The National Rugby League's Charity Shield match is an annual pre-season game between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and St. George Illawarra Dragons played before the start of the Premiership regular season. It has been regarded as the unofficial start to the National Rugby League (NRL) season and has been in operation since 1982, with the exception of 2000 and 2001 when Souths were omitted from the NRL.

Originally contested between South Sydney and St. George, and later by the St. George Illawarra Dragons when they formed a joint-venture with Illawarra in 1998 before the 1999 NRL season, the teams go head to head in an annual clash prior to the kickoff of the NRL season.

Since its inception in 1982, the Charity Shield has been played on 42 occasions. Of these, the Dragons (St George and St George Illawarra) have won 18 times, while the Rabbitohs, South Sydney have triumphed outright on 19 occasions. South Sydney holds the shield having won the most recent match in February 2024. Broken down, St George played 17 matches, winning 11; while St George Illawarra, since their joint-venture in 1999, have played 25 matches, winning 7.

The match has been broadcast on national television and is also now regularly screened live in the UK. The Charity Shield is for Souths Cares, Wollongong Hospital and St George Hospital.

Head To Head

Team PlayedGames wonGames lostDrawsShieldsPFPAPD South Sydney Rabbitohs432018525785737+48 Both Dragons Teams431819518737785 -48 St. George Dragons17114211273217 +56 St George Illawarra Dragons2671637464568-104

Match results WinnerScoreLoserMatch informationDate and timeVenueRefereeCrowd St. George Dragons9–7 South Sydney Rabbitohs13 February 1982Redfern OvalJ.Danzey10,980 St. George Dragons28–10 South Sydney Rabbitohs12 February 1983Redfern OvalK. Roberts9,120 South Sydney Rabbitohs24–6 St. George Dragons10 March 1984Redfern OvalK. Roberts8,365 St. George Dragons10–8 South Sydney Rabbitohs10 March 1985Redfern OvalK. Roberts8,022 St. George Dragons12–0 South Sydney Rabbitohs15 February 1986Redfern OvalM. Stone10,164 St. George Dragons28–14 South Sydney Rabbitohs7 February 1987Redfern OvalG. O'Donnell10,724 South Sydney Rabbitohs30–6 St. George Dragons20 February 1988Redfern Oval9,678 South Sydney Rabbitohs20–16 St. George Dragons25 February 1989Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan10,491 South Sydney Rabbitohs10–10 St. George Dragons9 February 1990Sydney Football Stadium12,791 South Sydney Rabbitohs16–16 St. George Dragons2 February 1991Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan12,543 South Sydney Rabbitohs21–20 St. George Dragons1 February 1992Sydney Football StadiumG.Annesley18,120 St. George Dragons10–8 South Sydney Rabbitohs30 January 1993Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan18,231 St. George Dragons14–11 South Sydney Rabbitohs29 January 1994Sydney Football StadiumG. McCallum19,266 St. George Dragons18–10 South Sydney Rabbitohs28 January 1995Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan15,643 St. George Dragons30–6 South Sydney Rabbitohs17 February 1996Sydney Football StadiumK. Jeffes8,920 St. George Dragons26–18 South Sydney Rabbitohs15 February 1997Sydney Football StadiumP. Simpkins10,242 St. George Dragons14–4 South Sydney Rabbitohs21 February 1998Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan28,310 South Sydney Rabbitohs16–14 St George Illawarra Dragons20 February 1999Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan19,250South Sydney Rabbitohs were excluded from competing in the NRL for the 2000 and 2001 seasons South Sydney Rabbitohs20–20 St George Illawarra Dragons16 February 2002Sydney Football StadiumB. Harrigan36,804 St George Illawarra Dragons28–10 South Sydney Rabbitohs15 February 2003Sydney Football StadiumS. Hampstead20,834 St George Illawarra Dragons34–8 South Sydney Rabbitohs14 February 2004Sydney Football Stadium21,513 South Sydney Rabbitohs30–6 St George Illawarra Dragons19 February 2005Sydney Football Stadium20,481 South Sydney Rabbitohs14–12 St George Illawarra Dragons18 February 2006Telstra StadiumS. Clark24,556 St George Illawarra Dragons16–14 South Sydney Rabbitohs3 March 2007Telstra StadiumS. Hayne23,053 South Sydney Rabbitohs24–20 St George Illawarra Dragons1 March 2008ANZ StadiumT. Archer25,127 South Sydney Rabbitohs18–6 St George Illawarra Dragons28 February 2009ANZ StadiumB. Cummins/T. Archer25,871 South Sydney Rabbitohs 26–26 St. George Illawarra Dragons27 February 2010ANZ StadiumA. Klein/B. Suttor27,221 St George Illawarra Dragons32–10 South Sydney Rabbitohs13 February 2011ANZ StadiumT. Archer/J. Maxwell19,267 St George Illawarra Dragons18–12 South Sydney Rabbitohs19 February 2012ANZ StadiumB.Suttor/J.Robinson 21,398 South Sydney Rabbitohs28–10 St George Illawarra Dragons22 February 2013ANZ StadiumJared Maxwell/Adam Devcich 19,630 South Sydney Rabbitohs38–20 St George Illawarra Dragons22 February 2014WIN StadiumS. Hayne14,633 South Sydney Rabbitohs12–12 St George Illawarra Dragons7 February 2015ANZ StadiumAdam Devcich 16,821 South Sydney Rabbitohs18–14 St George Illawarra Dragons13 February 2016ANZ StadiumG. Badger 13,421 South Sydney Rabbitohs32–14 St George Illawarra Dragons19 February 2017ANZ StadiumA. Klein/G. Munro 12,516 South Sydney Rabbitohs22–18 St George Illawarra Dragons24 February 2018Glen Willow StadiumAdam Gee/Chris Sutton 9,133 South Sydney Rabbitohs36–24 St George Illawarra Dragons2 March 2019Glen Willow StadiumA. Klein 9,027 South Sydney Rabbitohs26–12 St George Illawarra Dragons29 February 2020Glen Willow StadiumA. Klein/G.Badger9,124 South Sydney Rabbitohs48–16 St George Illawarra Dragons27 February 2021Glen Willow StadiumP. Gough6,840 St George Illawarra Dragons16-10 South Sydney Rabbitohs26 February 2022Glen Willow StadiumZ. Przeklasa-Adamski9,257 South Sydney Rabbitohs42–24 St George Illawarra Dragons18 February 2023Glen Willow StadiumP. Gough8,317 South Sydney Rabbitohs28–6 St George Illawarra Dragons17 February 2024Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, SydneyB.Sharpe8,827 St George Illawarra Dragons46–26 South Sydney Rabbitohs22 February 2025Glen Willow StadiumA. Gee

