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DIEHARD
18-01-06, 01:50 PM
Rabbitohs and Dragons clash in Charity Shield

The South Sydney Rabbitohs will test their three-month pre-season preparation against the St George Illawarra Dragons in the annual Charity Shield match to be played at Telstra Stadium on Saturday, February 18 kicking off at 8pm.

The Rabbitohs defeated the Dragons 30 points to six in last year?s unofficial opening to the Rugby League season and will be going all out to retain the Charity Shield in 2006.

?It is an important game for the Club because it gives us our greatest indication of where we are at as a team going into the start of the season,? Rabbitohs Head Coach Shaun McRae said.

?We have been training well since November 7 and the players who are picked to represent South Sydney in the Charity Shield will have earned their position.

?We will be picking our strongest available side for the game because of its importance in the build up for the players towards the season, the importance to our fans, and also the importance to the administration in promoting season tickets and memberships in our first year at Telstra Stadium.?

Rabbitohs captain Peter Cusack is looking forward to the Charity Shield and the Club?s first outing on their new home turf at Homebush.

?The Charity Shield win was a special moment for the team last year and this year it will be even more special as it?s my first game as full-time captain of the Club,? Cusack explained.

?The boys are looking forward to the hit out and hopefully there will be a big crowd at Telstra Stadium to see us retain the Charity Shield.

?We?re putting in the hard work at training and there are plenty of players putting their hands up to get a start in the Charity Shield so we?ll be ready to play.?

Rabbitohs marquee recruit for 2006, New Zealand international Joe Galuvao, is itching to play for his new Club.

?I can?t wait for the Charity Shield as it?s a new start for me at a new Club and I want to perform for them,? Galuvao said.

?Everyone in Rugby League looks forward to the Charity Shield and it is always a good, tough game so I hope all the Souths fans will come out and support the team for the first game of the year.

?I?m impressed with how we?ve been going in our preparation and we?re ready to show the Rabbitohs fans that we?ve got a great team this year.?

The Rabbitohs will be supporting the Sydney Children?s Hospital at Randwick as well as the Humpty Dumpty Foundation with this season?s proceeds from the Charity Shield. The Rabbitohs will also be wearing rainbow coloured shoelaces during the game, raising awareness for the Zaidee?s Rainbow Foundation campaign which supports organ and tissue donation.

Dragons coach Nathan Brown believes the Charity Shield is an essential component of the Dragons preparation for the 2006 season when they take on the Rabbitohs at Telstra Stadium on February 18 in their first match of the year

The Dragons have vivid memories of their start to the 2005 season and their 30-6 loss in the annual clash last year.

"The Charity Shield is always a tough match and we will definitely be looking to turn the tables on last years result and start the season well," said Brown. "It is great opportunity for us to put into practice what we have been working on in the pre-season in front of a big crowd at Telstra Stadium, replicating the environment we will face in our first NRL Premiership match.

Captain Trent Barrett and new re-cruit Sam Isemonger are also looking forward to the clash and recognise the importance of the match. The first match of the year is something we all look forward too and it is a good indicator for where we are at," said Barrett. "We are lucky to always have such a tough match against the Rabbitohs and the atmosphere always adds that something extra".

"The Charity Shield is something that I have always watched, it is not your average trial game and it is something that I am very much looking forward to being involved with," added Isemonger.

The Charity Shield has always been an exciting and tough encounter for both Clubs and when the concept was established in 1982 the tradition began to support local charities and causes. In 2006 proceeds from the Charity Shield will be committed to the St George and Wollongong Public Hospitals in the Dragons' communities.

Source: http://www.NRL.com

DIEHARD
18-01-06, 01:51 PM
GO BUNNIES! I can't wait, love the Charity Shield.

Super Cronk
18-01-06, 01:57 PM
Yep..up the bunnies! Looking forward to just seeing some more footy!!

DIEHARD
18-01-06, 05:55 PM
No Head for shield.

Steelers
18-01-06, 08:21 PM
We need this win. We lost it last year and look how our start of the season went...

Research Station Drive
18-01-06, 10:54 PM
It's a trial match - the result doesn't matter at all.

Though I think it might mean something to the Rabbits...