It's been pretty tough being a Rabbitohs' fan. Years of wooden spoons, disappointment and failed dreams.
But at last all that self-inflicted punishment is ending, with the Bunnies playing Saturday night's preliminary final against minor premiers Canterbury, which puts them only one hop from qualifying for their first grand final since 1971.
The present team has already created its own piece of Rabbitohs' history with the win over Canberra, the club's first finals success since 1987.
The Rabbitohs have a huge fan base, including one in Orange, but an excellent fan to have on your side is the Anglican Bishop of South Sydney Rob Forsyth.
I phoned the bishop for his views on the game and he told me he was a true cardinal and myrtle fan.
He has a historic Rabbitohs' jersey his son gave him when he was consecrated with 'Bishop of South Sydney' embroidered on the front.
He said after decades in the wilderness the chance of a grand final was very exciting.
And his message for the team? "I guess it would be something like: 'With God all things are possible!'"
Well, for all you Rabbitohs' fans. Let's hope he's right.
Eyes open in finals footy
WHILE talking about football, it's interesting to note OPSM is one of the NRL referees' sponsors and rightly so.
With some of the awful decisions they've been making, including awarding that try to Manly winger Michael Oldfield, they obviously need glasses and plenty of good eye care.
Replays from every angle clearly showed the ball was knocked on and the huge TV audience saw that but the video referees Steve Clark and Paul Simpkins couldn't.
They should hop down to their OPSM sponsor and be fitted with some strong specs before they're allowed to stuff up the result of any more important games with their dud calls.
Arthur gets the message
Bishop Forsyth has had a colourful past.
When he was the rector of an Anglican church in Sydney's Broadway, he held a kind of public conversation for 12 years with Arthur Elliott, the publican of the Broadway Hotel, which was just across the road.
The church had been posting signs outside its doors and it all began when Arthur, a former mayor of Goulburn, decided to reply to one.
The then Canon Forsyth had put out a sign saying 'Hear John Smith this Sunday, 7.15 pm'. He was telling his flock the Reverend John Smith, a preacher who rode a Harley-Davidson, would be speaking at the service.
Arthur Elliott had a regular drinker named Jack Smith so up went his reply: 'Hear Jack Smith here every day.'
Arthur answered all Canon Forsyth's signs from then on. 'Jesus bowled over death' was countered with, 'And Dennis Lillee bowled over-arm'.
'This church is only for sinners' was answered by, 'This pub is only for drinkers.' 'Money does not make you happy' received the reply, 'I'd rather be rich and happy than poor and happy.' And 'He'll be back' was met by, 'When?'
A truce was called when Arthur pulled up stumps and sold the hotel. He was invited to address the church's congregation and afterwards shouted them all a beer.
Canon Forsyth put out a sign: 'God bless you and farewell, Arthur. Now who will we have to argue with?'
Arthur responded with: 'To the Rev. It's been nice know'n yer!'
So South Sydney people are lucky to have such a down-to-earth bishop as Robert Forsyth.
You heard it here first!
YOU saw this fearless prediction here first.
John Davis could be returned as mayor at tonight's council meeting by seven votes to five or at worst 6-6 and a draw from the hat.
What’s in a name? Ask your pet
WE are a pet-loving lot. The RSPCA says that when we go through tough economic times, people postpone their holidays or go without some other luxury rather than get rid of their pets.
One in three households has a pet and while dogs, cats, birds, aquarium fish, rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs and horses top the popularity list, people have widened their interests to include pythons, ferrets, scorpions, rats, spiders, stick insects, land hermit crabs, beetles and cockatoos.
And we love 'em all.
In fact, we love them so much pets are now regarded as a member of the family and they're given children's names to suit.
The likes of Fido, Rover and Rusty have gone with the most popular names now Max, Jessie, Molly, Sam, Jackson, Sam, Chloe, Bonnie, Lucy, Jake, Toby, Oscar and Sasha.
The Animal Welfare League says it's often difficult to know where to start when choosing a name for your new dog but a baby book is a good place to begin.
The league offers a few tips that include picking a name your dog can easily recognise and a name that's easy to call out.
Subhead
THE attendant at Pete's car wash is chatting to a waiting customer.
"I bet you're Irish," he says.
"How do you know that?" says the customer.
"Well," says the attendant. "We don't get too many people coming through here on motorbikes."