News Articles
4 November 2000
Referee blows the whistle on Souths
By BARCLAY CRAWFORD and LUKE McLLVEEN
04nov00
JAMIE Lyons, Souths fan of 41 years, had a cigar in his mouth, ready to light, when Justice Paul Finn ruled the Rabbitohs could play again.
It was never lit.
Instead, Lyons and a crowd of 500 supporters, dressed head-to-toe in the famous club colours of cardinal and myrtle, sat in 15 minutes of stunned silence at South Sydney Leagues Club.
At 10.15am, glasses were lowered and all eyes fixed on the big screen, where Justice Finn had begun to speak. "It usually is only fortuitous that some legal principle can be found that could provide such preservation as is sought," Justice Finn told the court. "I have not been able to arrive at the conclusion in the present proceeding that such a principle is available to Souths. This is not one of the fortuitous cases."
It was at first baffling but the penny dropped for most when Rabbitohs greats George Piggins and Craig "Tugger" Coleman stood before the cameras and called for an appeal.
Souths had fought their 12-month battle on the grounds that the National Rugby League, News Limited (publisher of The Australian) and 22 others were in breach of the Trade Practices Act because Rabbitohs' fans were unfairly deprived of entertainment.
The club's lawyers also claimed the NRL breached a contract signed on March 24, 1998, that Souths believed guaranteed their inclusion in the competition, and that the NRL was guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct.
But Justice Finn found the NRL was not in breach of the act, nor the contract, because it was clear – and Souths knew at all times – that the number of teams in the competition would be cut from 16 to 14 in the 2000 season.
Cigar in hand, Lyons immediately likened the legal fight to Souths' form on the paddock.
"It's like a football game," he said. "No matter how far you are behind, you always think you are in with a chance."
Fans, some old and some just blow-ins wanting a piece of history, had gathered from as far afield as Murwillumbah and Gunnedah. By 11am yesterday, many felt the full-time siren had sounded. Australian international Jim Serdaris, who was to captain the red-and-greens next year, said a prayer first thing yesterday morning.
It wasn't answered, and he will never play rugby league again.
"I'll go try something else now," he said. "Who has the right to kick a side out of a competition?"
It was the high-profile Souths fans who kept spirits from plummeting. Talkback giant Alan Jones scrambled to get to court after his breakfast show, taking a seat near professed Souths diehards Ray Martin and Andrew Denton. Some officials were too nervous to sit and took the bad news on their feet.
Jake Muscat, 8, was drawing a rabbit at the club when the decision came down. "My Dad told me if we lose today, at least we can say we fought the whole way," he said.
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