The South Sydney Rabbitohs has won the inaugural Budget Direct Footy Charity Championship, scoring $100,000 for charity Souths Cares. The championship (less of a mouthful) aims to deliver positive community impact and big wins for some lucky league fans.
The inaugural championship saw Budget Direct leverage its sponsorship of three major rugby league teams including the Rabbitohs, Dolphins, and Melbourne Storm, in a unique competition that tracked the teams’ regular season clashes, in order to win their share of $205,000 in donations. The comp within the regular NRL season was only possible due to Budget Direct’s unique corporate agreements.
Late last year we sat down with Budget Direct’s chief growth officer Jonathan Kerr about his very busy NRL off season. Rather than sticking with the one sponsor, Budget Direct penned deals with three major clubs—the Perth Bears, South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Melbourne Storm—giving it unparalleled brand exposure across three different states.
Now, almost a year later we have seen the benefits of sponsoring multiple teams across the same code.
And for the Rabbitohs the victory means a crucial boost for Souths Cares, which supports disadvantaged and marginalised youth and their families, through capacity-building programs addressing education, training, health, and employment needs, particularly within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The win was celebrated at Maroubra Beach with a special cheque presentation ceremony that coincided with a Budget Direct brand activation for the current ‘Splashdown’ advertising campaign.
Kerr reflected on the championship’s purpose and celebrated the Rabbitohs’ victory.
“At Budget Direct, we want our sponsorships to create genuine win-wins for teams, fans, and communities, particularly for charities doing critical work where it matters most,” he said.
“Witnessing the South Sydney Rabbitohs claim the Championship title and deliver an incredible $100,000 to Souths Cares is a truly fantastic moment. We’re immensely proud to make this major donation to Souths Cares so they can continue to expand the outreach of their positive community programs, and we extend our warmest congratulations to the Rabbitohs.”
Unlike the NRL, both Melbourne and Dolphins didn’t leave empty handed, despite losing the competition.
The second placed Dolphins—who currently sit higher than the Rabbitohs on the NRL ladder—won a $50,000 donation to be shared between its nominated charities, Chameleon Housing and Yalari.
The Dolphins’ win gives a boost to both Chameleon Housing, which provides safe homes and support for young people and their families facing homelessness across South East Queensland, and Yalari, which delivers full boarding school scholarships and support programs for Indigenous children from regional and remote Australia.
“The $50K donation shared between our charity partners, Chameleon Housing and Yalari will have a huge impact on their work supporting vulnerable young people and providing educational pathways. We’re delighted to contribute to the lasting positive change they create,” celebrated Terry Reader, CEO of the Dolphins.
And last but certainly not least, the Storm secured a $25,000 donation for its chosen charity, the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which will help support more than 640 children in hospital. Throughout the inaugural championship, Melbourne fell twice to the Bunnies and once to the Dolphins. Which unfortunately reflects the Victorian based team’s NRL season.
Fear not, Melbourne still won $25,000 for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, thanks to Budget Direct.
This was very much appreciated by both the Storm and Starlight.
“Thanks to the Budget Direct Footy Charity Championship, Starlight will be able to support over 600 seriously ill children during their entire hospital stay, bringing the fun, laughter, and happiness they need as they face unimaginable challenges,” said Louise Baxter, CEO Starlight Children’s Foundation.
“Starlight appreciates all the support we receive from Melbourne Storm, their partners, and the fans.”
B&T suspects the competition will grow next year with the introduction of the Perth Bears—an NRL team who will also run out with the backing of Budget Direct.
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
Outside of Budget Directs sponsorship masterclass, the NBL and WNBL are getting ready for their seasons with some new sponsors.
Here’s what you need to know:
TechnologyOne has stepped on the WNBL court to become the naming rights partner of the league’s pre-season tournament – the Townsville Tip Off, which will be held in Townsville from 17-20 September 2026.
The four-day tournament will bring together the nation’s top basketball talent, reflecting a shared commitment from TechnologyOne and the WNBL to make women’s sport accessible to all Australians, regardless of where they live.
At the heart of the partnership is the TechnologyOne Foundation and its ‘1% Pledge’, which dedicates one per cent of profit, product and employee time to creating positive social impact. As part of the tournament, the Foundation will make a donation to a local Townsville community partner for every pair of yellow shoes spotted at the event.
And on both the WNBL and NBL front, Australian fan engagement and data platform Komo has inked a new multi-year partnership with the NBL Group, spanning both leagues. Komo was selected following a competitive evaluation process and will be in place for the upcoming Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season, with the WNBL following when its 2026-27 season tips off in October.
