South Sydney Member Company 7th Annual General Meeting
3rd March 2013
The Members of South Sydney Football Club have inducted three new Life Members at today’s Member Co. AGM held at Souths on Chalmers in Redfern, with former director The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, former player Scott Geddes and Club historian Brad Ryder all being awarded Life Membership today.
Scott Geddes
Scott Geddes joined the Rabbitohs at the end of 2001 as part of the Club’s squad which was assembled for the NRL reinstatement season of 2002. Mr Geddes made his first grade debut in the Club’s first victory after reinstatement against the Canberra Raiders in the nation’s capital in round two, 2002, and he went on to play 11 seasons with the Rabbitohs, playing 125 first grade games for South Sydney. Mr Geddes won the Bob McCarthy Clubman of the Year Award in 2009, and retired from Rugby League at the end of the 2012 season.
Hon. Anthony Albanese MP
The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP is a life-long Rabbitohs supporter who played a large role in having the Club reinstated to the NRL competition in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Mr Albanese is currently the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Leader of the House, and the Federal Member for Grayndler. Mr Albanese served as a Director on the Football Club Board between the years of 1999 and 2002, and was a key figure in ‘Group 14’, an influential group which helped raise funds, awareness and the profile of the Rabbitohs’ fight for reinstatement to the competition between 1999 and 2001. Mr Albanese has also been an influential figure in political circles, helping the Rabbitohs to meet its commitments to the South Sydney community, both locally in the South Sydney district and further afield in areas such as Coffs Harbour where the Rabbitohs and Souths Cares have a prominent footprint.
Brad Ryder
Brad Ryder has been one of the South Sydney Club’s historians since 1998 through to the present day, helping to keep the rich history and heritage of the Club, which has developed since 1908, as one of the cornerstones upon which the Club is built. Mr Ryder has also been a valued corporate partner of the Rabbitohs for the past five years, and has also penned two books on the Rabbitohs; They Wear the Red and Green, and MACCA – Bob McCarthy – My Life in Rugby League. Mr Ryder is also assists with the ‘R-Aging Rabbits’ South Sydney Past Players Association and the Sydney Metropolitan Committee of Men of League. Mr Ryder’s fantastic work in helping to collect, collate, and circulate the history of this 105-year-old Club is worthy of Life Membership of the South Sydney Football Club.
The existing South Sydney Member Co. Board was returned by Members at the Annual General Meeting held at Souths on Chalmers today, Sunday, 3rd March 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 22,154 financial members. The FC has decided to extend its lease over the rest of L4. The remaining area of L4 has been refurbished and on-rented out to a commercial tennant on favourable terms to the FC.
Financially, the SSRLFC grew its revenue and other income by just under $1,846K in 2012 to $17,309K. Expenses also increased by $1,328K to expenses $17,655K with a overall loss of $346K. The club has chosen to establish a $1,400K cash reserve. The club at the end of 2012 has a increase of $572K in its assets with $5,224K in assets. There was also a significant reduction in the club liabilities by $2,613K with $8,030K in liabilities.
Crowe reverses decision to sell
Rabbitohs chairman Nicholas Pappas gave an insight into Peter and Russell's ownership position was responding to a question from the floor about Crowe's intentions after he announced last November that he wanted to sell his 37.5 per cent stake by the end of the upcoming season. "Peter had indicated already that he was in for the long haul or some considerable time yet," "That led to a question about Russell, Russell had indicated to me, and that was that at least for the short-to-the-medium term he is going to be with us." Crowe's intentions when he told Sunday's annual general meeting of the South Sydney Football Club that Crowe would not be selling his shareholding in the "short-to-medium term" and at this stage has no intention of selling at all. Pappas was responding to a question from the floor about Crowe's intentions after he announced last November that he wanted to sell his 37.5 per cent stake by the end of the upcoming season. Holmes a Court has already announced he will retain his shareholding.
South Sydney Member Company 7th Annual Report