It's the most documented rivalry the Eastern Suburbs has ever seen, and said to be the fiercest in the NRL. The Roosters and the Rabbitohs are the only foundation clubs left in a league first founded over 100 years ago, so there's been plenty of time for the rivalry to run deep.

Both clubs have their roots in Randwick City. Following a Council consultation in 2014 that surveyed the community as to where the respective Club banners should fly, Roosters territory exists north of Alison Road, with Rabbitohs territory anything south of this.

Despite the two NRL behemoths being at loggerheads, Council works closely with both teams to ensure the impact in the community is keenly felt by those that need it most. Tickets to home games are given to local schools to be used as a reward to students for positive behaviour and attendance at school, a vital incentive to keep youngsters engaged with education.

“A close working partnership with both teams means we can encourage and incentivise disadvantaged groups to get involved in their community,” says Mayor Lindsay Shurey. “The players set an example and help young people to start out on a better road to education and eventually, employment.”

Coaching clinics also provide opportunities for students to meet and learn from their idols.

Both the Rabbitohs and the Roosters invest heavily in community partnerships.

Souths Cares is the charity arm of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and was established in 2006 as an independent, public benevolent institution. Souths Cares run five community programs with the aim of supporting disadvantaged and marginalised youth and their families. One of these programs is Nanga Mai Marri, which translates to ‘Dream Big’ in the traditional Aboriginal language of the Gadigal people. The program is about supporting Aboriginal high school students to develop high aspirations for their education and employment and mentoring students to achieve these goals.  It has achieved some outstanding results with Year 11 and 12 Indigenous students from schools such as Matraville Sports High School and South Sydney High School, with more than 91% of participants in the program successfully gaining their HSC, putting them well on the road to extremely successful and rewarding careers. This program is proudly supported by the Australian Government through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy.

Meanwhile the Roosters kicked off the 2018 season by visiting local primary schools to deliver messages of wellbeing and anti-bullying as part of their annual Community Carnival. NRL Superstars Cooper Cronk, Dylan Napa, Mitchell Aubusson and Joseph Manu paid a visit to students at Kensington Public School to talk about the importance of supporting classmates.

Last year, the club introduced the Leadership, Mentoring and Work Experience program led by NRL star Anthony Minichiello.  The program is designed to inspire high school students to define their ambitions and career goals and put the steps in place to achieve them. By harnessing the popularity of the Roosters team, students are educated about the importance of having a dream and how to work towards their goals and aspirations.

"Many of these kids idolise these players and spend hours watching them at their top of their game, so for them to then turn up at their school and talk to them about their day, the importance of an education and making the right choices makes a huge impact," continues Mayor Shurey. "It's an invaluable partnership and one we hope to continue for years to come."