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7th Tackle: Crowe enlists Hollywood star to help Bunnies

Billy Crystal a Rabbitohs Gem

Say what you like about South Sydney at the moment, but there’s no questioning the pulling power of their megastar co-owner Russell Crowe.

At a team dinner two weeks ago, Crowe arranged for fellow Hollywood megastar Billy Crystal to address the NRL squad and their partners. The shindig was held at the Opera House, with Crystal arriving by boat to join the function.

MORE: NRL Teams: Round 21

He was in Sydney as part of an Australia-wide comedy stage tour with another high profile Rabbitohs fan, Andrew Denton.

While some of the younger players didn’t recognize Crystal, more senior members of the team were buzzing about his surprise appearance. Forward Jason Clark ranks Crystal’s flick City Slickers among his favourites.

“We didn’t really get to meet him for too long, but it was a great surprise that Russell brought him there,” Clark said.

Crowe watches his Bunnies in action. Source: Getty
Crowe watches his Bunnies in action. Source: Getty

“The funny thing was that some of the younger boys didn’t know who he was at first. That made me feel a bit older.”

Sadly, Crystal’s pep talk has failed to break South Sydney’s losing run; the team dropping their subsequent games to Brisbane and Manly. The sight of Bryson Goodwin’s tears over re-fracturing his arm on Monday night was almost too much to bear.

Obviously, questions are now being asked whether the Kiwi centre was rushed back prematurely.

Cherry on top for Sharks

The Sharks have snared Wests Tigers hooker Manaia Cherrington.

Just two days after Michael Ennis announced his retirement, we can reveal Cherrington will join Cronulla next season on a 12-month deal. It appears Cherrington’s new contract was finalised before Sharks officials became aware of Ennis’s plan to hang-up the boots.

But the veteran’s shock decision now means Cherrington could be Cronulla’s No. 1 hooker in 2017; despite spending most of this season languishing in NSW Cup with the Tigers.

Cherrington has been an unhappy camper for most of the season at Concord, believing coach Jason Taylor has not fulfilled an off-season promise to give him a decent crack at first grade.

He was dropped in April and hasn’t figured in NRL calculations since. Not even Robbie Farah’s axing has opened the door for a recall; a clear indication the 21-year-old no longer features in Taylor’s plans.

The big question is whether Farah will follow him to the Sutherland Shire.

Our mail suggests the Sharks would be open to starting negotiations with Farah’s management; joining rivals St George Illawarra in the race to sign the NSW Origin hooker at a bargain price.

Why Jake is man to lead Manly

Attention, Sea Eagles fans. Sit back and enjoy this one. It’s one of our favourite anecdotes of 2016. Way back in Round 11 Manly travelled to Cronulla and, despite losing, the underdogs were far from disgraced.

After fulltime opposing young guns Tom Trbojevic and Jack Bird caught up on the field for a chinwag. The pair knew one another from junior representative teams. Their banter was lighthearted – and that didn’t sit well with a certain devastated Sea Eagle; none other than Tom’s brother Jake.

The annoyed older sibling marched across, grabbed ‘little’ Tom and dragged him into the losing sheds. Although he’s only 22, Jake Trbojevic is decidedly old school. He loathes the friendly chit chat and high-fiving between rival players, an exchange that’s become almost ritualistic in the modern-day game.

Instead, he takes every loss hard and has been spotted in tears more than once after Manly finished on the wrong end of the scoreboard. We thought such a level of personal investment had disappeared beneath an avalanche of selfies and Pokemon addicts.

The fact Trbojevic displays it as such a young age makes him a leading contender to assume the captaincy from Jamie Lyon next year.