Not all seasons are created equal - 2016 proved to be a difficult campaign for your Rabbitohs as they struggled to find consistency in a season marred by injuries and suspensions. However, this adversity was often met with courage and the men in Red & Green managed to snag several pieces of Silverware during the year. Here is the Silverware Of '16.
The Ron Coote Cup
The Ron Coote Cup was back in the hands of the South Sydney Rabbitohs after defeating the Sydney Roosters by a 32 point difference in Round One, 2016. The Rabbitohs dominated the Roosters, winning the game 42 points to ten in their first encounter of the season.
The second game in Round 5 didn’t go in Souths favourwith the Rabbitohs going down 17 points to 10. Despite each team winning a game, the Rabbitohs were awarded the Ron Coote Cup after delivering a higher point difference.
The Ron Coote Cup was first awarded in 2007. The Cup is named after former lock Ron Coote, a product of Kensington United, who captained and won Premierships with both the Rabbitohs and Roosters between 1964 and 1978. Coote was the first player to play 100 first game matches for two different clubs and upon his retirement, established the Men of League Foundation.
The KARI Cup
The 2016 season marked the inaugural season of the KARI Cup, awarded to the winner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs game against the Parramatta Eels.
KARI Aboriginal Resources is NSW’s largest foster care service and the official Indigenous Services Provider of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. KARI first partnered with Souths in 2014 to raise awareness of the over-representation of Aboriginal children currently within the foster care system.
South Sydney became the first recipient of the KARI Cup after defeating the Parramatta Eels 22-20 in a nail-biting Round 10 clash which also marked the official NRL Indigenous Round. The Rabbitohs recognised the Indigenous Round the following week, donning the significant Indigenous Jersey that told the stories of six of the Club’s Indigenous players and displayed the KARI logo and message of ‘Changing Lives, Keeping Culture’ on the front of the jersey.
The Special Olympics Cup
This year the 5th Annual Special Olympics Cup game was played in Round 26 finishing off the season against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. The Special Olympics Cup signifies an important partnership between the Bulldogs, Rabbitohs and Special Olympics Australia in providing a platform for thousands of Australians with an intellectual disability to reach their personal best both on and off the sporting field.
Special Olympics Australia is an organisation that currently provides over 7,500 athletes with an intellectual disability the chance to participate in sport in the process allowing them to reach their personal best.
The Rabbitohs took home the Special Olympics Cup after defeating the Bulldogs 28 points to ten in Round 26. Prior to the game, the Rabbitohs held a Mini Olympics where the Special Olympics Australia Athletes got a chance to showcase their own athleticism at the Simply Energy High Performance Centre at Redfern Oval.
