'Worthy' Rabbitohs icon snubbed for statue

2 years ago 317

Phil Gould has joined the chorus successful calling for a statue of South Sydney fable George Piggins, saying cipher was much deserving of the honour than the erstwhile Rabbitohs chairman.

The Rabbitohs broke crushed earlier this twelvemonth connected their caller installation astatine Heffron Park successful Maroubra, which volition spot the nine relocate grooming and administrative operations distant from Redfern.

"The program is for america to beryllium successful the gathering and operating our football, commercialized and medication programs by the extremity of 2022, good successful clip for the 2023 pre-season," CEO Blake Solly said.

There were reports from News Corp yesterday that a projected statue of Piggins, who guided the nine done the wilderness and backmost to the NRL pursuing their expulsion, had been rejected by the club's apical brass.

Piggins' backers volition reportedly proceed to fundraise and lobby for a sculpture to beryllium built extracurricular Redfern Oval instead.

Bulldogs brag Gould, who knows the Super League warfare amended than most, said that fewer would beryllium much deserving.

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"I'm definite George Piggins would ne'er privation a statue successful his honour," Gould wrote.

"He wouldn't expect it. It volition mean small to him if it ne'er happened. But if anyone, from immoderate NRL club, ever deserved specified recognition, George Piggins is decidedly worthy."

The club's stance is that nary 1 idiosyncratic should beryllium bigger than the nine arsenic they look to conception a 'Walk of Fame' benignant show astatine the caller site.

It's a just point. Whilst Piggins was a cardinal antheral successful the endurance of the Rabbitohs, the nine already named their champion and fairest medal aft him - and successful presumption of on-field contributions, Piggins, portion great, is good down others.

Piggins lone played successful 1 archetypal people premiership triumph contempt being astatine the nine done 1 of their aureate eras successful the precocious 60s and aboriginal 70s. Elwyn Walters was the preferred hooker, with Piggins lone getting his accidental successful 1971 owed to the erstwhile being injured.

Then there's the legendary Clive Churchill, of course, who won 5 premierships arsenic a subordinate and different 4 arsenic a coach.

Still, galore reason that without Piggins, determination would beryllium nary Rabbitohs today.

Debate implicit a statue of Piggins has raged connected for much than a decennary - backmost successful 2011, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore knocked backmost a connection that would person seen the erstwhile Rabbitohs supremo immortalised astatine nary outgo to the taxpayer.

After the Rabbitohs were bought successful 2006 by histrion Russell Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes a Court, their erstwhile person stayed distant for astir a decade.

Piggins was coaxed into attending the 2014 decider, which Souths won, immoderate 471 weeks aft he'd past seen the Bunnies play live.

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