Radio Interview – ABC Sydney Breakfast with James Valentine
JAMES VALENTINE, HOST: The ‘Rabbitoh in Chief’ joins us this morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Good morning, Mr Albanese.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Good to be with you.
VALENTINE: You would have met John?
PRIME MINISTER: I met him many a time, particularly during the couple of years when Souths were unfairly removed from the competition. John was one of the leaders, he was always at the front of the march for reinstatement. He’d always have a song at the end of the the marches. We had a couple of marches with 100,000 people plus to Sydney Town Hall and John would be there leading the chorus of ‘Glory, Glory to South Sydney’. He was an absolute gentleman off the field. But of course, he was a courageous and very tough player on the field.
VALENTINE: You would be too young to be there that day night in 1970, wouldn’t you?
PRIME MINISTER: I wish. I was there in 1971, which was the last time that Souths won before a 43 year gap in 2014. I certainly remember 1970, though. I remember the incident with with John Bucknall where John Sattler had his jaw broken off the ball. And every South Sydney fan remembers that. It was an extraordinary performance for him to stay on the field for 80 minutes, it was right at the very beginning of the game. And he courageously led the team to victory as he did four times. To win a premiership once as a big deal, to captain a team to four premierships is quite an extraordinary record that he had. And it was a way that he played as much as the fact that he was a gutsy tough player who could distribute the ball, who could take the ball up. He was very skilful. He wasn’t a big man, certainly not compared with today’s players. But he had incredible courage and he was an inspiring leader.
VALENTINE: This is the team that you knew and loved in your youth, he personifies that. Is this why you’re still at AUKUS with a Rabbitohs hat on?
PRIME MINISTER: I came out of the womb with a red and green eye. It’s something about South Sydney. It was a family thing. My grandparents were both from the Redfern area and my mum raised me well. When people ask me ‘Did my son support South Sydney?’ I say, ‘Yes, he had choices. But he chose to sleep inside’. It is something that’s handed down, that tradition. I went to a little school that’s no longer there, St. Joseph’s at Camperdown, and we played in the South Sydney Juniors comp, and we got to meet the players who would come for the presentation. So I’ve still got my little autograph book with John Sattler’s signature in it from 1969 or 1970, around about that time, which is extraordinary. So you got to meet your heroes and my mum would take me to sit on the hill at Redfern Oval and and watch them play.
VALENTINE: A great influence on the game. A sad end. He’d been dealing with dementia for the last couple of years. But obviously, well and fondly remembered through rugby league and through Sydney.
PRIME MINISTER: He was very much loved. One of the things about team sports, no matter who people follow, it’s a part of your identity. It is something that’s handed down from generation to generation. It is something that is about how you grew up and friendships that you make and who you’re mates with. So I put up a photo of myself with John and Eric Simms at a lunch before the 2014 Grand Final. And the excitement that was there, it had been 43 years between Grand Finals. And it was an extraordinary level of excitement from the legends who were there like Satts, as he was was known. I don’t think this is a bloke who had an enemy in the world. He was just an absolutely kind gentleman. He was very softly spoken, but hard as nails on the field.
VALENTINE: I appreciate you giving us some time to remember him today. Thank you so much, Anthony Albanese.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much. Have a great day.