20 Years of Souths Cares: The Northern Territory Tour
This year marks 20 years of Souths Cares, a charity built on the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ long and proud history of supporting the community. Since its establishment in 2006, Souths Cares has supported disadvantaged and marginalised young people and their families, with a strong focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Today, the charity engages more than 35,000 individuals each year through programs focused on education, training, health, and employment needs; empowering young people to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
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As part of our Souths Cares: 20 Stories for 20 Years series, we’re looking back at the moments, people and programs that have shaped Souths Cares.
To understand how Souths Cares grew into the charity it is today, we go back to one defining early chapter: the NASCA ARM Tour to the Northern Territory.
In the early years of Souths Cares, the vision for the charity was still taking shape. The idea was clear, the Rabbitohs could use their brand, players and platform to create meaningful connections within the community, but what that looked like in practice was still evolving.
One of the first major initiatives that helped bring that vision to life was the Club’s partnership with NASCA (National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy) and its Athletes as Role Models (ARM) Tour to the Northern Territory.
The trip took Rabbitohs players Beau Champion, Yileen Gordon, Shannon Hegarty, Germaine Paulson and Joe Williams far beyond Redfern, into remote communities where Rugby League already held a special place in people’s lives.
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For Peter Holmes à Court, the former Rabbitohs Executive Chairman, the tour was a powerful reminder of the reach of the Club.
Peter Holmes à CourtIt was a chance for us to see that there were people out there, well away from Redfern, who were deeply Rabbitohs fans. It was a fantastic reminder of the power of the Rabbitohs to move [beyond] Redfern.
The ARMTour was designed to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people through sport, education and mentorship, using elite athletes as role models to encourage school attendance, healthy lifestyles and leadership.
For the Rabbitohs players who travelled north, the experience quickly became more than just a community visit.
Holmes à Court recalls moments that left a lasting impression on everyone involved.
“I still get goosebumps,” Holmes à Court said. “Joey Williams opened up about some of his struggles. It was one of the most powerful moments because it wasn’t scripted – he was talking to kids about his experience and sharing his challenges.”
Williams, who had faced his own personal battles earlier in his career, spoke candidly with young people who looked up to him as an NRL player.
The tour also included a young Rabbitohs player named Buddy Gordon – someone who would later become central to Souths Cares. Today, Gordon leads the Deadly Youth Mentoring Program, guiding young people who may be facing many of the same challenges he once did.
“I could never have imagined how much the charity would grow over the past 20 years,” Gordon said.
“It was an honour to be part of that first regional tour, and I’m proud to now lead the Deadly Youth Mentoring Program and support young people who may be facing similar challenges to those I experienced growing up."
For Holmes à Court, stories like Gordon’s represent exactly what Souths Cares was always meant to achieve.
Peter Holmes à CourtWhen you put down all the silos of what success looks like, you want to create pathways for players as well. Opportunities where they can mentor, where they can speak, where they can expand their skills and build careers after football.
While the Northern Territory trip was only one early initiative, it reflected the broader philosophy behind Souths Cares: using the Rabbitohs brand to create meaningful connections and opportunities.
It was also an early example of something the organisation would continue to build over the next two decades – a commitment to regional tours and programs designed not just to provide short-term support, but to create long-term impact.
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For Holmes à Court, seeing where Souths Cares has grown since those early days remains one of the things he is most proud of – and tours like the Northern Territory ARM Tour are a big part of that story.
The Regional Tour Legacy has continued since the inaugural Northern Territory Tour and remains a key part of the charity’s work. Last year, Souths Cares engaged more than 13,000 regional students across four tours. In 2026, Souths Cares has already visited the Southern Highlands, with upcoming tours scheduled for the Central Coast, Perth and the North Coast of NSW.
