The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their NRL squad for round 12, Indigenous Round, against the Parramatta Eels to be played at Stadium Australia this Saturday 29 May at 5:30pm, in a triple-header of matches to played at Stadium Australia on Saturday
Rabbitohs Head Coach Wayne Bennett welcomes back Cameron Murray at lock this week. Taane Milne has been named on the wing to replace the injured Josh Mansour. Jai Arrow starts in the front row with Thomas Burgess to start from the interchange bench. Jacob Host has named in the second row and Hame Sele has been named on the interchange bench.
The Rabbitohs will be wearing their 2021 Indigenous Jersey against the Eels on Saturday, the second week in a row in which the jersey will be worn by the Rabbitohs NRL team. The jersey design was facilitated by Uncle Joe Walker, an Aboriginal artist from northern New South Wales and the uncle of Rabbitohs player Cody Walker, and was designed by seven participants from Souths Cares’ community programs - Imogen Grant, Mia Gregory, Tyreece Lyons, Melodey Roberts, Adrian Scanlon, Jayden Simms and Natalie Travato.
The design depicts the totems of the sand goanna and the whale which represents the Redfern and La Perouse areas respectively, highlighting the Countries on which the Rabbitohs live and work each day. Footprints of the seven Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players that represent the Rabbitohs’ top squad - Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnston, Dane Gagai, Braidon Burns, Troy Dargan and Joshua Cook – are also on the jersey, as well as Aboriginal Warrior, Pemulwuy, having led a resistance against settlers and fought for his land in 1790. Along the sides of the jersey are the handprints of the young Souths Cares designers that assisted with the creation of the design.
Rabbitohs players will also wear specially designed and painted boots for Indigenous Round, which have been organised by Cody Walker, which will be worn to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention in Indigenous communities. The entire Rabbitohs squad will be wearing the special boots with each design representing their personality, culture or community. The artists include Allan McKenzie, Andrew Collard, Floyd Laurie, Ethan Kapeen and Shane Laurie Jr along with kids who contributed to the designs including Lennox Monaghan, Tyresse Daley, Orlando Hickling, Brian Quinlan-Randall, Antwone Quinlan-Randall, Harrison Armer, Justin Tappa and Justin Snow. The boots will be auctioned following the game via the Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation Facebook page.
The pre-match entertainment on Saturday evening will feature Aboriginal dance performances by the Brolga Dance Company and Gawura Dance Group. World-renowned musicians Uncle Glenn Doyle and Uncle Matt Doyle will be performing songs on the didgeridoo, as well as playing ‘Glory, Glory to South Sydney’ on the didgeridoo as the Rabbitohs team enters the field. Uncle Allen Madden will perform the Welcome to Country. At half time, young Aboriginal singer Millie Mills and her father Paul Mills will perform a song. The under fives, under eights and under nines from Redfern All Blacks and La Perouse Panthers will also play in mini league games at half time.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for Saturday’s Indigenous Round clash with the Eels is:
1) Latrell Mitchell
2) Alex Johnston
3) Dane Gagai
4) Campbell Graham
5) Taane Milne
6) Cody Walker
7) Adam Reynolds (c)
8) Jai Arrow
9) Damien Cook
10) Junior Tatola
11) Keaon Koloamatangi
12) Jacob Host
13) Cameron Murray
Interchange:
14) Benji Marshall
15) Mark Nicholls
16) Hame Sele
17) Thomas Burgess
18) Liam Knight
19) Jaydn Su’A
20) Patrick Mago
21) Braidon Burns
Head Coach – Wayne Bennett
