Retired South Sydney winger Josh Mansour has revealed the ‘Gladiatorial’ message Hollywood owner Russell Crowe sent to Rabbitohs players before every match.
Mansour was given a lifeline by the Bunnies in 2021 after being cut by the Penrith Panthers and played 16 games for South Sydney over two years before hanging up the boots.
On Bulldogs star Josh Addo-Carr’s Let’s Trot podcast, Mansour was asked who the most famous person was in the contact list on his phone.
He revealed he still had Rusty’s number saved before revealing what the Gladiator star would text the players before every match when he was at the club.
Mansour played two seasons with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and was given Russell Crowe’s number during that period
Crowe, pictured with South Sydney club legend Mario Fenech, has always been a passionate and committed co-owner of the club
Crowe has starred in numerous Hollywood blockbusters but is best remembered for his role in the film Gladiator (pictured)
“You know he always texted us on game day?” Mansour asked Addo-Carr.
‘One line message (saying): “What day is it?”.
‘A Gladiator Line. All we had to do was answer: “Game day.”
“He just frothed on it. I thought it was a bit random at the time, but now I see he’s a pretty passionate guy.”
Russell Crowe has been co-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs since 2006 when, along with Peter Holmes à Court, he successfully pitched for membership of the club.
They secured 75 percent ownership for $3 million, allowing members to keep a quarter of the club.
Souths Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court are pictured during their early days as co-owners watching an NRL match against the Brisbane Broncos in 2007
The Rabbitohs finally broke their premiership drought in 2014 and Crowe was there to enjoy every moment of the victory
Crowe’s famous pitch included the humorous line, “Let’s vote yes.” Let’s go to bed together. I hope you will respect me in the morning.”
Throughout his career, Crowe has brought Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise, Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth to NRL games.
He also lent his distinctive voice to narrate ‘Bra Boys’, a documentary about a notorious Sydney surf crew, which also featured ex-Souths skipper John Sutton.
Crowe further strengthened his bond with the Rabbitohs by hosting pre-season team bonding sessions at his farm near Coffs Harbor on the NSW north coast.
In a generous move in 2016, Crowe and co-owner James Packer waived a $7 million loan to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, easing the club’s financial burden.
Crowe often brings big name actors to the box to watch his beloved Souths. Here he is pictured with Avengers star Chris Hemsworth in the background
Crowe still owns 25 percent of the club, even after Holmes a Court walked away and Crowe himself ran into financial trouble
Before the 2022 season, the Rabbitohs brought in a new partial owner, Mike Cannon-Brookes, founder of Atlassian, who acquired a one-third stake in the club’s management firm alongside Crowe and Packer.
Today, these three owners own 75 percent of the Rabbitohs, while the remaining 25 percent remains in the hands of fans.
“Did I have any idea what we could accomplish when I took this on?” he wondered when asked by former Rabbitohs star Dean Widders on NITV.
“You know, no man,” Crowe said.
‘I was just taking a point. I just had this instinct that if someone was in charge, a single voice, so that people would work towards one set of ambitions, then we had a chance to combine all the love that was there.
“People wanted Souths to be successful. We still had a very high membership, even though we finished in last place every year.’