The South Sydney Rabbitohs will take on the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup Grand Final this Sunday 24 September at 3pm at CommBank Stadium, as the Rabbitohs attempt to win the second grade title for the first time in 40 years.
The two foundation clubs will do battle for premiership glory in the Grand Final on neutral turf in Parramatta on Sunday, with the Rabbitohs urging all Members and fans to turn out to CommBank Stadium to turn the ground red and green for the competition’s final match of the season as they aim to win the Club's 21st reserve grade premiership since 1908! Tickets are pre-purchase only and can be purchased by clicking here.
The Rabbitohs defeated the Bears in the major semi-final, with Norths then earning the right to take on South Sydney in the Grand Final with their win over the Warriors in the preliminary final last weekend at Leichhardt Oval.
The Rabbitohs finished the regular season in second position, then claimed victories over the third-placed Warriors and the minor premiership-winning North Sydney in consecutive weeks to cement their spot in the NSW Cup Grand Final.
Coach Joe O'Callaghan has selected nine players with NRL experience in his squad including captain and halfback Dean Hawkins, fullback Blake Taaffe, centre Izaac Tu'itupou Thompson, winger Tyrone Munro, prop Shaquai Mitchell, hooker Peter Mamouzelos, second rower, Ben Lovett, lock Tallis Duncan and interchange forward Yileen Gordon.
The last time the Rabbitohs played in a second grade Grand Final was in 1983 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, a game South Sydney would win 12 points to six. Rabbitohs players named to play in this game who would also play first grade for South Sydney included Les Davidson, Craig Coleman, Ross Harrington, Nathan Gibbs, Ken Wright, Ken Stewart, Robert Simpkins, Greg Mackey, Mark Ross, George Longbottom, Rick Bourke, Peter Smith, John Jarvie, Mark Ellison, Danny Loftus, Rick Montgomery and Russell Bartlett. The team was coached by Wally Watsford. The Sea Eagles side included future South Sydney first graders Michael Blake and Wayne Chisholm.
The Rabbitohs encourage all of their Members and supporters to make their way to CommBank Stadium in Sydney for the NSW Cup Grand Final this Sunday, to help cheer on their team to a premiership title. Tickets are available by pre-purchase only. Click here to purchase now.
