First up, here's a slideshow I made of the grounds: Coffs Novotel Slideshow
Here's three articles previously posted as a reminder:
Camp Rabbitoh (on Souths' website)
By BRAD GREENSHIELDSWHAT was once the Wallaby Pouch has now become the Rabbit Warren.
Yesterday Coffs Harbour City Council announced a commercial arrangement that will see the South Sydney Rabbitohs make the top-class sporting facilities at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour their training home away from home.
South Sydney Executive Chairman Peter Holmes a Court yesterday promised that over the course of the next three years, the Rabbitohs will make at least three visits to Coffs Harbour each year.
"I'd like to see us here for training camps in the pre-season, the bye week and the off week and a sponsor camp," Holmes a Court.
"We want to bring up sponsors and integrate businesses into what we're doing. So we'll do motivational sessions with speakers and then we do joint training sessions.
"Obviously not tackling drills between sponsors and players but opportunities for people to see how we run our business."
The pre-season camps will culminate in a NRL trial match involving the Rabbitohs being played at BCU International Stadium for each of the next three pre-seasons.
"A great sold out trial, a long couple of training camps and some corporate events here during the year should work really well for the community," the South Sydney leader added.
At yesterday's announcement, Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Keith Rhoades couldn't have been any more pleased that another elite level team had chosen to use the facilities that Coffs Harbour has to offer.
"We're very proud that the Rabbitohs have chosen Coffs Harbour as their future training base," Coffs Harbour Mayor, Councillor Keith Rhoades said.
"Having close links with an elite team of the calibre and reputation of the Rabbitohs reinforces the city's position as the first-choice regional sporting venue in NSW.
"Not only will our relationship with the Rabbitohs give us enormous regional, national and international coverage, but it has the potential to boost local jobs through the increased use of existing sports facilities as well as indirectly via a growth in visitors to the area."
One of the major benefits from the commercial agreement between City Council and South Sydney will be seen in a week's time when the Rabbitohs kick off their 2008 NRL season.
Part of the agreement is that Coffs Harbour receives promotion via the massive 100 metre long LED display at all South's home games at ANZ Stadium.
In rotation with other sponsors, Coffs Harbour will receive constant 30 second exposures through the match to promote the city and upcoming events to a possible audience of up to one million people in next week's season opener.
Another community benefit is the implementation locally of the South's Cares program which concentrates on providing unemployed indigenous Australians with the best possible opportunities to enter the workforce.
The Rabbitohs are moving into their new hutch with a view to making friends.
Will trains at camp Rabbitoh
By JOSH GIDNEY
MORUYA-Tuross junior Sharks star Will Roqica has just returned from a South Sydney Rabbitohs training camp at Russell Crowe's property Nana Glen near Coffs Harbour.He trained alongside 24 other youngsters from up and down the East Coast, some of whom were already members of Souths' SG Ball and Harold Matthews Cup representative teams.
The trip was organised by Group 16 senior president Russell Fitzpatrick and the Rabbitohs.
Fellow Group 16 junior player John Aldridge of Eden also made the trip up.
They were put through their paces by Souths first grade coach Jason Taylor and development officer Mark Hughes.
"It was pretty good; I learned a lot of new skills," Roqica said.
The players did the usual catching and passing drills as well as two fitness sessions each day, which was tough going in the northern NSW heat.
They also played a semi-tackle trail game.
"It was weird playing in a different style than I'm used to," he said.
Hughes will contact Roqica in a few months about the prospect of him playing in Souths' Harold Matthews team.
This may put Roqica in a dilemma as he is a West Tigers supporter.
Overall, Roqica regarded the camp as a memorable experience.
"It furthered our education in football," he said.
Will will play his first trial with the Moruya-Tuross under 16s in February.
And finally this new article:
Mayor joins in Rabbitohs celebrations
06 May 2008
COFFS Harbour Mayor, Keith Rhoades, has expressed delight at the first victory in the 2008 National Rugby League season for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
"Clearly the team and club had not let their slow start to this year's season get them down," Cr Rhoades said.
"They never lost confidence in themselves and this first win will have given them the major boost that we hope will see them achieve even better results through the rest of the season."
The Rabbitohs secured their first victory for the season on Sunday defeating the North Queensland Cowboys 28-24 at ANZ Stadium.
In March, Coffs Harbour City Council signed a corporate partnership agreement with the Rabbitohs, making the city the club's senior tourism partner.
The main outcome of the agreement has the establishment of the Camp Rabbitoh training facility at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, which will be a regular base for the team and its officials.
Every year, the club will also play a pre-season game in the city, as well as run a primary school education and training program.
In addition, the agreement gives council access to a 100m strip of LCD signage at the ANZ Stadium during every Rabbitohs home game through which the Coffs Coast area and events can be promoted.
"It is a great win for the club, and a well deserved reward for the Rabbitohs' management and players," council general manager Stephen Sawtell said.
"The agreement we have with the South Sydney Football Club will see them training in Coffs Harbour twice a year and the club will also be involved in Business Visits and Business Seminars in Coffs Harbour on a regular basis."
Good one...
