The South Sydney Rabbitohs have confirmed their home venues for the 2023 season today as Rabbitohs Membership goes on sale for 2023 this week.
The Rabbitohs will be aiming to surpass 2022’s Membership total of 31,256 Members in 2023, the seventh time the Rabbitohs surpassed 30,000 Members in a season.
South Sydney has also confirmed its home venues for a majority of its regular season home games and two pre-season matches in 2023, taking into consideration the availability of stadia during the FIFA Women’s World Cup being hosted in Australia in July and August.
The Rabbitohs will play at least eight home matches at Sydney’s Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park in 2023, using the Olympic stadium as its main home venue for the upcoming season.
During the lockdown period for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Rabbitohs will play home games at Perth’s Optus Stadium and south-east Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Stadium, with two more venues yet to be finalised.
Rabbitohs Ticketed Members will also have the opportunity to attend at least one Sydney-based away game throughout the year due to the Club’s reciprocal Membership rights agreements that it strikes with other NRL clubs, pending the release of the NRL draw for 2023.
In the pre-season, the Rabbitohs’ trial matches will be played in February at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, and the annual Charity Shield match at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium against the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly said the Rabbitohs will relish turning Accor Stadium into a fortress for the Club’s players, Members and supporters in 2023.
We’re really excited to be working closely with the team at Accor Stadium on making the Rabbitohs game days at the venue a special event every time we play there,
Blake Solly
“We are working through a lot of ideas on how best to make the most of the Sydney Olympic Park precinct, the concourse at Accor Stadium, the enormous big screen at the southern end of the ground, as well as special experiences for our Members at each game, such as access to the field of play after matches.
“We’ll also be making the most of the stadium lockdowns due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup by taking the Rabbitohs to at least two key regions that have shown the Rabbitohs plenty of support in recent years, with confirmation on the remaining two fixtures coming as soon as we can. We understand our Members want to know where they can watch their team play and plan accordingly, so we are working hard to lock these in and to inform our Members as soon as possible.
“The following for the Club developed in Perth and the Sunshine Coast over many games and visits to these regions over the past two decades is second-to-none and we’re excited to take the team back to these regions to play in front of the Members and supporters we have developed in these regions over recent years, and to continue the wonderful community-focussed work of Souths Cares.
“Our pre-season is similar to this with the people of Gosford and Mudgee able to watch the Rabbitohs prepare for their round one clash with their two pre-season matches held in these cities. We have a great following on the Central Coast which stretches back to our exclusion from the competition in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and Mudgee has become a second home to the Club over the past five years thanks to the support of the people of the central west of New South Wales.
“We can’t thank enough the great teams at Venues Live, Sunshine Coast Council and Mid-Western Regional Council for accommodating us again in 2023. They are a pleasure to work with and value us playing in their regions and their stadia as much as we value visiting their regions to spread the word of the Rabbitohs and for Souths Cares to conduct their very valuable community-based programs.
“The mid-season FIFA World Cup break will also give our Members based in Sydney a chance to travel interstate to watch the team, so we encourage them to jump on www.wotif.com/rabbitohs and book a mid-year getaway with the Rabbitohs when the 2023 draw is released later this year.
“The Rabbitohs army is growing and we encourage all of our supporters right around the country to jump on board as a Member in 2023, or if you are already a Member, encourage your family and friends to join up too. There are Membership packages to suit everyone, whether you can make it to games or not, so check out all of the options and see what works for you, your family and your friends.
“We are the oldest, proudest and loudest Club in the NRL and we want as many people who bleed red and green to come along for the ride in 2023.”
Accor Stadium CEO Daryl Kerry welcomed the news that the South Sydney Rabbitohs will be returning to the stadium in 2023, the 18th straight season that the Cardinal and Myrtle will fill the stands of Sydney’s Olympic venue.
“The Rabbitohs have been a home club here at Accor Stadium since 2006 and they will always be a significant part of the history of the venue. We are naturally delighted that Souths will be lining up for another great season in 2023,” he said.
“South Sydney’s phenomenal success in recent years is a testament to the strong leadership at the club and a real credit to the playing group and their loyal Members and supporters. Souths are just one win from another Grand Final appearance and we are all looking forward to the game against Penrith at Accor Stadium this Saturday night – the Rabbitohs’ fifth straight Preliminary Final.”
Mr Kerry said the NSW Government had made a significant investment in Accor Stadium this year with fan-focused upgrades including the Great Southern Screen and there will be further improvements to elevate the match-day experience.
Sunshine Coast Economy Portfolio Councillor Jason O’Pray said the Rabbitohs’ return to the Sunshine Coast Stadium during the 2023 season gives the locals the opportunity to see first class footy in their own backyard.
“We welcome footy fans from Sydney and surrounds to the Sunshine Coast for a mid-year break in our winter sun,” he said.
“From footy goals to footy food favourites, we have so much to share with Rabbitohs fans and whether they stay for a day or spend a week here, they can see for themselves why the Sunshine Coast is one of the most popular winter destinations in the country.
“We welcome all Rabbitohs Members and fans to our region as well as the fantastic community work done by Souths Cares. The Rabbitohs and Souths Cares genuinely change people’s lives and we can’t wait to see the team back at Sunshine Coast Stadium in 2023.”
Mid-Western Regional Council Mayor, Des Kennedy, said the Rabbitohs’ return to Mudgee will be highly anticipated given their strong form in the Finals.
“We are thrilled to once again welcome back the South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George Illawarra Dragons to Mudgee for their annual Charity Shield clash,” Cr Kennedy said.
“This will be the sixth consecutive year Mudgee has hosted the pre-season fixture and it continues to attract our largest crowds with more than 9,000 turning out this year.
“Council has been proud to partner with the Rabbitohs and Dragons since 2018 and I’d like to thank them for their continued efforts to bringing high quality games to regional areas.”
