Souths must move to Gosford or die: George Piggins

[Newcastlerabbit]

Souths must move to Gosford or die: George Piggins

By Dean Ritchie | May 26, 2008 12:00am
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Dejected ... Souths walk from the field after their loss to Melbourne this weekend. Photograph: Anthony Reginato / The Daily Telegraph


FOR 20 long and tough years, Souths patriach and club hero George Piggins has fought the battle of his life to keep the Rabbitohs at Redfern. Now, as much as it hurts, Piggins claims the club's biggest hope of survival is to relocate to Gosford.
And the owner of Gosford's Bluetongue Stadium - millionaire businessman John Singleton - said he would welcome the Rabbitohs to the Central Coast.
Piggins walked away from rugby league two years ago when members voted to privatise the club through new owners Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court. But now Piggins believes Souths should consider quitting Sydney to guarantee their long-term future.
"I never wanted to go to Gosford," Piggins told The Daily Telegraph last night. "I wanted to go back to Redfern but that can't happen now.
"If Souths Juniors Club give some assistance, Souths might hang in.
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"But if Souths Juniors don't come in, and they too are struggling with the pokie tax, then Gosford is their only opportunity - and that's a shame.
"All those that marched to get Souths back in wanted them at Redfern.
"I can't see them staying in Sydney. It's not only Souths in trouble, all clubs are in trouble."
Holmes a Court and Crowe are believed to have lost $4 million last year despite Souths reaching the finals for the first time in 19 years.
Piggins stressed the high-profile pair will never make a financial profit in rugby league.
"The longer they stay in the game, the more money they will lose," Piggins said. "But look at some of the other clubs too.
"Ask Parramatta how much they've put in and how much has come back.
"Souths are backs-to-the-wall (and) the writing has been on that wall (with Holmes a Court and Crowe).
"Did they think they were whizkids who could somehow make money along with nine other clubs in Sydney. Are they geniuses?
"They were written up as Santa Claus handing out presents. Well there's nothing in the stocking."
Singleton said it is unlikely Souths will shift to the Central Coast, despite the NRL still offering an $8 million incentive for clubs to merge or relocate.
But Singleton did tell The Daily Telegraph: "The only way it would work would be for the club to be 100 per cent relocated.
"They could be the Central Coast Rabbitohs but they'd have to live on the Central Coast, work there and train there. They would have to be a Central Coast team. They would need massive community involvement.
"There was an opportunity a few years ago for Souths to go the Central Coast but that didn't happen. But I think Souths have a contract with ANZ Stadium."
Asked about Holmes a Court and Crowe, Singleton said: "They are trying very hard."

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23755702-5006066,00.html

 

[marshall stalin]

i have been saying this for ages souths in a three way jv with norths and central coast - club called the norths central coast rabbitohs. - it's a win win for all. The league also must act in sydney to reduce the number of teams to 5 by amalgamations/merges

The new comp will be 13 teams - 2 full home and away rounds and 1 bye

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

And then we can squeeze a Russian team into the comp! The USSR Ruskies! I can see it now....

If you don't sign up for membership, someone from the secret membership committee turns up to your house at midnight and you are never seen again.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

i have been saying this for ages souths in a three way jv with norths and central coast - club called the norths central coast rabbitohs. - it's a win win for all. The league also must act in sydney to reduce the number of teams to 5 by amalgamations/merges

The new comp will be 13 teams - 2 full home and away rounds and 1 bye

:lol::lol::lol:

And why not the Adelaide Sharks?

 

[Dave Q]

i have been saying this for ages souths in a three way jv with norths and central coast - club called the norths central coast rabbitohs. - it's a win win for all. The league also must act in sydney to reduce the number of teams to 5 by amalgamations/merges

The new comp will be 13 teams - 2 full home and away rounds and 1 bye

The Central Coast Tigpies.

Marshall Stalin makes me think that its a pity the russians stopped the Nazis at Stalingrad.

 

[Ziggy the God]

:BDH:

Georgie wanted us to move to the Central Coast previously, and he also wanted us to merge with the Sharks.

Georgie, f**k OFF.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Ah the good old Dean Ritchie, George Piggins, News Ltd story...no agendas there. How about Ritchie does an article on RL not getting what it is worth at the negotiating table!

 

[Avenger]

The Central Coast Tigpies.

Marshall Stalin makes me think that its a pity the russians stopped the Nazis at Stalingrad.

DaveQ

I respect your passion but in all seriousness I reckon George is right. Central Coast is where you guys will end up.

 

[Ziggy the God]

DaveQ

I respect your passion but in all seriousness I reckon George is right. Central Coast is where you guys will end up.

We won't be on the Central Coast.

 

[Ike E Bear]

The Bears tried to do it and weren't rewarded for it. I don't remember the Northern Eagles being much of a success.

I would love to see the Central Coast get a team ... it's where the Storm should have been established.

