South Sydney Member Company 6th Annual General Meeting
26th February 2012
The South Sydney Football Club has welcomed the induction of three new Life Members at today’s Annual General Meeting of Members. Luke Stuart, Arthur Branighan, and Keith McCraw have all been inducted as Life Members, at the AGM held at Souths on Chalmers in Redfern.
Luke Stuart
Luke Stuart is a modern day legend of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He played 191 grade games for the Club between 2002 and 2011, and amazingly 190 of those were in first grade. Mr Stuart made his representative debut in 2009 when he was selected for the City Origin side, but he will be fondly remembered by Rabbitohs Members as the rock of the Rabbitohs’ forward pack for a decade following the Club’s reinstatement to the elite competition in 2002.
Arthur Branighan
Arthur Branighan played 148 grade games for the South Sydney Football Club between 1962 and 1971, including 90 first grade games. The older brother of fellow South Sydney footballer Ray, Mr Branighan played in two Grand Finals for the Rabbitohs including the Club’s 19th premiership victory in 1970, a 23-12 defeat of Manly-Warringah. Mr Branighan also played in the 1965 Grand Final against the St George Dragons at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of over 78,000 spectators.
Keith McCraw
Keith McCraw played a total of 24 grade games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1975 and 1977, but Mr McCraw’s contribution to rugby league in the South Sydney District goes much deeper than that. His contributions through the Junior League as a Development Officer right up to his appointment as President, as well as his leadership of the Souths Juniors Leagues Club and his period as a Director on the South Sydney Football Club Board, cannot be underestimated. Mr McCraw has been, and still is, an integral part of the fabric of Rugby League in the South Sydney district and a wonderful supporter of the Rabbitohs.
Life Membership is the highest honour bestowed by the Rabbitohs and recognises extraordinary service to the Club over an extended period. On behalf of everyone connected with the South Sydney Football Club, we congratulate Messrs Stuart, Branighan and McCraw on their induction as Life Members of the Club
The existing South Sydney Member Co. Board was returned by Members at the Annual General Meeting held at Souths on Chalmers today, Sunday, 26 February 2012. Directors James Hatfield, Nikolas Hatzistergos, Ray Martin, Nicholas Pappas and Ken Stewart have been re-elected for a further one year term. Nicholas Pappas and Nikolas Hatzistergos will continue to serve on the Football Club Board.
In other news the club ended the year with a record 20,450 financial members.
Financially, the SSRLFC grew its revenue and other income by just under $255K in 2011 to $15,463K. Expenses also increased by $1,180K to expenses $16,327K with a overall loss of $864K. There was a significant one time fitout cost for the club moving back into the 265 Chalmer St building. The club at the end of 2011 has $4,652K in assets but has $10,643K in liabilities.
The club has made a approach to purchase L4 Chalmers St rather than rent. Also discussed were the following :-
THE VISION I. To be recognised internationally as a top sports brand. II. To be a top four side every year III. To continue to be the No. 1 supported football club IV. Lead lobbying, debate in the NRL for the benefit of the game V. To be the No. 1 in corporate responsibility through Souths Cares VI. To be regarded as the best-run sprting club in Australia BY THE NUMBERS - $17 mil turnover in 2011, up from $9 mil in 2004 - 2012 jersey sponsorship is valued at $2.6 mil - The white Rabbitohs sticker is on estimated 300,000 cars - The average Sydney club get $2.05 mil from their leagues club, Souths gets none - 67,000 Facebook friends in 12 months - More than $3 mil in memberships this year - Apart from teh AFL grand finalists, Souths sold more merchandise than any sports team in Australia in 2011 - Players spent a combined 22,000 hours in community activities this year - Cumulative television audience in 2011 was 14,400,000
South Sydney Member Company 6th Annual Report