The Rabbitohs sledged the Roosters with a bang on the taxpayer as Souths once again stood their ground at Allianz Stadium as the row over the New South Wales government’s NRL venue continued
The South Sydney Rabbitohs took a thinly veiled swipe at their arch-rivals’ stadium arrangement after losing to the Sydney Roosters on Friday night.
The Tricolors won the rematch of last year’s brutal elimination final 20-18 at the Allianz Stadium on Friday night and their social media team wasted no time in celebrating the victory.
‘Whose house?’ read the caption on a post on the Roosters’ Instagram page showing Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joey Manu and Luke Keary appearing to stare down Souths’ star fullback Latrell Mitchell as they piled on top of him.
The response was quick to point out, as the Bunnies’ social media team responded with the curt ‘The taxpayers’.
The jibe was a direct reference to the ongoing public feud between the two Sydney rivals and the New South Wales government over the new Allianz Stadium.
Roosters fans celebrate their team’s 20-18 win over arch-rivals South Sydney on Friday
The Bunnies’ social media team hit back after the Roosters claimed the bragging rights
Built on the same site that hosted Sydney Football Stadium between 1988 and 2019, the new $828million venue opened its doors last year when the Roosters defeated Souths in Round 24.
The Roosters are the main tenants of Allianz Stadium, with the NSW Warathas and Sydney FC in Super Rugby and the A-League respectively.
Souths are hoping to join the trio after the New South Wales government scrapped plans for an $810million refurbishment of Accor Stadium two years ago.
The Bunnies left the old Sydney Football Stadium for Stadium Australia – formerly Accor Stadium – in 2005 to expand their membership and signed a memorandum of understanding committing to stay at the venue for the long term.
The Rabbitohs and Venues NSW have been at loggerheads for months over the Bunnies’ home ground, with the club unhappy about playing at Olympic Park.
Bunnies CEO Blake Solly has been vocal in calling for the Bunnies to be allowed to move from the Olympic Park venue to the new Allianz Stadium.
The Roosters moved into the new state-of-the-art Allianz Stadium in September last year
While the Rabbitohs still play their games at Accor Stadium, where they moved in 2005
‘Our preference has always been to stay at the Accor Stadium, but if the government doesn’t upgrade it, we should be allowed to move,’ he said in September.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a Souths life member who served on the Bunnies’ board, also backed calls for the Rabbitohs to play at Allianz Stadium.
‘Of course that should be common sense,’ he said in October last year.
‘When the public has put a huge amount of taxpayers’ funds into that stadium, it should be maximized in its use.’
