There was a strong contingent of students and families from Souths Cares Liverpool Opportunity Hub at the Rabbitohs Indigenous Round NRL match on Saturday, with 14 of the Opportunity Hub’s participating schools represented.
The annual Indigenous Round fixture provides a great opportunity for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Souths Cares to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, with the match day including a host of cultural and musical performances.
Souths Cares participants from the Nanga Mai Marri (Dream Big) Program, Deadly Youth Mentoring Program, Barranggirra Program and Liverpool Opportunity Hub were front and centre of the celebrations as they joined former South Sydney Rabbitohs Indigenous players for a lap of honour on the field before the game commenced.
Participants also had the opportunity to be flag bearers for the large-scale Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Islander flag which were centre pieces in the pre-game performances.
Misey Horne is a student at Ashcroft High School and explained representing her culture at Indigenous round was a proud moment.
Misey Horne, Liverpool Opportunity Hub ParticipantIt was such a great experience at the Indigenous Round game. The highlight for me was being able to hold our flags and represent who we are as one, with pride.
Another Liverpool Opportunity Hub participant, Jasper Haskins had a memorable night at Indigenous Round. Jasper won a "Money-Can’t-Buy Game Day Experience" at an Opportunity Hub event earlier this year and selected Indigenous Round to redeem his prize.
Jasper and his mother Karen enjoyed a tour of the dressing sheds and media room before watching the team warm up from the sidelines and then joining the guard of honour and smoking ceremony as the Rabbitohs players took to the field.
Karen stated the night was a memorable and exciting experience.
"It was an awesome experience for my son Jasper, especially being Indigenous round and being able to celebrate his culture. I’m sure he will remember this night for the rest of his life", Karen said.
The celebrations were capped off with a win by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who defeated the Parramatta Eels 42 points to 26 in a high scoring match.
