Let us please finally put to rest one of the enduring clichés of Australian political coverage — to wit, the “battler’s” tag invariably attached to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the rugby league club which always features in the story of young Anthony Albanese and his rise from Struggle Street.
There’s no doubting the prime minister’s humble backstory but in truth the club has pretty much morphed into the new Australian Club — or perhaps the Melbourne Club — in terms of power networks. Both Albanese and navy chief Admiral Mark Hammond are fervent Rabbitohs fans. Yes, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world …
Readers may recall that Hammond, who was appointed to his role by the newly elected Albanese government in July last year, made a spirited public defence of the government’s AUKUS commitment in the Nine newspapers last week. In his media debut he labelled those who voiced doubts about AUKUS as “hand-wringers”.
Hammond and Albanese were on hand at Souths’ home ground in March to farewell the Rabbitohs’ great John Sattler, the legendary hard man of Sydney rugby league. And they had not long returned from the official AUKUS announcement in San Diego when they were snapped wearing identical Rabbitohs baseball caps on a morning walk together.
Do they share a personal affinity beyond the footy? Who knows. Hammond rarely speaks publicly but when he was elevated to the most senior position in the Australian Navy mid last year, the man charged with making AUKUS work spoke of his early days as a “skinny Adelaide kid from the wrong side of the tracks”, This put him approximately on a par with Albanese’s public housing origins.
Hammond’s career odyssey later led him to a posting in 2017 to the Pentagon as Australia’s defence liaison officer working to the chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford.
His 35-plus years in the service have left Hammond with no doubts about the power of AUKUS. In a speech to the little-known Sir Richard Williams Foundation, a Canberra old-boys network of retired defence officials, he opened with a joking cut-to-the-chase summary of his address: “Lethality plus survivability equals nuclear-powered submarines. Any questions? Thank you!”
The Casablanca-level coincidence of Albanese and Hammond meeting in the same bar may be nothing more than just that but it does raise a series of intriguing questions, all going to what, if any, informal influence the chief of navy’s enthusiasm for nuclear submarines may have had on Albanese’s views. Have the two discussed AUKUS over a beer at the footy, either when Albanese was opposition leader or, later, as an early days PM?
Crikey has put several questions on this theme to both the Defence Department and the prime minister’s office. We have not received a response.
So with the two key figures in Australia’s “forever” defence initiative both fully signed-up, cap-wearing Rabbitohs men, surely it is now time to put all that Souths’ underdog baloney to rest. Here, in no particular order are some of the poor and and the downtrodden who have sought inspiration from the home of Sydney’s battlers:
- Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, who bought a stake in the club in 2021;
- Casino billionaire James Packer, who also has a financial stake;
- Actor Russell Crowe, also a co-owner;
- Television celebrity Ray Martin;
- Club chairman Nick Pappas, Sydney Grammar-educated and owner of Sydney CBD law firm and well-networked as a member of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese of Australia; chairman, Bank of Sydney; former president and board member, Powerhouse Museum Australia; member, Council of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens and board member of the Steve Waugh Foundation.
With the prime minister and the chief of navy on board, it’s quite a transformation from the days when John “Satts” Sattler would belt out the immortal footy hymn:
And we’ll guzzle, guzzle, guzzle
And we’ll tip it down our muzzle
And sing out the order loud and clear: more beer!
We’ll drink all night
Until we’re very tight
In the sheds of wherever we are.
We’ve got six hefty forwards
And seven greasy backs
And plenty of Rabbit barrackers to keep the bludgers back
When the skin and hair is flying and the slaughter has begun
Three cheers for the good old Rabbitohs for the victory we have won!
Up the mighty Rabbitohs. You are making a difference.
