Charity Shield in Mudgee: Thirty things to fire you up 30 days out from the Rabbitohs and Dragons clash

For just the second time in its history, the Charity Shield will be held in a regional centre when South Sydney and St George-Illawarra Dragons travel to Mudgee in March.

Last season we were treated to a ripping pre-season clash, Souths coming up trumps 22-18 over the Dragons.

2 Damien Cook.

This time last year, Cook was in a two-way battle with former Origin great Robbie Farah for the Rabbitohs’ No.9 jumper.

Twelve months on and Cook is now not only the starting Souths rake, but he’s the incumbant NSW and Australian dummy-half as well – the best hooker in the world.

Run the ball, Cookie.

3 Full-strength squads.

The Charity Shield will be the final tune-up for both sides leading into their respective round one games, with Souths to tackle the Roosters and the Dragons to play the Cowboys.

What that means is, barring injury, we should see all the big guns from both clubs in Mudgee on March 2.

4 Mudgee wine.

Grab a bottle, any bottle. Who doesn’t love a good drop?

5 Glen Willow.

There’s not a better sporting facility west of the great sandstone curtain – these sort of games should be on in Mudgee every week!

6 The footy.  

It seems like an age since the Roosters won the grand final … but cricket season has a funny knack of making time stand still. Bring. On. The. Footy.

7 The races the next day.

First the Charity Shield, then the $150,000 Central Districts Racing Association country championship qualifier the next day. Mudgee will basically be the sporting capital of the world that weekend.

It’s all happening.

8 Spot Kenny Sutcliffe.

It just wouldn’t be a sporting event in Mudgee without the male model himself. He’ll be there. And then at the races the next day, too. Give us a wave, Kenny.

9 Wayne Bennett.

The coaching merry-go-round was spinning at a nauseating speed during the off-season but Souths may well be the big winners, with legendary coach Wayne Bennett taking the reins at the Rabbitohs.

First person to make Wayne smile while he’s at Mudgee wins a free tickets to the fourth* State of Origin game this year. 

*There’s not a fourth Origin game, ever. We’re not giving anything away. Cheers.

10 The Charity Shield.

Played between Souths and St George every year since 1982, the Charity Shield has long been regarded as the unofficial start of the season.

Souths has won the last six shields against the Dragons – can the Rabbitohs make it seven in a row and set a Charity Shield record in doing so?

11 Reynolds and field goals

Souths ended the Dragons’ 2018 campaign in bizarre fashion, with Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds booting three field goals in 10 minutes to sink St George-Illawarra 13-12 and book a preliminary final appearance.

Big chance the little Souths general boots another one-pointer in Mudgee, if for nothing more than to just dig up old wounds.

12 Mudgee Dragons.

Juniors, seniors, committee, players, canteen staff … the lot. Games like these are great for the community, but they can’t be staged without a host of volunteers. Well done to everyone who’s involved.

13 Corey Norman.

The enigmatic ex-Eels pivot has made the switch to the Dragons in 2019, creating a log-jam in the St George-Illawarra spine with the likes of Cam McInnes, Ben Hunt, Gareth Widdop and Matt Dufty the incumbent 9, 7, 6 and 1 at the Red V.

How Mary McGregor makes it work is anyone’s guess – but we’ll get a pretty decent look at all five in the Charity Shield, that much is certain.

14 Bring back Tina.

This season marks 30 years since the ‘Simply The Best’ season promo with Tina Turner. Memo Todd Greenberg: bring it back!

15 The Refs.

Woah, woah, woah … before you skip over this one and continue on, give the whistleblowers a moment.

Apparently the NRL has given a directive to the men in the middle to let the games flow more in 2019, which should allow for more attacking footy this season.

Fingers crossed. Anything will be better than the penalty-a-thon we saw to start 2018, though.

16 The Town.

It’s February, kick-off is on twilight and the best venue in the bush will be up in lights, and on televisions across the country. Mudgee on prime time! 

17 NRL in the Bush.

We’ve been crying out for more top level sport in regional areas. Now we’ve got it, let’s get around it.

18 Russell Crowe/Russell Moriarty

That’s not a Russell, this is a Russell. 

While the Crowe variety may own Souths, no one is more invested in the Rabbitohs than Mr Moriarty. Lives and breathes the club. 

19 The Crowd.

Last year the ground record at Mudgee was obliterated … by one person.

Eclipsing the 9,132 mark set during the Titans and Eels NRL game in 2013, a raucous 9,133 people packed Glen Willow for last year’s Charity Shield. 

Surely we can crack 10,000 this year.

20 Gareth Widdop.

The classy Dragons skipper is home sick, and will return to the old dart in 2020, making this the final Charity Shield Widdop will appear in. 

The Englishman is a serious gun, worth the price of admission alone.

21 May Premiers … Again?

Dragons fans will be hoping not.

Each of the last two seasons, the Dragons have led the comp but faded late in the piece, so badly they either miss the finals or put themselves in an almost-impossible position to win a title.

Saints supporters will be on the edge of their seat at Mudgee on the look out for any sort of sign that it’ll be a different story in 2019.

22 Dean Britt.

Son of former Canterbury and Australian prop Darren, who hails from Orange, in Group 10 territory. There’s a few western links in this game, but this is one you might not have known.

23 Jeremy Latimore – GOAT?

Andrew Johns, Wally Lewis, Johnathan Thurston, Clive Churchill … Jeremy Latimore … wait, what?

There’s a somewhat unusual online campaign to throw an unlikely candidate into the Greatest Of All Time debate, with Latimore’s fairly pedestrian efforts off the bench for the Dragons in 2018 drawing wild praise from Instagram page The NRL Roast. 

Sounds ridiculous. Happy to get on board though.

24 Supercoach.

Have you picked your team yet? If so, scrap it. Watch Zac Lomax though. If he can nab a start on one of the Dragons’ edges he’ll be a serious cash cow. Ka-ching.

25 Oh When The Saints.

One of the great team songs, and steeped in tradition. There’s nothing better than hearing thousands of people singing ‘Oh when the Saints, go marching in ...’ in unison.

Or is there?

26 Glory, Glory!

Does Glory, Glory top it? Yes, it’s the greatest victory song of all-time. Only Richmond’s Tigerland comes close – bum bum bum bum.  

27 The Falcon.

Is there a more iconic Souths Sydney figure than Mario Fenech? Don’t answer that – it’s rhetorical. There’s no one better than the Falcon.

28 Greg Inglis.

He’s recently announced he’ll retire at the end of the 2020 NRL season, but Souths great Greg Inglis won’t lead out the cardinal and myrtel at Mudgee.

The 31-year-old has ruled himself of the pre-season, including the All Stars game on February 15, as he endeavours to prepare his both for a 15th NRL season.

29 Sam Burgess versus James Graham.

When these two clash, the foundations shake. Two great pommy props battling out through the middle – brilliant to watch.

30 Prediction.

Souths to win, Cameron Murray to star, all-but erasing the pain of Angus Crichton’s defection to the Roosters, and Dragons fans to debut the banner ‘Re-hire Doust’ … even if it doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Go Tigers.