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Paul Kent
The Daily Telegraph
September 02, 2011 12:00AM
ESTHER Di Veroli had friends over to help her, her husband and two sons prepare their sign.
All the letters were waiting for the paint to arrive when The Telegraph came calling.
It read: "Keep The Dream Alive."
There is nothing more the Rabbitohs faithful can say.
Souths are equal on the ladder with Newcastle and Canterbury, fighting for the eighth and final spot and the right to play in next week's rugby league semi-finals.
The Bulldogs are almost impossible finalists, leaving Rabbitohs and Newcastle - who play tonight - to fight it out for the last spot, only their second finals series since 1989.
For the Bunnies, after 26 weeks it has come to this: win and they are in, lose and they are out.
"It's absolutely awesome," Esther said.
From her own home in Vaucluse and across Sydney and up and down the coastline, across Australia and across the oceans, there are Rabbitohs fans hoping.
"We're starting to get pumped," said Michelle Booth, liaison officer for the Rabbitohs supporters club, The Burrow.
Her dare to dream is understandable given the unfamiliar position Souths now find themselves in.
"Every other team, if you're following Melbourne, Manly or St George Illawarra, they go into games as a fan just expecting to win and expecting to be there," Michelle said. "Ours is more a hope that we will be there ... and it means so much to a lot of people."
The Burrow will arrive in Newcastle at lunchtime and the first order of business will be to find a pub with cold beer.
"We'll have some lunch and drinks just to get into the spirit," Michelle said.
"Get the voice tuned. We've got a lot of songs for the team, and then we'll head to the ground and be queuing when the gates open."
The Burrow songbook numbers more than 50 songs, some to familiar tunes.
We are one, but we are many,
And we fought for the pride of Redfern.
We shared our team and sing with one voice,
I am, you wish, you were a Rabbitoh.
And throughout the stands will be banners for the places where their voice won't carry.
Yesterday, Rabbitohs fans spent hours spray-painting banners. A 15-metre banner was prepared at Redfern Oval, Esther taking part until she had to get home and help her family with their own banner.
For them, family is family, and South Sydney is family.
"My husband has followed them since he was 10 - lives and breathes it," Esther said.
"Now my kids live and breathe it. We organise our whole weekends around where they play, pretty much."
And they sing:
Oh South Sydney is wonderful,
Oh South Sydney is wonderful,
You'll never beat our 20 titles,
Oh South Sydney is wonderful.
Newcastle have their own hopes for tonight, but nothing carries the weight of the Souths faithful.
"We have come full circle as a club in the last 10 years, since we got reinstated," Michelle said.
"We've closed the circle and all we need now is the 21st premiership.
"That will make us whole."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...dden-death-fever/story-e6frexnr-1226127680512 http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...dden-death-fever/story-e6frexnr-1226127680512
The Daily Telegraph
September 02, 2011 12:00AM
ESTHER Di Veroli had friends over to help her, her husband and two sons prepare their sign.
All the letters were waiting for the paint to arrive when The Telegraph came calling.
It read: "Keep The Dream Alive."
There is nothing more the Rabbitohs faithful can say.
Souths are equal on the ladder with Newcastle and Canterbury, fighting for the eighth and final spot and the right to play in next week's rugby league semi-finals.
The Bulldogs are almost impossible finalists, leaving Rabbitohs and Newcastle - who play tonight - to fight it out for the last spot, only their second finals series since 1989.
For the Bunnies, after 26 weeks it has come to this: win and they are in, lose and they are out.
"It's absolutely awesome," Esther said.
From her own home in Vaucluse and across Sydney and up and down the coastline, across Australia and across the oceans, there are Rabbitohs fans hoping.
"We're starting to get pumped," said Michelle Booth, liaison officer for the Rabbitohs supporters club, The Burrow.
Her dare to dream is understandable given the unfamiliar position Souths now find themselves in.
"Every other team, if you're following Melbourne, Manly or St George Illawarra, they go into games as a fan just expecting to win and expecting to be there," Michelle said. "Ours is more a hope that we will be there ... and it means so much to a lot of people."
The Burrow will arrive in Newcastle at lunchtime and the first order of business will be to find a pub with cold beer.
"We'll have some lunch and drinks just to get into the spirit," Michelle said.
"Get the voice tuned. We've got a lot of songs for the team, and then we'll head to the ground and be queuing when the gates open."
The Burrow songbook numbers more than 50 songs, some to familiar tunes.
We are one, but we are many,
And we fought for the pride of Redfern.
We shared our team and sing with one voice,
I am, you wish, you were a Rabbitoh.
And throughout the stands will be banners for the places where their voice won't carry.
Yesterday, Rabbitohs fans spent hours spray-painting banners. A 15-metre banner was prepared at Redfern Oval, Esther taking part until she had to get home and help her family with their own banner.
For them, family is family, and South Sydney is family.
"My husband has followed them since he was 10 - lives and breathes it," Esther said.
"Now my kids live and breathe it. We organise our whole weekends around where they play, pretty much."
And they sing:
Oh South Sydney is wonderful,
Oh South Sydney is wonderful,
You'll never beat our 20 titles,
Oh South Sydney is wonderful.
Newcastle have their own hopes for tonight, but nothing carries the weight of the Souths faithful.
"We have come full circle as a club in the last 10 years, since we got reinstated," Michelle said.
"We've closed the circle and all we need now is the 21st premiership.
"That will make us whole."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...dden-death-fever/story-e6frexnr-1226127680512 http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...dden-death-fever/story-e6frexnr-1226127680512
