Paul Sait

Ferocious competitor first played in the centres with Souths because Ron Coote held Sait's preferred lock position. In 1969 Sait was chosen as a reserve for NSW but was relegated to reserve grade in the following club match because of the depth of talent in the Souths club (there were no ‘fresh’ reserves in that era with players having had to have played a lower grade match before sitting on the first grade bench). Sait was also a reserve in Souths' grand final loss to Balmain that year but was a centre in the club's 23-12 win over Manly in the 1970 premiership decider. A valuable utility player although dogged by injuries, he gained selection in Australia's World Cup team in 1970 (under Ron Coote’s leadership). A centre in Souths' last grand final win, the 16-10 win over St George in 1971, the departure of Ron Coote for Easts saw Sait take over the lock role in 1972. Sait made his Test debut in the shock 24-3 loss to NZ at Carlaw Park in 1971 and went to France for the 1972 World Cup the following year. A member of the 1973 Kangaroos Sait played in all three Tests against Great Britain (as a second rower) and in one Test against France. His final Test series was in defence of the Ashes against Great Britain in 1974 but he continued to captain the Rabbitohs in the years after the club’s last great ‘golden era’ before retiring in 1978. Sait later coached in the Wollongong competition and with Souths' lower grades.