Biggest wins Points Score Winner Year 3248–16South Sydney Rabbitohs2021 26 34–8 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2004 24 30–6 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1988 24 30–6 St. George Dragons 1996 24 30–6 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2005

Most points scored in a game by a winning side Points Score Winner Year 4848–16South Sydney Rabbitohs2021 46 46–26 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2025 38 38–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2014 36 36–24 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2019 34 34–8 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2004

Most points scored in a game by a losing side Points Score Winner Runner-up Year 26 46–26 St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs 20252436–24South Sydney RabbitohsSt. George Illawarra Dragons2019 20 38–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Illawarra Dragons 2014 20 21–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Dragons 1992 20 24–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Illawarra Dragons 2008

Most points scored in a game Points Score Winner Year 72 46–26 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2025 66 42-24 South Sydney Rabbitohs 20236448–16South Sydney Rabbitohs20216036–24South Sydney Rabbitohs2019 58 38–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2014 52 26–26 Draw 2010 46 32–14 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2017 44 26–18 St. George Dragons 1997 44 24–20 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2008 42 28–14 St. George Dragons 1987 42 34–8 St. George Illawarra Dragons 200442 32–10 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2011

Least points scored in a game Points Score Winner Year 12 12–0 St. George Dragons 1986 16 9–7 St. George Dragons 1982 18 10–8 St. George Dragons 1985 18 10–8 St. George Dragons 1993 18 14–4 St. George Dragons 1998

See also

Rivalries in the National Rugby League

References

External links Sydney competitions Wayback Machine: Archived version of Geocities page of Charity Shield Games 1982–2009 Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs