Prime Minister Anthony Albanese opens up about the origins of his South Sydney Rabbitohs obsession
Anthony Albanese says it’s sustenance for his soul: Beer in hand at the NRL, watching his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs is where the Prime Minister feels most at home. It’s where he came from.
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This is Albo’s Nirvana.
Here is Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, temporarily away from the ugly cut and thrust of Federal politics, standing inconspicuously at the bar before a footy game, ordering two Young Henrys beers while draped in his South Sydney Rabbitohs scarf.
“South Sydney is a source of sustenance for the soul,” said Albanese. “It’s about my identity and who I am. It’s about where I came from.
“When I’m watching Souths, that’s the only thing I’m focused on – that 80 minutes of play. I always have a beer at the footy. This is where I’m happy. I’m fulfilled. It’s my Nirvana.”
Albanese is at Accor Stadium on Saturday to watch Souths play North Queensland – and he has granted The Daily Telegraph full access for the night.
Albanese is at an official South Sydney function, where 220 guests are seated, inside the level five Chairman’s Lounge, where he is surrounded by Rabbitohs fans. They love Albo, the queue for selfies is constant and long. He even posed for one snap when emerging from the toilet. Meet Australia’s newest rock star.
One bloke even asked him for help his Visa.
“Not when I’m at the footy,” Albanese said.
Albanese didn’t seek table service. He strolled to the bar before slowly working his back through the function room – and punters - to his table where he and partner Jodie Haydon, enjoyed their beer. These are his type of people; knockabout footy fans who enjoy an ale.
He sits on table eleven alongside Peter Ciao, the CEO of South’s major sponsor, MG, along with vice admiral Mark Hammond, chief of the Australian Navy and Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly.
Albanese shares a joke with Souths legend Mario Fenech and former Rabbitohs captain Sean Garlick, the managing director of hugely successful Garlo’s Pies. Souths co-owner, Mike Cannon-Brookes, worth a cool $24 billion, poses for a photo with the PM.
In-between interruptions, Albanese tries to sample the canapes, Moroccan meatballs, salt and pepper squid and chargrilled lamb rump. Perhaps more in line with Souths’ working class values, the party pies and sausage rolls – with mandatory tomato sauce - come out at halftime.
Albo, sitting alongside Jodie, is comfortable when close to his Rabbitohs. He feels safe and treasured in this environment. This is his happy place. They’re all the same - Bunnies tragics. He even brought his gold rabbit lapel pin, once owned by his grandparents, to the game for good luck.
“I have a lot of things going on but when the footy is on, that’s all that is happening. It’s part of who I am,” he said.
When the game starts, Albanese shifts to the adjacent outside seating bowl, in the stadium’s northwest corner, where he sits, with a beer in his left hand, in-between Haydon and Solly. The PM rides each play, offers running commentary and unashamedly cheers every Souths try. He’s not the PM at a Souths game. He is a footy fanatic, just like the rest of us.
Souths win 20-10, the victory unconvincing but enough to guarantee a finals spot.
Most fans stood to leave when full-time sounded before referee Gerard Sutton awarded a penalty. Albanese duly sat back down. He wasn’t going anywhere until this match officially ended. He wasn’t missing a moment.
Told Souths were largely unimpressive by The Daily Telegraph as he walks towards the winning dressing rooms, a loyal Albanese jumps to the team’s defence: “North Queensland is a top two side.”
As he enters the lift downstairs, a woman asks for a selfie but the elevator door is about to close and Albanese gently declines.
“Is that because I didn’t vote for you?” she jokes. With that, Albanese props the lift door open and obliges.
After emerging from the dressing room, where players belted out a robust team song, Albanese says: “It’s always good when you have a win. It’s just good to be at the footy. It was a good, tough tight game which had a bit of tension at the end.
“The dressing rooms were great. I always used to go to the rooms when we lost when I was on the board. There is a real sense of solidarity in this Souths team.”
Asked about the massive Roosters game next Friday night at the new Allianz Stadium, Albanese said: “Big game, new stadium, bring them on.”
