- Crowe owns 25 per cent of the Rabbitohs NRL team
- Refuted claim that he wants out
Russell Crowe has been accused of criticizing a shocking report that he wants to sell his stake in the South Sydney NRL team, not because it was inaccurate, but because it diverted attention from the team's first day of training.
The Hollywood star is trying to offload his 25 percent stake in the club and is looking for investors willing to pay up to $20 million to replace him, according to News Corp.
Crowe bought the club in 2006, when he and businessman Peter Holmes à Court dramatically gained control, and Crowe gave a moving speech to members to convince them to vote for the club to go private.
On Monday, Crowe flatly rejected the claim, telling the Australian Associated Press: “Tell them (Australians) it's all nonsense and advise them to enjoy the summer sun.”
He later posted the following message on X: 'Re SSFC (South Sydney Football Club). What would January be in Australia without the desperate conspiracy theories of the legacy media?
'Enjoy the summer sun while it's there and ignore the trolls. WB (coach Wayne Bennett) is back on board. A fresh energy about the place. An arrowhead on our intentions.'
However, news corporation now quotes an unnamed 'Southern insider' who maintains Crowe made the statement in anger that the report diverted attention from the Rabbitohs' first training session in 2025.
“He didn't want anything to take his attention away from preparing for the season, not after the drama of the last few seasons,” the source told the publication.
He is notoriously secretive in his business dealings, always has been.
The 'drama' referred to includes the club failing to reach the finals in 2023 after falling off the ladder in the second half of the year, followed by the Bunnies finishing second from bottom in 2024.
That dramatic drop in form led to coach Jason Demetriou being fired, and the team's best and most prominent player, Latrell Mitchell, seeing his year ruined by injury and a headline-generating scandal.
The representative fullback was photographed bending over a mysterious white powder on a table during a trip to Dubbo, resulting in him being handed a breach notice and suspension by the NRL, as well as a $100,000 fine by the Bunnies.
Souths turned the corner soon after Crowe took over, reaching their first finals series in 18 seasons when they finished in the top eight in 2007.
Crowe (pictured, bottom center) has brought a Hollywood touch to the Rabbitohs, winning over other movie stars such as Taika Waititi (top left), Chris Hemsworth (second from left), Elsa Pataky (left , middle row) and Isla Fischer (second from the left). , middle row) to come to the games
Holmes à Court resigned as executive chairman and chief executive in May 2008, and Crowe currently holds an equal stake in the club with businessmen Mike Cannon-Brookes, James Packer and members of the team.
An American investor is interested in buying the stake and is having South Sydney's operations scrutinized, according to the report, which also claims Packer and Cannon-Brookes have the option to buy Crowe's shares.
Crowe brought the glitz and glamor of Hollywood to the club almost immediately, famously dressing players in Armani gear and attracting megastars like Tom Cruise and Chris Hemsworth to games.
After winning the minor premiership in 1989, the club fell on extremely difficult times financially and competitively, leading to its exclusion from the NRL in 1999.
The Bunnies were reinstated in 2002 after a lengthy court battle, but their struggles continued until the change of ownership.
Starting in the 2007 season, the team went on a run that culminated in victory in the 2014 grand final to record a record 21st premiership victory.