Top 5 Rabbitohs Of The 1970s

There is no denying the Rabbitohs are a Club with a great history full of great players. The team at Rabbitohs.com.au have put our heads together to look back and name, in our opinion, the Top 5 Players of each decade from the 1950s to the 2000s.

Here are our Top 5 Players of the 1970s - Let us know what you think on Twitter or Facebook!

5) Gary Stevens

Extremely fit, hard-tackling Souths forward played in two grand final victories (1970-71). The grandson of club great Arthur Oxford, Stevens cemented his place in Souths top team in 1970 and went on to play in Australia's 1972 World Cup campaign before touring with the 1973 Kangaroos. When Australia lost the First Test to Great Britain, Stevens was chosen to tighten defences and played in the last two Test victories. He played against France in the Second Test followed by two Tests against Great Britain in 1974. While Souths experienced a dreadful season in 1975, Stevens' efforts in a beaten side were rewarded with a place in Australia's World Series squad.

4) Terry Fahey

‘The Redfern Express’ was 185 centimetres and 95 kilograms of brutal force on the wing for Souths during his five seasons with Souths. A crowd favourite, Fahey earned his nickname due to his powerful running game. Fast and with the strength of a forward he represented NSW and Australia during his career. In 2005 he was named on the wing in the NRL’s Team of the 1970s.

3) Paul Sait

This ferocious competitor first played in the centres with Souths because Ron Coote held Sait's preferred lock position. Sait was also a reserve in Souths' grand final loss to Balmain in 1969 but was a centre in the club's 23-12 win over Manly in the 1970 premiership decider. A valuable utility player, he gained selection in Australia's World Cup team in 1970 (under Ron Coote’s leadership). A centre in Souths' 1971 Grand Final win, the 16-10 win over St George, the departure of Ron Coote for Easts saw Sait take over the lock role in 1972. Sait made his Test debut in the shock 24-3 loss to NZ at Carlaw Park in 1971 and went to France for the 1972 World Cup the following year. A member of the 1973 Kangaroos Sait played in all three Tests against Great Britain (as a second rower) and in one Test against France. His final Test series was in defence of the Ashes against Great Britain in 1974 but he continued to captain the Rabbitohs in the years after the club’s last great ‘Golden Era’ before retiring in 1978. 

2) Bob Grant

Former Balmain junior played halfback in four straight grand finals (1968-71) with the Rabbitohs, the highlight being his brilliant two-try effort to defeat Manly in 1970. Among a galaxy of great players at Souths, Grant's role was often underrated and his sporadic Test career started with selection in the third and deciding Test against Great Britain in 1970. He toured NZ the following year, playing in the one Test on tour (the 24-3 loss at Carlaw Park), and was named RLW's Player of the Year. Grant also gained selection in Australia's 1972 World Cup squad.

1) Denis Pittard

Fine attacking five-eighth started his career with Wests before moving to Souths in 1968. Pittard, known as 'The Sneak' amongst team-mates, displaced Test pivot Jimmy Lisle in Souths' first grade team. Pittard was a darting, incisive attacking player who, with partner Bob Grant, formed the best halfback combination in the game at that time. Pittard won premierships with the club in 1968 and 1970-71 and became the first player to win two Rothmans Medals (1969 & 1971) – a measure of his standing in the great Souths teams of that era. He played for NSW in 1969 and also toured NZ with the Australian side that year.