Fenech said: “Albo is a fair dinkum Souths man. He’s one dog, one bone.”
Garlick added: “Even though he is now Prime Minister, Albo is still as passion about Souths as ever.”
Before dinner and the game, Albanese is ushered into an unused private suite on the stadium’s third floor where he gives The Daily Telegraph an exclusive 30 minute one-on-one interview about his staunch love of Souths.
FROM THE HEART
Albanese isn’t a blow-in NRL fan. He is a former Souths director who helped and inspired the clubs’ fightback after expulsion. He can recall players, games, teams and dates from 50 years ago. This is the game which owns Albo’s heart.
“It’s a passion. It’s family,” he said. “This is who we are – the absolute Pride of the League. Souths go back so far – we won the first comp in 1908 and we have won the most comps – 21,” he said.
“Souths have produced the most internationals, we have produced some great captains and a lot of good players for other clubs through our juniors. It’s been a rugby league nursery.
“I’m in a much happier state if we win on a Thursday or Friday. I don’t like it (if we lose before the weekend), it can be a real downer for the weekend.
“My son Nathan comes to games. People ask whether Nathan supports Souths and I tell them he had choices but he chose to sleep inside.
“I have this old bunny, it’s amazing. It is falling apart. I have had it forever. I would have had it for 50 years. It’s in the office in Kirribilli. It is part of who I am.”
Asked whether he could ever support another rugby league club, Albanese said: “Nup. I just couldn’t. Always vote Labor, always support Souths.”
ROOSTERS RIVALRY
The hatred and rivalry pushes back 114-years.
“There’s an antagonism there that’s also a bit of fun,” he said. “But it’s a serious contest. It’s a dislike and I want to beat the Roosters.
“The Roosters took so many of our players – Ron Coote, Elwyn Walters and then right through until they pinched Craig Wing. Luke Keary, the list continues today. They seem to take a lot of our junior players too.
“I have a lot of mates who are Roosters supporters and we have good banter. We stir each other up. I always wear my South Sydney cap when we play tennis.”
WHY, WHEN AND HOW
He grew up and played near the Roosters and Newtown – but there was only ever one footy team for Anthony Albanese.
“It started when I came out of the womb,” he said. “One red eye, one green eye, or cardinal and myrtle. When I was first born, my grandparents – they lived around Redfern and Paddington – and they were Souths supporters. My mum (Maryanne) was a Souths supporter. We were a Souths family,” he said.
“I started playing rugby league in the under six’s for St Joseph’s Camperdown. We would play at Moore Park and we wore a black jersey with a single white V with a red rabbit on it.
“I had an autograph book at our (club) presentation every year, we’d get autographs from John Sattler, Ron Coote, all the Souths greats at that time, Paul Sait. I’ve still got my autograph book. Eric Simms was my favourite player.
“I had a Souths jumper with the plastic number one on the back of the jumper. I give my mum incredible credit for this. She took me and my older cousin, Karen Jane, who was a Manly fan, to the 1971 grand final on the SCG Hill.
“Those were the days when you got there really early and all the lads bring in an Esky each – a one-case limit. When the game was on, everyone was standing and I couldn’t see so all these blokes put me on their shoulders. They didn’t know me, I was a little kid there with his mum. I would have been eight. When Souths scored they tossed me around the hill – they were well into the case by then.
“At school, from the under 12s, I played for St Mary’s Cathedral in the Easts comp. We came third every year behind Bondi United and Marcellin. We couldn’t beat them. I played largely around the scrum base. I was captain for a couple of years at St Mary’s. I wasn’t the best player in the team, far from it.”
THE GOLDEN ERA
A young Albanese still talks about the era when Souths reached five successive grand finals, winning four, between 1967 and 1971.
“I remember the 1969 grand final against Balmain, it was a big deal in the neighbourhood,” he said. “It was when footy was really tribal. Everyone followed rugby league.
“I was raised with three great faiths - Catholic Church, South Sydney rugby league football club and the Australian Labor Party. There was a big connection between the three.”
Asked by The Daily Telegraph whether he could remember the entire South Sydney ’71 premiership-winning side, Albanese named 11, only muddling both wingers.
