Centenary year: plenty to cheer about

Coach Jason Taylor led his team through a training session and then hundreds of kids lined up for autographs of their favourite players.

There was also a free rugby league clinic, a free barbecue, and face painting (lots of red and green).

15-year-old Emily Pollard has been a passionate supporter all her life, and is a season ticket holder again this year. Emily thinks that players like Roy Asotasi and Luke Stuart will cause most trouble for opposing teams.

“I think Isaac Luke will be our top try-scorer, though,” she said, before sending the following message to the whole team: “Good luck and best wishes for 2008. For a kid that’s been following football since before she could talk I know we have it in us to win the comp this year!”

When asked which team Souths will play in the Grand Final, Emily said: “I’d like to say Roosters or Dragons – so we could have an easy win! – but I think it will be the Cowboys.”

2008 has certainly started positively, with a huge victory for the Rabbitohs over the Sharks in the first of the trial games on February 23. The 44-0 score-line gave coach Taylor every reason to be confident. “It was a really good performance,” Taylor said.

The Rabbitohs have also claimed the 25th Anniversary Charity Shield with a 24-20 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons on March 1. In his first game in a South Sydney starting line-up since 1999 Craig Wing scored the match-winning try.

Photo: Andrew Collis - Caption: Souths players sign autographs at Erskineville Oval

Source: South Sydney Herald March 2008 - www.southsydneyherald.com.au