South Sydney Rabbitohs Win Against NRL In Court 2001

Here is the Channel 9 News from July 6th 2001, announcing South Sydneys court victory over News Ltd and the NRL.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs were excluded from the National Rugby League (NRL) in 1999. News Ltd created "criteria" to reduce the number of teams from 22 to 14 following the merger of Super League and the ARL at the end of 1997. South Sydney were the 15th remaining team due to this criteria and were expelled from the competition.
For two long years South Sydney, led by former club player, coach and current president and legend George Piggins, waged a war against News Ltd to get justice, the campaign commencing with a march in Sydney City in 1999 of over 85,000 fans from many clubs, followed by a court loss in 2000 and subsequent appeal in 2001 which South Sydney won.
Following this victory, News Ltd appealed the decision after South Sydney were reinstated and won their case, removing their liability for compensation to South Sydney.
Also, former teams North Sydney were killed through a failed merger with Manly, Perth and Adelaide and their fans abandoned along with the Gold Coast who've since also been readmitted. Famous teams like Western Suburbs and Balmain Tigers were forced (through threat of expulsion) to merge and St George merged with Illawarra.
The NRL is expected to return North Sydney to the competition in 2013, undoing most of the damage from the "criteria" based reforming of the game.
Go The Rabbitohs!

[@jamesdawes1042]

this still brings me 2 tears of happines xxx

[@rabbitrabbit1243]

HOW COULD WE LOOSE WE ARE THE LEAGUE WE ARE THE GREATEST FOOTY SIDE EVER

[@beardan76]

Great work from Souths. us Bears supporters still wait in hope...

[@thehalmal]

beardan76 if only the Bears showed the same determination as Souths did.

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

All Foundation clubs of the League; Newtown, South Sydney, Balmain, North Sydney, Eastern Suburbs & Western Suburbs should’ve come together against the NRL. Those clubs created the game and there should’ve not have been any mergers. Automatic immunity and then battle on the field will return.

[@Velocity608]

id go for manly

[@Velocity608]

@J G shutup

[@beardan76]

@@Velocity608 Even if i lived to 200 i wouldnt support Manly.

[@peterkehoe1984]

RIP Ian Ross.

[@TheBundychick82]

Well I was trying to remember when South Sydney came back into the competition I thought it was 2001 it was 2002 well so much for the north Sydney bears coming back they were a classic team I'm a roosters supporter and I was so happy that South Sydney won the grand final against the bulldogs it was 43 years in the making well all I can say to you supporters glory glory to South Sydney you deserved it you party hard for the next few weeks well u may have knocked us out in the semis I didn't mind I was glad you were there in all your red and green glory ty:)

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

North Sydney Bears ended up being feeder club for Roosters

[@newcastlerabbit]

Deni Hines giving GP a hug.

[@smiledon77]

best news ever heard Souths sydney rabboiths win high court judges they human love sport+rupet murdock lost bad media

[@MELODYMUNRO]

Glory Glory..Souths till I die.

[@gardedog3902]

haha.. the tom and nicole split

[@roydagger]

Seeing the Confederate flag at a South Sydney rally was quite the sight. Imagine the comments on social media if it existed back then!

[@PJRABBITOH]

@rewster7 It was a good night for us too, like the day we pumped you 52-12. When Sandow did that chip chase and score, the Burrow went NUTZ!!!! Can't wait for Round 1. See you there...

[@j_k73]

HAHAHA....TO ALL YOU CHOOK FANS, LISTEN CLEARLY AND TAKE NOTE! Regardless of what you say and claim your riches still couldn't match as many premierships as the working class Rabbitohs, you will never ever be able to boast membership numbers, support and passion to the levels of us and you will never be able to state rightfully, without argument that you are 'The Pride of the League' Oh, and by the way, at least we knew how to WIN grand finals...not just reach them!

[@134BrothersMusic]

This didn't age well mate. 3 premierships since you spewed this out!! Go the fucking chooks

[@ALF782]

@@134BrothersMusic And they have to CGI the crowds whenever the chickens play. Those tired millionaire corporate fans are becoming redundant and they won't keep the ship from sinking. Remember the 80s? Well that's next stop for your despised team.

[@134BrothersMusic]

@@ALF782 :'))))

[@Amy52811]

My mum told me about this and I’m really glad they’re back, I started to be a bunny supporter following my mum cause she’s be one since 17 years old

[@rushbeat14]

Where is John Ribot now? Not bad for a club he thought should be a feeder club for the NRL. What news corp never understood is that the Rabbitohs transcended the sport and represented everything the working class and underdog aspires to be. They wanted to bury us into another team (Roosters then Sharks) but failed then kicked us out for spite with a flawed criteria system.Our fans are all over the country and everything is vindicated now as they are the most followed team with the highest membership in rugby league. Once again where is that grot Ribot???

