Rabbit in the Vineyard – 2024 Charity Shield Report
The post-Blake Taaffe era at South Sydney has begun in winning fashion, with the Bunnies posting a comfortable 28-6 win over St George-Illawarra at Kogarah in the 41st edition of the Charity Shield.
The Charity Shield was originally played at Redfern Oval between old rivals South Sydney and St George to raise money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick. St George merged with Illawarra in 1998.
Regardless, the Charity Shield has always been perceived as more than a trial match.
Following the wonderful spectacle of the Indigenous All Stars – Maori game in Townsville the previous night, the annual fixture between two traditional rivals ramped up the pre-season.
Shaquai Mitchell, the quiet achieving older brother of Latrell, was a standout player for the Indigenous team in Townsville. There is much to admire about Shaquai, he is very much a no fuss, low maintenance actions speak louder than words type of player. How refreshing.
Several players from Souths ultra-impressive, double trophy winning 2023 NSW Cup side were given deserved opportunity in the Charity Shield, most notably the captain of that great team, and the overall State Cup player of the year, Dean Hawkins.
Hawkins has one year remaining on his current contract. He may follow Taaffe, Liam Knight and Daniel Suluka-Fifita to Canterbury in the hope of more opportunities as part of Phil Gould’s fifteen year plan.
It remains to be seen whether Head NRL coach Demetriou selects the often-maligned Lachlan Ilias at halfback for Round 1 or opts for Hawkins who would appear to have the superior kicking game and organisational skills.
Noteworthy debut – write down this name: Jye Gray, the ex-Southport School rugby star impressed at fullback in the match. The Broncos were desperate to keep Gray as part of their sprawling system, however we are most pleased young Jye saw the light as he listened and bought into to the great man Joe O’Callaghan’s development vison at Redfern-Maroubra.
The Phil Blake chip-n-chase best attacking moment: Jye Gray, the TSS old boy young gun, had several dynamic moments, displaying the speed of a former GPS 100m sprinter, including a kick into the in goal late in the match. Phil Blake himself would have been suitably impressed.
The ‘Bob McCarthy intercept’ try of the match: a great team try, featuring several off loads, resulted in Braidon Burns’ second four pointer.
The Les Davidson-Charlie Frith-Rampling brothers tackle of the match: Jai Arrow, with the scores level leading into half-time, ensured the Dragons would not add to their tally with a great shot on the bench forward Dylan Egan.
Blake Taaffe: stand by for several Blake Taaffe references throughout the 2024 season. Rabbitoh player number 1171, his NRL debut was during 2021. Blake subsequently played 31 NRL games and 34 NSW Cup games in the cardinal and myrtle. Considered by some armchair experts as too small to be an NRL fullback, Blake played many memorable matches for Souths when Latrell was either injured or suspended.
Taaffe played fullback, in place of the suspended Latrell, in the 12-14 NRL grand final loss to Penrith at Suncorp Stadium in 2021. He, along with halfback Dean Hawkins and hooker Peter Mamouzelos, were instrumental in Souths’ wins in the 2023 NSW Cup, and National Club Championship. With Souths signing the 31-year-old Jack Wighton to a 4-year deal, there was no room for Taaffe at Redfern. Disappointingly, Taaffe will now ply his trade for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
The Souths NRL squad has departed Australia for San Diego, en route to Las Vegas for the clash with Manly-Warringah on Sunday week.
Stand by next week for a preview of this historic clash, as part of a double header at the same stadium Superbowl LVIII was played at recently. Taylor Swift was even in the house for the biggest day in US sport. No word around her NRL attendance at this stage. Over to you, PVL.
Souths have injury concerns for several big-name players, including the aging pair of Damien Cook and Cody Walker. Latrell appeared to injure his knee late in the All-Stars game, however he has communicated to Channel 9 that he will be OK for Vegas.
Note: Game Two of the double header between Adam Reynolds’ current side, the Brisbane Broncos, and the Sombrero holds little interest to this SSDRLFC member.
2024 Charity Shield match summary:
Saturday 18/2/24, Kogarah Oval
South Sydney defeated St George-Illawarra 28-6. Half-time 6 all.
South Sydney points: Tries: Host 37’, Burns 49’, Moale 63’, Burns 72’, Kennar 80’. Goals: Hawkins 3, Milne 1.
Referee: Belinda Sharpe.
South Sydney team: Gagai, Johnston, Tass, Kennar, Hawkins, Ilias, Tetola, Mamouzelos, Keppie, Koloamatangi, Arrow, Murray (c.) bench: Gray, Host, Moale, Burgess, Duncan, Chee Kam, Fletcher, Te Hau, Burns, Teaupa
Highlights:
NRL Pre-Season 2024 | Rabbitohs v Dragons | Extended Match Highlights (youtube.com)
Murray Hansen watching Cam Murray & co. on Saturday
Russel Hansen, aka Rabbit in the Vineyard, South Sydney DRLFC diamond member 6199, lives in the Barossa Valley. He watched the 2024 edition of the Charity Shield with his loyal golden retriever, Murray, who is named after the current South Sydney captain Cameron Murray: Rabbitoh player number 1134, 13 NSW Origin appearances, 8 games for Australia.
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About Russel Hansen
Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
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The No. 7 jersey will certainly be a focus at Redfern as the season unfolds, RITV. Mark Courtney has a good wrap on Ilias and that’s good enough for me. I did see Hawkins play in a Cup semi-final at North Sydney last September and he certainly looks the goods as an on-field general with both the skills and the vision. Let’s see how that all plays out.
PS Welcome back to you and Murray for the new season.
RITV,
I love the KAOS v Control approach of the rugba league and footy bosses. The AFL might be starting on March 7 with Sydney v Melbourne in Sydney but rugba league goes one further by taking their opener to Las Vegas om March 3. What could possibly go wrong? A shameless grab for the headlines with the rugba league brass hoping players celebrate Vegas-style and only 22 of the 34 board the plane to come home. The NRL will have pinged the lids.
I wonder who’ll get the New Year’s Eve game in 2031.
IJH
Mark Courtney’s opinion re: Ilias is spot on, he can play. He has had much opportunity in the NRL side. What would also benefit young Lachlan is: greater consistency from his representative teammates in the ‘spine’ – Cook, Walker and Latrell. Ilias is an easy target for (some) armchair critics.
I think Hawkins, as NSW cup player of the year, 2023, and as the leader of that premiership winning team, deserves a chance.
See what unfolds in Vegas!