as I'm concerned. Peddle all the historical spin doctoring you like.

 

[the dude]

LOL. Just LOL. Souths. Run by members. Who voted to sell out in order to get the cash to survive. The idea that there is any more soul in SSFC pty ltd, (property of Rusty) than Wests Tigers is a media farce as far as I'm concerned. Peddle all the historical spin doctoring you like.

You can't be serious.

Last I checked we were still called the South Sydney Rabbitohs. We still have our original logo and colours, we are still the same club that has won 20 premierships since 1908.

Your Tigers can't say the same thing. The Wests Tigers are two traditional clubs that formed to create a brand new entity, starting from scratch. That's why none of your premiership records stand and it's also why you're running out in a different jersey with a different emblem.

Have newcastle sold out as well?

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Clearly that is the case. Sometimes Souths fans just need to take a step back and realise that fans from other clubs are every bit as passionate about their club, and every bit as knowledgeable about the equally rich history that said club has. They also give the same amount of care to some other club. Not much.

You can call a club whatever you like. If they disappear, then reappear with the same colours, then that's great. The reality is that the club is started anew, with a new owner, new plans, and the great fortune to get the fans they used to have back now that they exist again.

The way you see Wests Tigers is fine by me. My opinion won't change because of yours. I don't expect you to change yours either, but don't get in a huff because we're not all entranced and enthralled by Rustys' rabbits.

Deal with it.

 

[BunniesMan]

That's how you see it. As a Tigers fan, as far as I'm concerned, we had done the hard yards and done what we had to do to get a spot in the comp - when we had every bit as much history as the rabbits, twice over. It was simple self interest for us in that regard. If it could be us, after sacrificing so much to simply continue to exist in some way, or Souths, then sorry, but nuts to you.

At that point your future was assured. You were in, you were merged, you had cap concessions and extra money from the NRL. Being against us was pure selfishness. Us getting in did not hurt your chances. Like the Dogs and the Knights showed.

 

[BranVan3000]

I'm not into mocking the merged clubs, they did what they had to. But you're a complete wanker if you are trying to put Souths in the same boat when everything the club fought for was to protect the name, heritage and entity of the club

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]