Long-time South Sydney patriarch George Piggins will attend Sunday’s NRL grand final against Canterbury and intends to finally bury the hatchet with owner Russell Crowe if the pair cross paths at ANZ Stadium, after years of acrimony.
Piggins walked away from his 42-year association with the Rabbitohs after Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court won an ownership vote for the club in 2006.
The 69-year-old vowed never to again attend an NRL fixture, such was the depth of the feud, amid claims the Hollywood star and his co-owner hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on Piggins and his family.
But the former Australian representative’s stance has softened since then.
Piggins, who played hooker in Souths’ last premiership triumph in 1971, is a former Rabbitohs chairman and coach and was at the head of the march that led to the club’s reinstatement to the NRL confirmed on 2KY’s Big Sports Breakfast on Wednesday he will be at the game after $120,000 was raised for charity.
“I’m off to the game it is for a good cause, I probably wished I had kept my mouth shut, it is for a good cause,” Piggins said.
“I will stay to the end, I will put it that way.
“To say that I haven’t missed football (isn’t true), I definitely have. It was a matter of principle I have stayed away so long.
“I guess I am just stubborn.
“It was pretty personal the fight with Russell and Holmes a Court … at some point it went too far.
“I would shake hands (with Crowe), you grow up, I’m 70 you have to realise it is a game.
“I would shake hands, I wouldn’t try to embarrass the man.
“I am looking forward to it.
“I started in 1964 and I left the club in 2006, so I had a lot of years there, it will be good, especially if they can win it.”
Crowe has repeatedly attempted to broker peace with Piggins and involve him with the club since he took ownership only to be rebuffed each time.
Piggins says he is confident he won’t be a member of the last Souths side to win a premiership come Sunday night.
“They played really well against the Roosters, that is the best I have seen them play,” he said.
“I watch them every time they are on TV.
“It will be a tough game, losing the hooker is a big blow, but the Burgess brothers, (Ben) Te’o, I think they will perform.”
Piggins said he felt for hooker Issac Luke who will miss the decider due to suspension.
“It is a shocking day but what do you do?” he said.
“You have rules you play by.
“I think that is where it gets to, especially when that young bloke from Newcastle gets injured so badly, I guess they have their hands tied.”
With Souths no longer possessing a leagues club, Piggins was unsure where the celebrations would take place if Souths win.
“They have nowhere to celebrate which is sad, maybe they will go to the Juniors (club), (but) I’ll be going to the game and going home.”
woodart
Guest
what? media manipulation to increase circulation? never!!! what next? adverts disguised as news??!!!
Nate
Guest
Also, more concerned why George would be willing to do a deal with such shady characters as News Ltd, John Elias, etc than just getting over it and shaking Russell's hand. I don't want to support the guy who bought us out, so I will do a deal with the organisation that forced that need in the first place. What a joke. My dad always told me George was stubborn as hell as a teenager, no surprise to see he's even more so as an old man.
Nate
Guest
The gutting of the 1989 team left me heart broken as a kid. Never the same after that.
Nate
Guest
Yeah, born in 78 and raised in Armidale on stories of Souths legends as my family had grown up in Botany. I do remember seeing Souths/Cronulla in Armidale and Souths/Cantebury in Tamworth at pre-season games early in the 90s. I've also attended games in Melbourne whenever Souths were in town during the 6 years I lived there. I also followed closely the goings on at the time we were kicked out whilst I was living overseas in the mid to late 90's. However, I have never been to a Souths game in Sydney. Does this mean I am not a fan?
bilbo
Guest
swans
Midfielder
Guest
Steve So long ago now but my memory is in line with your post. The simple facts are South's were woefully managed ... more like park team than a top say 30 professional team in the country. The arguing between South's juniors and the Leagues club with both having poor management led to very poor on field performances and key player retention which in time led to smaller than you expect crowds... thus sponsors fall away and the cycle continues down.. I never had an issue with Souths either staying in or going the way of the Jets .. but my personal recollections are a management team who failed to understand modern sports management i.e having some key players and a position on the table to get crowd revenue and sponsors... As I posted earlier much of the poor admin and management that was the real cause of there problems is lost in the rally around the flag and we won ... South's need to look to the sky and say thanks for the two C's getting involved ... as without them I am sure history would have repeated itself...
Bondy
Guest
Accurate post Mid ...
Steve
Guest
Midfielder I'm pretty sure he was part of management during the late 80s early 90's. Correct me if I'm wrong but it was largely due to him that South's went from minor premiers in 1989 to wooden spooners 12 months later. He sacrificed success on the footy field in exchange for keeping the Leagues Club viable. The Rabbits lost half their side during the off season because he wasn't willing to pay the players what they were worth. The ironic thing was that the Leagues Club hadn't contributed to the Footy side of things for years anyway. That was Souths Juniors.
Peter
Guest
I'll give George the hatchet.
Midfielder
Guest
Peter Also very true...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Nobody does fairweather like Souths... ...except maybe the Roosters...
ranga
Guest
live and let live fellas, you only live once so make as much of it as you can.
The Barry
Roar Guru
C'mon Matt...where's there's a wil there's a way.
peter
Guest
Not one mention of Nicholas Pappas - without his work in the Court cases Souths would not be there at all. He is currently chairman of the football club and has been able to manage it successfully for many years.
Midfielder
Guest
Very true Parrafan, however I am unsure if George was part of the management prior to Souths being kicked out ... My main point is poor management almost sent South's to the wall ... and Piggins dragged Souths back into the competition but was not the person to lead them after that... sorta like Churchill after WWII a good leader in a fight but hopeless in running after the war .. l
Parrafan
Guest
No doubt Midfielder, and I think a lot of people can accept that. But one thing with Piggins is that without him, Crowe and Holmes a Court would'nt have a club to get running in top shape.
Midfielder
Guest
With all the rosy eyes its sometimes worth remembering the past and have a look at management. George saved Souths ... but he was not the person to lead them forward after saving them ... his ideas kept South's down... George should have stayed for a year or so then stepped back and given the future management to someone else... but boy that is a tough call to make when everyone is patting you on the back... Crowe & Court appointed a decent management team to run the club... But this should not blind everyone to how poorly South's were run post 1971 ... the way the story is re written today belies and ignores how poor their management was and it was essentially this that led to them being kicked out ... and the fact you had [still have] so many teams within a small area. I applaud Piggins & Crowe however the truth is until the two C's came along the management of Souths was very poor ... and that was a huge problem which held them back for decades..
Parrafan
Guest
If you read all the articles in the Herald, it would make it apparent that both Piggins, Crowe and Holmes A Court all deserve accolades for saving Souths. Piggins was the man who said it was better to die than merge post super league. Piggins also mortgaged his home and his house and led the movement and the march to get South reinstated in the league. Crowe and Holmes A Court then provided the dollars and the clout to ensure the Rabbitohs rise to the top of the league. Both contributed. Your above statement that Souths wouldn't have been kicked out if they had crowds is a rubbish statement and completely leaves out the history of the superleague wars and the pressure from Newscorp to tear down a foundation club.
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Good onya Dave. It's gone from 300 to 500 at a game. I went to games in the dark periods, including 1990 when they won 2 games and lost 20 and they never had crowds as poor as you are suggesting. You have zero credibility mate.
Matt
Guest
I was 13-14 years old and lived 6 hours away from Sydney. Does that make me less of a fan?