On This Day: Rabbitohs Reinstated Into the National Rugby League Competition

On this day in 2001, the South Sydney Rabbitohs officially won the battle for reinstatement, securing our rightful place back in the National Rugby League competition.

The Full Bench of the Federal Court upheld our appeal, ruling that the Club’s exclusion was in breach of the Trade Practices Act, a landmark decision that paved the way for our return.

At the South Sydney Leagues Club, the news sparked scenes of jubilation. Supporters gathered in their thousands, celebrating with chants, tears, and a simple but powerful message that spread quickly on T-shirts across the city: "We're Back!"

After a two-year absence, the Rabbitohs were officially invited to rejoin the NRL for the 2002 season. The decision came just days after Australia’s Federal Court found that the Club’s exclusion from the competition had been unlawful.

The Club’s removal at the end of the 1999 season had been one of the most controversial moments in Australian sporting history. Following the Super League war in the mid-1990s and the formation of the NRL in 1998, a decision was made to reduce the number of teams in the competition from 22 to 14.

In the resulting cutbacks, Rugby League lost its presence in both South and Western Australia. Several Sydney clubs were pushed into mergers, but South Sydney stood firm and resisted pressure to merge.

On this day in 2001, justice prevailed. And the Rabbitohs came back stronger, united by the belief that South Sydney belongs.