Souths Fans Back Move North
By BRAD WALTER and JESSICA HALLORAN
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD  - 1/12/2004

The Mayor of North Sydney, Genia McCaffery, hopes to finalise before the end of the year a deal for the Rabbitohs to shift their home games across the harbour after the move last night won the backing of the National Rugby League team's supporters.

Following revelations in yesterday's Herald that the famous club was considering abandoning Aussie Stadium for North Sydney Oval, fans turned out in large numbers for a meeting at South Sydney Leagues Club.

While some expressed concerns that the Rabbitohs would be lost to the area forever, the overall reaction was positive once the club's president, Nicholas Pappas, insisted that Souths would continue campaigning to have Redfern Oval redeveloped.

Cr McCaffery said she had also been encouraged by the feedback from residents - although North Sydney club officials expressed anger at the idea of Souths switching to their former home ground.

"The sooner it happens the better, as far as we're concerned," Cr McCaffery said. "We were very upset when the Bears left, but the interesting thing that has come out of today is the large number of South Sydney supporters who live in North Sydney.

"Nothing has been finalised yet but ... hopefully it can be concluded before Christmas."

Norths, who were expelled from the premiership along with Souths six years ago, are lobbying for readmission as the Central Coast Bears, but were left disappointed earlier this year when the NRL ruled out expansion before 2007.

The Bears president, Mike Gibbons, said the club had been told North Sydney Oval did not meet NRL standards, but Cr McCaffery said several improvements had since been made.

"We have done a lot of work there, we have Pura Cup cricket matches there and after the Bears left we had Northern Spirit soccer club playing there, and they would get crowds of up to 18,000," she said.

"One of the things we did with them was to put lights up. We've got all of the gym facilities underneath the oval and the Molly Dye Stand is a very good venue for Souths to host their corporate supporters - so the facilities are actually very good."

The Rabbitohs' chief executive, Shane Richardson, said the club was bound by a contract with the SCG Trust, which controls Aussie Stadium, for next season, but was likely to play at North Sydney Oval from 2006.

"The difference between the two deals is worth between $800,000 and $1million to us so it's very important to our bottom line," Mr Richardson said.

About 300 Souths supporters packed the club's auditorium last night to hear details of the proposed shift.
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