On this significant day in 2002, after a two-year hiatus from competition, the South Sydney Rabbitohs made a triumphant return to the NRL, marking a momentous chapter in our rich history.
The comeback game was set against the eventual 2002 Grand Final champions, the Sydney Roosters, in front of a crowd of 35,316 at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Rabbitohs were defeated 40-6 by the Roosters.
A special moment before the game was the ringing of the timekeeper's bell, a ceremonial act that paid homage to the Rabbitohs' inaugural match in 1908. This honour went to Albert Clift, a former player, administrator, and the original Rabbitohs mascot from the 1960s, alongside Russell Crowe. The same bell was rung twice more at the start of the 2014 and 2021 Grand Finals, the former being the game that saw the Rabbitohs clinch their 21st premiership.
Halfback Brad Watts scored the first try for the Rabbitohs in their new era symbolising the resilience and fighting spirit of the Rabbitohs as they embarked on a new chapter in Rugby League.
The Rabbitohs team in Round One, 2002:
- Fullback: Wade McKinnon
- Wing: Scott McLean
- Centre: Russell Richardson
- Centre: Andrew King
- Wing: Brent Grose
- 5/8: Owen Craigie
- Halfback: Brad Watts
- Prop: Glenn Grief
- Hooker: Jason Death
- Prop: Paul Stringer
- Second Row: Andrew Hart
- Second Row: Adam Muir (captain)
- Lock: Luke Stuart
Interchange
- Shane Rigon
- Duncan MacGillivary
- Paul McNicholas
- Adam Peek
Head Coach: Craig Coleman
Match facts provided by Brad Ryder in his book They Wear the Red and Green, which provides detailed accounts and insights into the Club's storied past.