 

[Knight87]

The Bears tried to do it and weren't rewarded for it. I don't remember the Northern Eagles being much of a success.

I would love to see the Central Coast get a team ... it's where the Storm should have been established.

What the hell are you talking about? Yes, the Northern Eagles wasn't a success at Gosford (partially due to the fact that merging Manly and Norths together was like mixing oil and water together. The two don't go together, especially when you and the other side previously held the greatest and most bitter rivalry of all the Sydney clubs). But, the Bears weren't given a chance to prove themselves (which they would've been able to, had they had the chance). They footed the bill for a great stadium, and they never ended up playing one single match there.

Whereas, in this situation, the Rabbitohs have been given an opportunity to play there.

 

[APRIL BELLE]

If the Rabbitohs don't bite the bullet now, someone will beat them to it. They could always still play 3 or so home games in Sydney. It is there only long term hope for survival.

 

[Dave Q]

When Souths were winning we were getting 30,000+ to matches.

We are 7th most popular team in the NRL.

A move to the Central Coast would deny thousands of fans the opportunity to see us play on a regular basis.

We have a long term deal with ANZ.

We will play the occasional game at Bluetongue and thats about it.

Souths are in a much better place financially than many other clubs and people should stop death-riding us because we aint going anywhere.

 

[Bunnies 08]

Just another example of PIGGINS wanting to jump on the bandwagon and kick the bunnies fan when were down. Apparently this is a bloke who has all of our concerns at heart. Did hear much of him last year when things were going well, just wants to throw in narky comments when chips are down this year. Just a little boy in a bitter old mans body with nothing but personal gain...

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

If the Rabbitohs don't bite the bullet now, someone will beat them to it. They could always still play 3 or so home games in Sydney. It is there only long term hope for survival.

Garbage! The Bunnies are doing ok, the media is beating this one up something royal. All the key indicators of a successful football team are on the up for the Bunnies, (except for the onfield results, but they will come eventually.) We have increased revenue in membership and sponsorship this year, we have signed financially beneficial long term arrangements regarding our venue and training facilities and we have wealthy backers who are in it for the long term, as much as the media is trying to convince you that they aren't and our crowd figures are on the up, even though our results have been sh!t. This whole sh!t storm has been teed off by an innocent HAC statement, where he was asked to guarantee the clubs survival into the future and he said that he could not. If you asked the CEO of around 9 other clubs in this competition the same question, you would get the same answer. I still think that this club is in a far better position then a number of the others and we don't rely on Pokie revenue so this is a major plus for us as well.
If we could just get News Ltd off our backs, we would be fine.

 

[Dave Q]

Just another example of PIGGINS wanting to jump on the bandwagon and kick the bunnies fan when were down. Apparently this is a bloke who has all of our concerns at heart. Did hear much of him last year when things were going well, just wants to throw in narky comments when chips are down this year. Just a little boy in a bitter old mans body with nothing but personal gain...

Thats an incisive point Bunnie.

Everytime these old fogey legends say something unkind, all they managing to do is punish us (the fans) and give the souths-haters and newspapers more ammunition to carry on with.

This creates an incorrect perception that we are in some kind of off-feild crisis when all that is really happening is a few changes here and there.

No other club takes such a concerted and unfair hammering in the press.

As Richo said in 2006 "Its not our fault that we sell newspapers"

As time wears on however, all this stuff gets old and uninteresting, the public gets sick of it.

The club is tough and resilient like its fans.

The side is not playing too well, thats the sum total of what really matters and to an extent, the reason people are trying to profit from our plight.

Piggins et al are fast becoming public enemy number 1 at Souths and any residual sympathy is wearing thin.

If they want to have it out with Phac and Rusty, they can send private letters or email or whatever.

This is our club now, the rank and file who attend matches and love the club as it is here and now.

 

[marshall stalin]

And then we can squeeze a Russian team into the comp! The USSR Ruskies! I can see it now....

If you don't sign up for membership, someone from the secret membership committee turns up to your house at midnight and you are never seen again.

Good idea a Russian team was in my other comp which also needs to happen -a world comp - it will mean relocating players/ teams from aus/gb/nz but it is a sure winner - Imagine 100,000 at that big cricket ground in India-eden gardens cheering on the India cobras against the Western Sydney Wildcats with possibly billions watching it live throughout the world.

the first code to have a true world comp will reap the rewards

 

[marshall stalin]

The Central Coast Tigpies.

Marshall Stalin makes me think that its a pity the russians stopped the Nazis at Stalingrad.

mmm if what you said above occured then you wouldn't have said this as you woudn't be here

 

[Dave Q]

mmm if what you said above occured then you wouldn't have said this as you woudn't be here

Yes I would, I'd just be wearing a grey uniform.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

MS, whatever they have got you taking over at the Looney Bin, they should double your dose.

You know that bottle of paint thinner sitting in the corner of your room? Seeing as you won't put the lid back on it, maybe you should just drink it?