Unwelcome banner spurred by 'hate' campaign
BRAD WALTER
September 13, 2013
SIN BIN
Animosity: active dislike or enmity, keen hostile feelings, ill will, violent hatred. That was just one dictionary definition used by South Sydney officials to promote last Friday night's match against Sydney Roosters to their members and there was certainly plenty of ''animosity'' after some fans were involved a verbal altercation with Roosters pair Kane Evans and Luke O'Donnell and others warned over the giant banner that said: ''Scum. Forever in our shadow''.
Members of The Burrow, the Rabbitohs ever-growing supporters group, say the offending banner was not officially sanctioned, but they were not surprised some fans got caught up in the hype given the way the derby games between Souths and the Roosters are marketed. Last season, the Roosters urged their fans to bring banners as part of a ''love to hate'' campaign.
''That was not an official Burrow banner and we actually go through a process with the club to get everything approved but to ban it for a campaign they promoted is a bit harsh,'' one member of The Burrow told Sin Bin.
''I think the big issue is the 'hate' campaign the Roosters did last year and Souths this year did an 'animosity' campaign to bring out hate amongst the clubs. We promote it and then when it goes a bit sour everyone is up in arms about it. I understand it and I cringed a bit. The funny thing is if someone put a 'scum' banner in Bay 131 people would say it was in poor taste but because it was in The Burrow it is made a lot bigger.''
The incident involving Evans and O'Donnell occurred on the opposite side of ANZ Stadium to the six bays occupied by The Burrow and there are varying accounts of what happened. According to the South Sydney Rabbitohs Facebook page comments, some fans were involved in some banter with the Roosters' bench and things got out of hand. The NRL is investigating but no action against the players is expected.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-spurred-by-hate-campaign-20130912-2tnk6.html
