Anthony Albanese cites Reggie the Rabbit mascot’s weight as he defends Charlie Gallico for pushing Sharks fan

The Prime Minister has mounted a unique defence for the South Sydney Rabbitohs mascot after footage emerged of “Reggie the Rabbit” allegedly pushing a young Cronulla Sharks fan away during the Bunnies’ 27-12 loss at Shark Park on Saturday.

Souths management are set to interview long-time mascot Charlie Gallico over the disturbing incident during which Benji Agius, 9, was shoved away as he appeared to try and get a high-five from the 81-year-old.

The NRL is also looking at the sideline clash.

Anthony Albanese, a Rabbitohs’ tragic who sat on the club’s board during the 1990s, highlighted Gallico’s weight as he defended the octogenarian.

“Charlie is a very gentle person. He is someone who isn’t about this at all and weighs, I reckon, if he weighs 40kg he must be wet,” he said.

“He is a very small man and he goes in the Bunnies mascot outfit every week.

“He is a lovely fella. He is 81-years-old. I don’t want to talk about people’s height, but it is a fact that he is a very small man who goes into that costume - he is 81 years old - he has been doing it for a long time and he would never try to hurt anyone.

“I’m sure if there has been inappropriate behaviour, he would be the first to apologise but he’s a lovely fella. He is retired, I think he was either a panel beater or a mechanic for a long period of time.”

Mr Albanese recalled how Gallico had been the subject of violence himself.

“He got pushed a couple of years ago and ended up in hospital at the ground on Good Friday,” Mr Albanese said.

“Someone pushed him over and from time to time, I know that he as a mascot has been pushed, whacked, because people don’t realise that there is an 81-year-old fellow in there as a mascot.

“If anything wrong has been done, I’m sure he would be the first to apologise. He would not want to hurt anybody and I have seen nine-year-olds who are bigger than Charlie.”

After he was pushed, Benji was told off by a security guard, his mother said.

“From what my son Benji has told me, he was with his mates lining up there and they could see Reggie Rabbit coming up,” Caroline Agius told News Corp.

“And they were all like, ‘Let’s see if we can get a high-five’.

“So Benji popped his hand out, as you can see in the video, and he went to get a high-five but was pushed away instead.

“He was then told off by a security guard for getting too close or for touching him, from what Benji said.

“Benji apparently touched the mascot and was told off by the security guard.”

Gallico, who is in his 80s, has been Souths’ mascot for 20 years.

Such is his status among the club’s fans that he was asked — and agreed — to walk a bride down the aisle for their wedding during the NRL’s Las Vegas weekend in 2024.