NRL 2025: Cathy Freeman and Greg Inglis feature in special Rabbitohs moment

The Australian

6 days ago

South Sydney forward Tallis Duncan wasn't born when Cathy Freeman won gold in 2000 in what is arguably the greatest moment in Australian sporting history, which is why he's pinching himself that he gets to meet her this weekend as part of the NRL's Gadhu Gathering at Allianz Stadium.
Three matches will be played across three days as the game celebrates Indigenous Round, with the Rabbitohs to take on the Eels on Saturday night.
Club legend Greg Inglis will lead the team onto the field, while Freeman will ring the club's legacy bell as they enter Allianz Stadium.
The hero of the 2000 Sydney Olympics joined the Rabbitohs in the sheds after their 2014 grand final victory and shared a photo with Inglis at the time that she described as 'the best sporting moment of my life'.
Greg Inglis and Cathy Freeman celebrated the 2014 premiership in the South Sydney sheds. Picture: Brett Costello
'It's one of those moments that you've got to pinch yourself because you're looking at an Indigenous Australian icon,' Duncan said on Monday, having been born two years after Freeman's golden run.
'I've only seen her on murals and walls and in YouTube videos, so that's something that's pretty special and makes you look at how far I've come on my journey to be able to be run out by 'GI' and to have Cathy ring the bell. It's pretty cool.
'(Winning gold) is something you learn about growing up. You see the run and that was amazing, but then you learn a bit about what was behind it and there was a bit more going on than just the run.
'I reckon it was pretty amazing what she did, and she's definitely someone I look forward to seeing on the weekend.'
Veteran Jack Wighton will miss the match through suspension and was clearly disappointed to not be involved in the culturally significant event.
'It's a little bit of salt in the wounds,' he said.
'I'm missing out on playing in this jersey and representing in such a great weekend with the three games, and then I hear Cathy and Greggy are leading the boys out.
'I asked if I could at least catch up and say hello. I've got to get a photo at least.'
Inglis is doing incredible things in the community with his Goanna Academy and the Stick With It campaign, which comes as no surprise to Duncan, who is one of 11 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander players in the South Sydney squad.
'I idolised him for every week but three when he played Origin for Queensland,' he said.
'He was amazing and was one of those players that you were in awe of when you watched them.
'Even though he played the same game, you felt he was on a different level to what you'd ever seen. He was one of the best players I saw growing up.'
Wighton is only in his second year at the club but has embraced being a leader and has been amazed by the work the Souths Cares group does in the community.
'As an Indigenous person, but also as a senior player at this club, (I've embraced being a leader),' he said.
'We've been in a tough patch this year, so it's been a place where it's been tough to be a senior player, but it's also such an honour because you have so many young bright eyes and young superstars who just want to represent and do this club proud.
'To be a leader and see so many kids who want to make a difference (is great).'