South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe turns to his Book of Feuds to reignite Rabbitohs-Roosters rivalry
RUSSELL CROWE’s fabled Book of Feuds has ignited Friday night’s blockbuster by claiming Sydney Roosters are a club without the soul, romance and tradition of his South Sydney Rabbitohs.
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RUSSELL CROWE’s fabled Book of Feuds has ignited Friday night’s blockbuster by claiming Sydney Roosters are a club without the soul, romance and tradition of his South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Commissioned by Crowe back in 2007, the Book of Feuds is constantly updated and includes a contentious chapter about the famous Souths-Roosters rivalry which concludes by stating: “Forever in our shadow.”
The Daily Telegraph was handed a rare copy of the Book of Feuds in the countdown to what shapes as one of the fiercest, toughest and most ferocious eastern suburban derbies in 110-years.
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Souths players revealed Crowe — who thrives on rugby league passion — was likely to send a rev-up text message to every Rabbitohs player ahead of a match which pits his first-placed club against third-placed Roosters.
Rabbitohs star Cody Walker hoped the big game could pull a season-best Sydney crowd of between 30,000 to 40,000 at ANZ Stadium.
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In excerpts sure to cause angst and outrage around Bondi, the Book of Feuds openly taunted the Roosters by claiming: “Although they are indeed a foundation club, somewhere along the way the Roosters lost their soul. They simply don’t have the tradition, the stories or the romance that is South Sydney.
“There’s no doubt about it, this is a rivalry for the ages. There’s just something about the Roosters that just irritates the hell out the Rabbitohs. And vice versa.
“They (of course) claim to be the only foundation club to have played every season. It seems there’s nothing they do that isn’t in some way aimed at us, or at imitating us. They have changed their name twice to try and capture the inner city market.
“Yet, try as they might, there’s no escaping the cold hard facts that South Sydney was formed before Eastern Suburbs, has won far more premierships than Easts, Sydney City and Sydney Roosters combined, and has a much greater junior and fan base. In the end it comes down to the souls of the two clubs.
“Nevertheless, for more than 30 years, the Roosters had it pretty much their own way. Professionalism. Sponsorship. The big end of town. We had to watch it all green with envy. But, despite the agony we felt just a couple of months ago with the signing of boom forward Angus Crichton by the Roosters for 2019, that kind of dominance is over now.
“The Roosters won’t ever surrender to us without one hell of a fight, though. To beat them takes more than our bodies, more than our hearts, and more than our minds. To beat them requires that we commit our souls to the spirit of the cardinal and myrtle: the creed of the Rabbitoh.
“That’s how it’s been for a hundred and ten years, and that’s how it is now. It’s time to forge another era of superiority over the Roosters and to show them, again, that they are truly, indisputably, just like the banner says: “Forever In Our Shadow”.”
Souths players spoke about the big game with Tom Burgess aware of Crowe’s love for such hostile rivalry.
“I am sure Russel will be sending his texts out this week, reminding the boys what it means to the public and the fans. He will probably treat it like another game but he is very passionate. He will be fired up,” Burgess said.
Asked what Crowe said in his text messages, Burgess said: “That’s private mate. (But) just making sure we’re all ready. That is part of what he does, he likes to get involved.”
Burgess said the rivalry was unmatched between any other teams.
“Coming from overseas, you get introduced to it — it is a great rivalry, like Leeds-Bradford back in England,” he said.
“Coogee Bay Road split it down the middle for the border; the east to the south. We’ll be having coffees on opposite sides of the road this week. I am friendly with Boyd (Cordner), he used to live on my street.
“It’s always a big game even if we were both on the bottom of the table.”
Walker described the Roosters match as “a huge rivalry.”
“It’s always a big crowd when we come up against the Roosters. The fans really get into it. It will be huge,” Walker said.
Originally published as South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe turns to his Book of Feuds to reignite Rabbitohs-Roosters rivalry
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