When the interview ended, an agitated Albanese couldn’t help but hark back.
“I’m disappointed I missed those bloody wingers,” he said.
RABBITOH EXPULSION
Souths were famously kicked out of the competition after 1999 during the Super League war.
“It was just devastating. I moved motions in parliament. I organised for other members of parliament who weren’t South Sydney people to join the club,” he said.
“We helped organise the rallies. I remember going back to the club after we were kicked out and people were devastated. A range of people were saying; ‘This is all I’ve got in my life’. The spirit that was there in the rallies was really important, it was fantastic.
“As a board, we decided that this (the rally) was a big test. If we couldn’t get people mobilised then that was it. We didn’t have any money so we had to test where people were at. We had one person on the payroll. We were all putting in our own money to keep the show going. We lost in the court so we went to the court of public opinion.”
REDFERN READMISSION
By 2002, Souths had approval to re-enter the new NRL.
“It was exhilaration,” he said. “The little guy had won. It was a vindication for what we had done and the strategy behind it.
“I just felt so good for the people, who were such passionate rugby league people.
“I’ve been fortunate in life – I have a lot of interests. But for so many people, that was it. Rugby league isn’t just about what happens on the field, it’s about your identity and who you are.
“It’s about my identity, my mum’s, grandparents and the community. It’s part of who I am.”
GEORGE PIGGINS
Piggins led the fight back – a man whose courage and resolve enabled his Rabbitohs back into rugby league’s top flight.
“George was a great leader during that period,” Albanese said. “He deserves incredible credit for the guts and determination he showed.
“There were some issues with governance at the club, and I think the club did have to change and I supported the change when it happened.
“The club has got a lot more professional. Blake Solly is an outstanding CEO and Nick Pappas does a great job as chair. But people should always be grateful for George. No-one can ever take away George’s contribution to the club.”
Souths now have three powerful men - Cannon-Brookes, Russell Crowe and James Packer - own and run the world’s most famous rugby league club.
“They are all making a big difference to the club,” he said. “I love the fact that Russell has been such a passionate supporter.
“Mike Cannon-Brookes is someone I have got to know recently and, of course, James Packer has been overseas so hasn’t been around the club. The modern-day teams need support and sponsors and that’s a good thing.”
THE FUTURE
Souths want to return to Moore Park to play home games at the new Allianz Stadium after the State Government withdrew $800m funding to refurbish Accor Stadium.
But the State Government is refusing to grant the move and may force Souths to remain at Sydney Olympic Park.
“I want to see Souths play at Allianz,” Albanese said. “It’s a smaller ground. It’s hard to fill this ground (Accor) except at finals time. That’s a fact of life.
“I’m a big supporter of suburban grounds and smaller grounds. I think they have a better atmosphere.
“It’s very disappointing that the money that was committed for Leichhardt Oval, for example, has been withdrawn.
“When I was Minister for Infrastructure we put money into Brookvale, Leichhardt, Campbelltown, Newcastle, Kogarah – local grounds can be fantastic. The new stadium at Parramatta is great.
“But I will still go and watch Souths wherever they play.”
GRUBBY TROLLS
Souths winger Jaxson Paulo was rested for Saturday night’s game after being subjected to an online death threat following a poor performance the previous week
“I think it’s appalling,” he said. “It goes beyond sport and it’s an issue for our society as well.
“People hiding behind anonymity, saying things online that they would never say in person – never say it.
“I rang young Jaxson up. He is a 22-year-old bloke doing his best. Everyone makes mistakes in life and in football. At the end of the day, it’s a team sport as well.
“The team has responsibilities. It’s a game of rugby league and the sort of comments that were made were entirely inappropriate.”
THE 2014 MIRACLE
After a 43-year drought, coach Michael Maguire’s Souths famously defeated Canterbury in the 2014 grand final – sending the club’s army of fans into raptures.
“It was incredible. There were lots of tears shed. Everyone was in tears in those last five minutes,” he said.
Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese opens up about the origins of his South Sydney Rabbitohs obsession
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