Members Only Return to Redfern Trial in 2009
3rd September 2008
SOUTH Sydney and Wests Tigers will meet in the first-ever "members only" rugby league match in February. "We'll be announcing a trial match here early next year," Richardson said. "It will be something that's revolutionary for the game. It's the lifeblood of where this game's going. We can't put enough emphasis on the need for a great membership. The reality is that membership can - if we all get 15,000 members - put over $2.4million extra in our pockets. It will be exciting news about opportunities for members." Souths have 6600 season ticket holders. The venue will probably only hold that many by February and members of each club will go into a ticket ballot to get in.
Souths will move their training base back to Redfern in 2009 in a move that chairman Nick Pappas said "entrenches this club in Sydney once and for all". Richardson claimed the Bunnies now had "the best training facility of any sporting organisation in Sydney'' and "the strongest base of any club in Sydney''. He said the Redfern development ended Souths' period as "a bedouin-style operation".
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are returning to Redfern Oval to play the Wests Tigers in the "Return to Redfern Members Only" trial match on Sunday 8 February 2009.
The Sunday afternoon trial match between these two traditional Clubs will be played at the Rabbitohs spiritual home of Redfern Oval, which will be South Sydney?s main training base at the brand new, state-of-the-art facility. This will be the first time the Rabbitohs have played another NRL Club on Redfern Oval since 1996.
With ground capacity for this game being limited to 5,000, tickets are sure to sell out very quickly, and the only way fans can access the match is to become a Ticketed Member of their Club. Rabbitohs Ticketed Members will have access to 3,300 tickets for this match, with Wests Tigers Members having access to 1,000 tickets. The remaining 700 tickets will be allocated to past players, club sponsors and player family allocations.
"This is an exciting initiative that our Clubs have undertaken and it really puts a spotlight on why it is important to become a Ticketed Member of your Club," Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson said. "We're looking forward to playing on the turf at Redfern Oval again, and we?re also looking forward to hosting a fellow traditional Sydney Club in the Wests Tigers. The Rabbitohs have played some fantastic matches against both the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs Magpies on Redfern Oval over the years and this will be a day to recognise the history of the ground. In saying that, we will also be showcasing the state-of-the-art facilities at Redfern Oval that will give our team the best training set-up in Sydney.
"Ticketed Membership is the best way that you can support your Club, and by becoming a Ticketed Member you get access to exclusive events such as the Return to Redfern trial match. We?re very excited about this event, and we urge all our Members and supporters to sign up for Ticketed Membership and to purchase your Return to Redfern ticket as early as possible so as not to miss out." 2009 Rabbitohs Ticketed Members will be able to purchase a Return to Redfern ticket during the month of October or until tickets are sold out. Tickets will be sold on a first come-first served basis. No tickets will be sold to Non-Ticketed Members of the Rabbitohs. 2009 Rabbitohs Membership Renewals will be sent out to current Members by 1 October 2008.
Rabbitohs Greats to Play in Redfern Legends Match
29th October 2008
Not only will the modern day players be taking to the brand new turf at Redfern Oval in February 2009 but some of South Sydney?s and the game?s greatest players will grace the ground once again when they participate in the Return to Redfern Legends Match to be played as a curtain raiser to the main game action at the Return to Redfern "Members Only" Trial game. Three genuine South Sydney legends have committed to taking part in the game, with John Sattler, Bob McCarthy and Eric Simms all confirming that they will be part of the Return to Redfern. All three of these gentlemen bled for South Sydney on the hallowed turf at Redfern Oval and they will again get to play at the spiritual home of the Rabbitohs on the afternoon of Sunday 8 February.