There aren't too many rivalries in Australian sport that date back 114 years and still boast the hatred that exists between South Sydney and the Roosters. And never has it been as spicy as now.
The battle lines have been drawn ahead of Friday night's grudge match between the warring neighbours and there's a heightened sense of anticipation as the bitter rivals enter a brand new stadium that's already been claimed by the Chooks, who obviously think they have a mortgage on whatever real estate they don't already own in the Eastern Suburbs.
The taxpayers of NSW have forked out over $800 million for an impressive world class venue at Moore Park and surprise, surprise, the latte sippers from Bondi have used their influence with the top end of town to ensure the battlers from Redfern don't set foot on the immaculate playing surface until game day.
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The Bunnies aren't asking them for the keys to a fancy new sports car, or one of their five storey mansions on Sydney Harbour, they simply want to road test the facilities on a public site where they once played their home games.
Isn't it supposed to be a venue accessible to everyone, be it sporting clubs or musical acts in the Harbour City, or have they decided to put on their sombrero to negotiate the terms of their lease at Allianz Stadium?
As you can tell, I'm a South Sydney supporter and I love nothing more than getting under the skin of the wealthy opposition who have jumped on the bandwagon and assumed this sense of entitlement, while watching the footy from their corporate suites.
The Rabbitohs have been putting up with it for decades and I agree with those people who are questioning the need for the Roosters to play at a stadium that can host 42,500 people when they're lucky to get a crowd to a regular home game.
It must be tough juggling their overseas holidays with the regular home and away season. It's quite the opposite for the Rabbitohs supporters who are there to cheer on their team rain, hail or shine and it wouldn't matter if they were at the top or bottom of the ladder.
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now
If you want to know what loyalty is all about, it's the thousands of people who marched from Redfern, down Chalmers Street to the Town Hall to fight for South Sydney to be reinstated to the competition.
I've written in the past about my late father sobbing when they were kicked out of the NRL in 1999, and the tears were rolling down his face again in 2001 when the godfather, George Piggins, emerged from the Federal Court to announce, "We were going to fight until we got justice and we got justice here today."
South Sydney supporters understand what it feels like to have the world against them, they also know what it's like to battle the top end of town and win.
It was our David v Goliath moment and I now fully appreciate what Darryl Kerrigan must have felt when he went to the High Court in the classic Australian movie, The Castle.
So, while they're serving up sushi and those delicious gourmet cheeseburger spring rolls to the Roosters supporters in the corporate boxes on Friday night, the Bunnies will continue smuggling in their bread rolls, tomato sauce and hotdogs which are being kept warm in a thermos.
You've heard about the 'Book of Feuds' and the brutal battles that date back to 1908. Let's hope the current crop of players understand and are reminded about what it means to the people who have grown up supporting and following the Roosters and the Rabbitohs.
May the best team win, and Glory Glory to South Sydney.
Let me know your thoughts by sending through an email to the WWOS Radio show by clicking on this link; https://form.jotform.co/70601482897867
Wide World of Sports Radio is heard from 6pm AEST on 2GB 873am with Mark Levy and co-hosts Billy Slater (Monday), Paul Gallen (Tuesday) and Brad Fittler (Wednesday).
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
There aren't too many rivalries in Australian sport that date back 114 years and still boast the hatred that exists between South Sydney and the Roosters. And never has it been as spicy as now.
The battle lines have been drawn ahead of Friday night's grudge match between the warring neighbours and there's a heightened sense of anticipation as the bitter rivals enter a brand new stadium that's already been claimed by the Chooks, who obviously think they have a mortgage on whatever real estate they don't already own in the Eastern Suburbs.
The taxpayers of NSW have forked out over $800 million for an impressive world class venue at Moore Park and surprise, surprise, the latte sippers from Bondi have used their influence with the top end of town to ensure the battlers from Redfern don't set foot on the immaculate playing surface until game day.
READ MORE: Aussie crashes out of US Open in five-set thriller
READ MORE: Rising Brooks heir to quit in major Tigers blow
READ MORE: Dogs boss spills on Josh Reynolds reunion talks
The Bunnies aren't asking them for the keys to a fancy new sports car, or one of their five storey mansions on Sydney Harbour, they simply want to road test the facilities on a public site where they once played their home games.
Isn't it supposed to be a venue accessible to everyone, be it sporting clubs or musical acts in the Harbour City, or have they decided to put on their sombrero to negotiate the terms of their lease at Allianz Stadium?
As you can tell, I'm a South Sydney supporter and I love nothing more than getting under the skin of the wealthy opposition who have jumped on the bandwagon and assumed this sense of entitlement, while watching the footy from their corporate suites.
The Rabbitohs have been putting up with it for decades and I agree with those people who are questioning the need for the Roosters to play at a stadium that can host 42,500 people when they're lucky to get a crowd to a regular home game.
It must be tough juggling their overseas holidays with the regular home and away season. It's quite the opposite for the Rabbitohs supporters who are there to cheer on their team rain, hail or shine and it wouldn't matter if they were at the top or bottom of the ladder.
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now
If you want to know what loyalty is all about, it's the thousands of people who marched from Redfern, down Chalmers Street to the Town Hall to fight for South Sydney to be reinstated to the competition.
I've written in the past about my late father sobbing when they were kicked out of the NRL in 1999, and the tears were rolling down his face again in 2001 when the godfather, George Piggins, emerged from the Federal Court to announce, "We were going to fight until we got justice and we got justice here today."
South Sydney supporters understand what it feels like to have the world against them, they also know what it's like to battle the top end of town and win.
It was our David v Goliath moment and I now fully appreciate what Darryl Kerrigan must have felt when he went to the High Court in the classic Australian movie, The Castle.
So, while they're serving up sushi and those delicious gourmet cheeseburger spring rolls to the Roosters supporters in the corporate boxes on Friday night, the Bunnies will continue smuggling in their bread rolls, tomato sauce and hotdogs which are being kept warm in a thermos.
You've heard about the 'Book of Feuds' and the brutal battles that date back to 1908. Let's hope the current crop of players understand and are reminded about what it means to the people who have grown up supporting and following the Roosters and the Rabbitohs.
May the best team win, and Glory Glory to South Sydney.
Let me know your thoughts by sending through an email to the WWOS Radio show by clicking on this link; https://form.jotform.co/70601482897867
Wide World of Sports Radio is heard from 6pm AEST on 2GB 873am with Mark Levy and co-hosts Billy Slater (Monday), Paul Gallen (Tuesday) and Brad Fittler (Wednesday).
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
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