Russell Crowe on warpath with NRL over Rabbitohs exclusion from new women’s competition
MARCH 29, 2018RUSSELL Crowe has slammed the NRL as “ignorant” while revealing South Sydney are demanding answers from boss Todd Greenberg as to why they were overlooked for an historic women’s league team licence.
In the wake of the NRL’s controversial and shock decision to reject the Rabbitohs and Cronulla - two leaders in the growth and promotion of the women’s game - from the new NRL women’s competition, Crowe has weighed into the widespread confusion over the decision with all of his Hollywood muscle.
Having understood that Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly had described the entire process of licence inclusion “shambolic”, Crowe said Souths had already moved to request answers from the NRL.
“The club is waiting for the NRL to clarify its decision making process,’’ Crowe told The Daily Telegraph, in a statement.
Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe has lashed out at the NRL over its handling of the women’s competition.
“We have reasons to believe that ours was infact the best and most developed proposal put forward and we are dismayed and bewildered they have chosen to exclude us and ignore the years of work and the achievements to date of the team that would have represented us .
“It’s a pointless, ignorant step to exclude us as a club and put South Sydney women on the back burner.’’
It was on Tuesday that the NRL announced the Sydney Roosters, St George-Illawarra, New Zealand and Brisbane had won the right to be part of a four team inaugural women’s competiton.
Even with the benefit of 24-hours to consider the NRL’s decision to block the Rabbitohs and Sharks from entering the competition, former Jillaroo Allana Ferguson said it continued to defy belief.
The launch of the women’s competition was overshadowed by anger from the Rabbitohs and Sharks. Picture: Brett Costello
“With the global ground swell of womens sport and the pathway female league player have laid over decades, the time for a bold action was seen and taken,’’ Ferguson said.
“The Sharks promotion of the women’s league encouraged the games bureaucrats to take notice.
“While I recognise that decisions were made based on geographic locations, the exclusion of some clubs defies belief.
“The Cronulla Sharks have the established framework while South Sydney have the proven capacity to historically develop top level female Rugby League teams.’’
Crowe’s vocal response to his club’s major blow also emerged as over 5,000 people - and counting - have signed a petition for the NRL to produce an extraordinary backflip and grant Cronulla a women’s league team licence.
The Sharks were also dudded and even had a major jersey sponsor ready to go.
Beth Barclay took to change.org on Wednesday, commencing a petition called “The Cronulla Sharks Women’s team to be included in the NRL.’’
“Hearing the news that the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Football Club Women’s League will not be entered the NRL has outraged fans far and wide,’’ Barclay wrote.
“The Sharks Women’s League have been in the frontline in promoting Women in League with their football team as well as hosting the Women’s World Cup at Shark Park in 2017.
“Please sign and share to show your support to the Sharks Women and show the NRL how passionate we are about our team and we should be included in the NRL.’’
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RUSSELL Crowe has slammed the NRL as “ignorant” while revealing South Sydney are demanding answers from boss Todd Greenberg as to why they were overlooked for an historic women’s league team licence.
In the wake of the NRL’s controversial and shock decision to reject the Rabbitohs and Cronulla - two leaders in the growth and promotion of the women’s game - from the new NRL women’s competition, Crowe has weighed into the widespread confusion over the decision with all of his Hollywood muscle.
Having understood that Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly had described the entire process of licence inclusion “shambolic”, Crowe said Souths had already moved to request answers from the NRL.
“The club is waiting for the NRL to clarify its decision making process,’’ Crowe told The Daily Telegraph, in a statement.
Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe has lashed out at the NRL over its handling of the women’s competition.
“We have reasons to believe that ours was infact the best and most developed proposal put forward and we are dismayed and bewildered they have chosen to exclude us and ignore the years of work and the achievements to date of the team that would have represented us .
“It’s a pointless, ignorant step to exclude us as a club and put South Sydney women on the back burner.’’
It was on Tuesday that the NRL announced the Sydney Roosters, St George-Illawarra, New Zealand and Brisbane had won the right to be part of a four team inaugural women’s competiton.
Even with the benefit of 24-hours to consider the NRL’s decision to block the Rabbitohs and Sharks from entering the competition, former Jillaroo Allana Ferguson said it continued to defy belief.
The launch of the women’s competition was overshadowed by anger from the Rabbitohs and Sharks. Picture: Brett Costello
“With the global ground swell of womens sport and the pathway female league player have laid over decades, the time for a bold action was seen and taken,’’ Ferguson said.
“The Sharks promotion of the women’s league encouraged the games bureaucrats to take notice.
“While I recognise that decisions were made based on geographic locations, the exclusion of some clubs defies belief.
“The Cronulla Sharks have the established framework while South Sydney have the proven capacity to historically develop top level female Rugby League teams.’’
Crowe’s vocal response to his club’s major blow also emerged as over 5,000 people - and counting - have signed a petition for the NRL to produce an extraordinary backflip and grant Cronulla a women’s league team licence.
The Sharks were also dudded and even had a major jersey sponsor ready to go.
Beth Barclay took to change.org on Wednesday, commencing a petition called “The Cronulla Sharks Women’s team to be included in the NRL.’’
“Hearing the news that the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Football Club Women’s League will not be entered the NRL has outraged fans far and wide,’’ Barclay wrote.
“The Sharks Women’s League have been in the frontline in promoting Women in League with their football team as well as hosting the Women’s World Cup at Shark Park in 2017.
“Please sign and share to show your support to the Sharks Women and show the NRL how passionate we are about our team and we should be included in the NRL.’’
