Rabbitohs ready to mark their Moore Park turf against bitter rivals

South Sydney will resist the temptation to refer to the Sydney Roosters as the “visiting team” on Friday night, but are plotting some “subtle” game-day initiatives to “make it clear Allianz Stadium is now the Rabbitohs’ home ground”.

The Bunnies also intend to open discussions with Venues NSW about having suitable Rabbitohs signage erected outside the Moore Park venue, especially given the club will play more home games in what the Roosters consider their backyard in future NRL seasons.

Souths chairman Nick Pappas was furious with the Roosters earlier this season after they refused to even acknowledge the Rabbitohs on the scoreboard.

Roosters counterpart Nick Politis was spotted remonstrating with Pappas at full-time after Souths celebrated their No.1 ticket-holder, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, joining the thousands of fans on the pitch when Alex Johnston broke Ken Irvine’s long-standing try-scoring record.

There was also a fiery moment when members of the Roosters coaching staff tried to block Albanese and his entourage from boarding an express lift to the playing surface in the second half.

Pappas on Sunday said the club was grateful to the Roosters for allowing Jai Arrow to take the field before kick-off so he can bring up 100 NRL games for South Sydney before he retires following his motor neurone disease diagnosis.

The Titans agreed to the same request, with some of the pre-match scenes on the Gold Coast on Saturday among the most memorable of the year.

Pappas also pointed out Politis had helped fund an overseas trip for Arrow earlier this year to seek radical treatment for the disease.

“He’s one of the wealthiest men in Australia and also one of the most generous,” Pappas said of Politis.

“There is huge respect there, but we are also happy to stick the needle into each other every now and then when it comes to football. Nothing will change in that respect on Friday.

“At the end of the day, Nick is an extraordinary individual who leads a successful club. But we’re better.

“What they did to us on the last occasion was unnecessarily disrespectful. We’ve moved on, we won’t do what they did to us, but we will make our home-ground presence felt on Friday night, you can bet on that.”

Pappas was stunned by the crowd reaction on the Gold Coast for Arrow, who was reduced to tears. In emotional scenes, coach Wayne Bennett even had to help Arrow put his socks on before kick-off.

Pappas said the Rabbitohs had received several requests to acknowledge Adam Reynolds on Friday night. The 2014 premiership winner will hang up the boots at the end of the season after being denied a fitting farewell by his current club, Brisbane. Reynolds is also close friends with Arrow.

“Adam is one of the great Rabbitohs, and we’ve had some very warm and emotional exchanges this past week,” Pappas said.

“We watched him grow up, play in our [under] 20s and then win a premiership before maturing into the proud family man he has become. We wish him all the very best.”

The Rabbitohs are assured a finals berth, while a win over the Roosters could even deny their rivals a place in the top four.

Sam Walker is probably out for the season with an ankle injury, Victor Radley is unlikely to return from concussion, while South Sydney’s Latrell Mitchell will strip fitter for his return from injury on the Gold Coast.

The Roosters had tried hard to stop Souths from returning to their heartland, but Venues NSW eventually relented and agreed the Rabbitohs could play four home games at the venue in 2027, then five in 2028 and beyond.

Pappas would not comment on how the Roosters would feel if Rabbitohs signage was approved to sit on the side of the stadium, but insisted it was only a matter of time.

“We deserve comparable signage that indicates it’s also our home ground now,” Pappas said. “Something will be there eventually, I have no doubt.”