South Sydney Legend Craig Coleman

Paul Kent is joined by Johnny Elias and the iconic South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback, Craig "Tugger" Coleman. The trio delve into the rich history of the Rabbitohs, the brutal reality of the 1980s "bucket of blood" era, and the emotional toll the game has taken on some of its greatest legends. Coleman shares personal stories of growing up in Redfern, playing under coaching greats, and the ongoing battle to preserve the legacy of George Piggins.

The Sin Bin Crisis and Player Safety

The conversation opens with a look at the modern game's crackdown on high tackles, specifically the weekend that saw 18 sin bins. Coleman, who played in one of the toughest eras of the sport, expresses his concerns about the current balance between physical spectacle and player welfare.

"I have concerns about it because rugby league is a physical game and we all know what we sign up for when we play. But I do get it about the dementia and things like that—it comes hand-in-hand with numerous concussions. They are trying to keep the player welfare and safety as a major part of what they’re trying to clean up, but they have to find that balance. Back in my day, it was five metres apart, but now they are so much bigger, stronger, and faster. It is like getting whiplash when they collide," Coleman noted.

Johnny Elias suggests compulsory headgear to identify "no-go zones" on the body, though Kent argues that helmets in the NFL haven't necessarily reduced internal brain rattling.

"Henry" and the Tactical Brawl

Coleman provides a fascinating insight into the 1980s South Sydney pack, which included hardmen like Les Davidson, the Rampling brothers, and Mario Fenech. He explains how the team used a tactical brawl—codenamed "Henry"—to swing the momentum of a match.

"When we needed to upset them and get them off their game a bit, I would call 'Henry.' It meant it was time for a brawl. Dean Rampling would usually be the one to throw the punch. It worked in 1984 when we were on a run—we used it against Canberra and then again against Manly. Manly were leading us 14-nil and it looked like it would be 100, so I said we needed to upset these blokes. The whole game swung and we ended up winning 20 to 18. We were able to have the fight and then go straight back to playing football while the opposition was still distracted," Coleman explained.

The Genius of George Piggins and the Fight for Souths

A significant portion of the interview is dedicated to George Piggins, the man Coleman credits with saving the South Sydney club during the Super League war and the subsequent exclusion from the NRL. Coleman shares the heartbreaking reality of visiting Piggins today as he battles dementia.

"It is heartbreaking to go and see him because he’s my mate and I love George. I go with Normie Stevens and Normie Nicholas every fortnight. Some days he’s good and gives that little smile, but other days he is increasingly vague. There should be a statue of him in bronze because without him, there would be no Souths. He had 100,000 people walk behind him. It was disgusting how people were able to turn fans against him with malicious gossip just to favour the sale of the club. He and Henry Morris gave their lives for South Sydney," Coleman said.

Battles with the Great Halfbacks

Coleman reflects on playing in a "golden era" of number sevens, coming up against legends like Peter Sterling, Steve Mortimer, and his personal hero, Tom Raudonikis.

"I’d get up at three in the morning as a kid to watch Tommy play against the Poms. I used to walk around the playground at Redfern School with my hand tucked in my shirt just to look like him. When I finally played against him, I saw how he made average players better. He’d pick a teammate up and tell them 'I told you you could do this.' I hoped I could do that one day. I also had quite a bit of success against Sterling and Parramatta. Sterling actually called me a 'punk' in his book, which I found funny," Coleman recalled.

Coaching Philosophy and the 2025 Outlook

Now helping to coach the "Under Fires" junior team, Coleman believes the secret to modern success—exemplified by Craig Bellamy and the Melbourne Storm—is surprisingly simple.

"I think Melbourne will win the competition because their spine and their coach are the best. I watched the documentary on Bellamy and it’s just a lot of common sense: run hard and tackle. There’s no rocket science to it. If you run harder than the opposition, you’ll be in the game more times than not. It’s about hard work and discipline," Coleman concluded.

Watch the full episode on Fanatics TV.