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

Ribot played for Newtown Jets & Western Suburbs Magpies, greatest of all hypocrites.

[@getradvideo]

GLORY GLORY.

[@wwejamal09]

Now bring back North Sydney and everything will be all good!

[@chopperreid12]

@bogdog89 oh, cut me deep there

[@12from121]

Not fair we survived through the war and Souths went bankrupt. I miss super league

[@ssrabs]

I remember that day well, Thanks for uploading mate

[@the_extreme_gamer2572]

MANCHESTER UNITED NRL forever

[@thedemonincarnate938]

@M NRL FOREVER.

[@Munyuck]

@rewster7 they were however the sydney roosters choose a name and identity change and are no longer know as Easts ask any 10 year old who Easts are and they would not have a clue, uncle Nik sold the soul of the the eastern suburbs RL team.

[@rabbitrabbit1243]

Long live Georgie He is our HERO An we will always hate Murdoch an the roosters The devil himself

[@belchy94]

I am a proud Rabbits support first jersy i got was the one they had when were re-entred in 2002 comp, we have come a long way sense then, winning the priemreship last year. Souths should of never been kicked as they were the franchise of NRL, they helped build and if it was for souths NRL wouldn't be where it is today.

[@ezza1236]

How depressing is this Chanel 9 news

[@rewster7]

I was there for there comeback match to the Premiership. Round 1 2002. Roosters smashed them 40-6, that was a beautiful moment for us Easts fans :)

[@rewster7]

@@z1ggg__ 62-0

[@hunkydaboyz]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm Christine Spiteri

[@exiaR2x78]

Something ive found really bothers me is what happend to the North Sydney Bears. They really got fucked over merge with Manly who they hated become the Northern Eagles for 2 seasons then back to being called Manly. Im not an ex North Sydney fan but a club that had around 90 years of history IMO got screwed. To me at least with the West Tigers the Magpie still lives on they have the Magpie emblem on there strip. I understand expansion and there being alot of teams in Sydney but still

[@clubberlang589]

exiaR2x78 I’m a bear supporter only foundation clubs can come together. Manly is a blood sucking whore and killed them to get all money and resources

[@clevelandwilliams5922]

I’m a North Sydney Bear and waiting for their introduction as the 18th team.

[@chopperreid12]

hahaha get mad brah. I go for Manly one of the most successful teams of the past decade, unlike the rabbits who have won it since 1971

[@bondiscok6335]

What a shame they should have been sent back on their convict transports

[@Peter-wd2ho]

Oh to be a dentist amongst that crowd of supporters. Then again, they probably couldn't afford to pay you...

[@michaelwhawell8590]

Well done getting here 20 years late fuckwit

[@chopperreid12]

LOL@50uff$

[@PJRABBITOH]

@slickageshoes Ha ha, I was wondering how long it'd take to get a moron to comment. WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!! Souths are going nowhere but up, we'll win the league soon too. 21st Premiership, no merger, no compromise with News Ltd.

[@sziasanyi]

The only real team left in the nrl. all other teams have merged or changed names or been ruined in some way where is south sydney has been and always be the pride of the league. I mean think about it if it wasnt for souths there would be no rugby league in Australia.

[@BigBadAds9]

sziasanyi hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha that is the most retarded statement on a KZbin comments section I've ever seen ! South's are irrelevant! The only reason the NRL is a success these days is because of expansion! All of your dumb suburban fossil Sydney clubs run at a net loss and can barely pull 5k to a bloody game! If it wasn't for the BRONCOS the Nrl and rugby league in general would be a page in the history books of sports in Australia! This backwards thinking is why the AFL is so much more popular than Rugby League! Fuck Souths!

[@ALF782]

@@BigBadAds9 Enjoy the wooden spoon bogan there are more to come.

[@BigBadAds9]

@@ALF782 meh Queensland won the origin so piss off

[@ALF782]

@@BigBadAds9 Who cares about origin . I don't know anyone who really does. It's all about their own club team. Origin Is just an excuse for a piss up like 20/20 cricket. So once again enjoy your BIG WOODEN SPOON with your fellow Bogans!!

[@BigBadAds9]

@@ALF782 we will 😘

[@realeststeps5271]

3:52 why is someone holding a confederate flag. Like wtf?

[@aetd106]

For a long time, that flag was also a symbol of rebellion before it became a racial symbol

[@realeststeps5271]

@@aetd106 makes a bit more sense now