George and Nolene Piggins agree to have their South Sydney Rabbitohs life memberships back

It’s taken almost two decades but South Sydney will finally be able to honour George Piggins properly after reaching a major breakthrough with the Rabbitohs icon.

South Sydney rugby league godfather George Piggins with his wife Nolene are finally back where they belong. Picture: Jonathan Ng

After a 17-year stalemate, which at times was acrimonious and hostile, South Sydney legend George Piggins will finally and formally return to the Rabbitohs’ fold.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Piggins and wife Nolene have agreed to transfer their life memberships to the club’s new entity, ending a stand-off from 2006 when Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court bought the club against the wishes of Piggins.

All existing life members had to reapply for the honour under the Crowe-Holmes a Court entity — a request Piggins angrily opposed.

Club officials have been quietly working with George and Nolene since November, the pair agreeing last Thursday to sign the documentation seeking to have their life memberships transferred to the new club, which was formed in March 2006.

South Sydney rugby league godfather George Piggins with his wife Nolene at home in South Coogee on Monday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“I said when we took over one of my main motivations was to make sure the Piggins legacy and the glory of past players was never forgotten,” Crowe told The Daily Telegraph.

The official transfer will be ratified at the club’s AGM on Sunday, February 28, at South Sydney Juniors.

“It is fantastic news for all Souths fans. We can never forget what George did for Souths. It’s important that every young kid that wears our famous jumper knows all about George Leslie Piggins,” said club icon Craig Coleman.

Piggins, 78, and the club’s owners — who now include James Packer and Mike Cannon-Brookes — have often been at loggerheads, although the initial anger between the two parties has thawed in recent years.

“George has been a regular visitor at training over the past few seasons, and has presented the club’s highest honour, the George Piggins Medal, in person at our annual dinner in recent years,” said Souths CEO Blake Solly.

“George and Nolene’s contribution to our club can never be understated and their place in the history of the Rabbitohs is secure.

“The players and coaches are proud to see George at training and it will be great to celebrate the transfer of their life memberships at our AGM in a few weeks.”

George Piggins and Mario Fenech in their heyday at South Sydney.

Piggins’ great friend, doctor Jim Lahood said: “In recent years many people at Souths have done a lot to show George that his enormous contribution to the club has not been forgotten. Blake Solly, Shannon Donato and Mark Ellison from the administration have been great with him.

“Our coach (Jason Demetriou) is always ready to welcome him as was Wayne Bennett before him. And players led by Sam Burgess and Cody Walker are so respectful to the great man and I believe this is why he now feels the time is right for his life membership to be restored.”

George was originally made a life member in 1978, with Nolene joining him in 2002.

Piggins’ confidante, journalist Norm Lipson, was a driving force behind the development.

“A Souths supporter recently said to me that George Piggins is not just a legend, he’s a hero. I agree,” Lipson said.

“Remember, George spent more than half a century as player, coach and administrator of the Rabbitohs and famously and selflessly led the herculean effort to save the club from extinction.

Nolene and George Piggins, alongside John Sattler, marching at the famous rally in 2000 to have Souths readmitted to the NRL competition. Picture: Mick Tsikas

“He richly deserves the club’s accolade by bestowing life membership on him and his wife, Nolene, whose enormous efforts, until now, have gone unsung.”

Such was Piggins’ opposition to the club’s privatisation, he didn’t attend a Souths game for nine years.

He once told The Daily Telegraph: “I don’t care if it’s Russell Crowe or Robert Redford. My argument at the time is he’s not going to be around forever.

“You have a committee that runs a football club and a committee is there forever, although the people and faces change. If you’ve got an owner, it’s got to come to an end sometime. That’s why I opposed it.”

Former Souths board member Peter Lahood added: “No person has dedicated so much to South Sydney. There is no more worthy recipient of the club’s highest honour than George Piggins, a great man and wonderful friend.

“It was an honour and great chapter in my life to serve on the board with George during difficult times. This life membership being bestowed on him is richly deserved.”

Now a life member, Souths may look to further honour Piggins.

Piggins is a former Rabbitohs player, coach and chairman who led the charge to have his club reinstated after Souths was kicked out of the elite competition due to the Super League war.

In recent years he has been battling health issues, including a lung infection in 2021 that almost claimed his life.