The Rabbitohs’ official website, www.rabbitohs.com.au, will be taking a look back at the past decade to see the growth of the Club over the past ten years.
2007 was an exciting year for all Rabbitohs Members and supporters.
A new dawn was on the horizon with private investment taking place midway through the season prior, meaning the Club and its players had increased resources with which to play their trade, and also see the Club’s Membership grow to around 10,000 Members.
2007 would also see results on the field take a turn for the positive.
Following a terrible on-field performance in 2006 which saw the team win only three matches all year, the Rabbitohs matched that effort in just the first three games in 2007, opening the season with three straight victories.
Following 15 seasons out of Finals contention, the last being in the minor premiership-winning season of 1989, the Rabbitohs would return to the Finals, albeit only briefly, bowing out to the Sea Eagles in week one at Brookvale Oval.
2007 saw players of the calibre of Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Nigel Vagana and Dean Widders join the squad, bolstering the squad’s strength and depth. The recruitment of players like Asotasi, who at the time was regarded as the best front rower on the planet, showed the Rabbitohs were serious about turning around the Club’s on-field prospects.
Players to make their NRL debuts in 2007 included the likes of Issac Luke and Eddy Pettybourne.
The Rabbitohs finished the season with a 50% winning record of 12 wins and 12 losses, but they would go down to the Sea Eagles in the first week of the Finals.
Football:
Ladder position: |
Seventh (first time in the Finals since 1989) |
Wins: |
12 |
Draws: |
0 |
Losses: |
13 |
Points for: |
414 |
Points against: |
429 |
Head Coach: |
Jason Taylor |
Captains: |
Peter Cusack, David Kidwell and Roy Asotasi |
Wins over:
Team |
Round |
Score |
Roosters |
Round One |
18-6 |
Eels |
Round Two |
31-6 |
Sharks |
Round Three |
26-16 |
Cowboys |
Round Six |
10-6 |
Panthers |
Round 13 |
14-4 |
Sharks |
Round 15 |
16-12 |
Knights |
Round 16 |
28-25 |
Cowboys |
Round 19 |
20-14 |
Titans |
Round 20 |
20-14 |
Dragons |
Round 22 |
24-14 |
Sea Eagles |
Round 23 |
24-18 |
Tigers |
Round 24 |
37-12 |
Most games:
|
Roy Asotasi (25) Peter Cusack (25) Nigel Vagana (25) Dean Widders (25) Luke Stuart (24) |
Most points:
|
Joe Williams (88) Nathan Merritt (74) Nigel Vagana (28) Fetuli Talanoa (24) |
Most tries:
|
Nathan Merritt (10) Nigel Vagana (7) Fetuli Talanoa (6) |
Most goals:
|
Joe Williams (41) Nathan Merritt (17) |
Most average tackles:
|
Peter Cusack (31.1 per game) Roy Asotasi (27.5 per game) |
Most average metres:
|
Roy Asotasi (142.8 per game) Peter Cusack (118 per game) |
Top Try Assists:
|
Joe Williams (13) Ben Rogers (8) |
Award winners: |
George Piggins Medal – Roy Asotasi Jack Rayner Players’ Player Award – Roy Asotasi John Sattler Rookie of the Year Award – Issac Luke Supporters’ Choice Award – Roy Asotasi Bob McCarthy Clubman of the Year Award – Luke Stuart Albert Clift Award for outstanding Contributions to the Club – Russel Sneddon The Burrow Player of the Year Award – Paul Mellor Souths Cares Award for Contributions to the Community – Dean Widders |
News:
February:
David Kidwell and Peter Cusack were named as co-captains of the Club in February. Roy Asotasi would later be named as a co-captain following a lengthy injury to Kidwell.
March:
Star signings Roy Asotasi, Nigel Vagana, Kidwell and Dean Widders played their first games for South Sydney.
June:
Rabbitohs celebrated one year since the introduction of private investment in June.
July:
NRL legend David Peachey announced his retirement come season’s end in July.
August:
A six-part, fly-on-the-wall documentary series called South Side Story aired on the ABC for the first time.
September:
The Rabbitohs announced that they would play an exhibition game against the Leeds Rhinos in Jacksonville, Florida in 2008, the centenary year of the South Sydney Football Club.
