Inside Russell Crowe’s Souths ‘power struggle’ with Australian tech billionaire as Hollywood star’s club faces its biggest drama in 20 years

Russell Crowe is reportedly locked in a power struggle with tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes as Souths co-owners deal with the fallout from the biggest dramas to hit the club in 20 years.

The Hollywood star is widely credited with playing a leading role in turning the Rabbitohs into a footballing force when he and businessman Peter Holmes a Court bought 75 per cent of the team in 2006.

He has since been joined by Cannon-Brookes and James Packer, with the trio now each owning a 25 per cent stake in the club, with the remaining quarter belonging to Souths members.

Once hailed as the man who returned Souths to the “pride of the league” after taking control of the club in 2006, there are now clear signs that the Hollywood star’s influence within the club is growing to disappear.

Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes (pictured third right with Souths players and current CEO Blake Solly, third left) is increasing his influence with the Bunnies after spending millions to buy a stake in the club in 2021.

Recent events surrounding the sacking of Jason Demetriou after he presided over a shocking run of poor form have shown that Crowe’s influence at the club is waning.

It was revealed the Gladiator star had backed Demetriou to the hilt just hours before his sacking on Tuesday, telling him: “I support you.”

But despite Crowe’s eagerness for the coach to have the chance to turn things around, the board voted unanimously to let him go.

The 60-year-old also reportedly tried to convince former Bunnies CEO Shane Richardson to return to the club, which would amount to a huge vote of no confidence in current chief executive Blake Solly.

And he’s barely on speaking terms with club president Nick Pappas, according to Fox Sports, with the publication also claiming that Crowe had several phone conversations with “supercoach” Wayne Bennett to try to convince him to return to the team .

Crowe backed Jason Demetriou (pictured) to the hilt just hours before he was sacked as manager on Tuesday – but the board had very different ideas about the direction the club should take.

Pappas supported Cannon-Brookes when he purchased his stake in the Bunnies in November 2021, saying his addition to the top brass gave the club a foothold in the “uptown”.

“Mike is internationally known for his business acumen and philanthropy, both of which will provide excellent opportunities for the Rabbitohs,” Pappas said.

If Cannon-Brookes and his board representative, financial guru Kelly Morton, agreed with Crowe when voting on Demetriou’s future, there’s every chance he would still be on the side Bunnies thanks to their combined voting power.

Cannon-Brookes and Morton are believed to be receiving growing support from the Southern powers, and both were seen in the dressing room recently as the club won just one of their opening seven games to fall last on the scale.

Following Demetriou’s dismissal, Solly denied there were any divisions at the top level of the team.

Crowe is said to be barely on speaking terms with Rabbitohs chairman Nick Pappas (pictured right), who was full of praise for Cannon-Brookes when he joined the club.

Crowe’s stake in the club was diluted by the addition of heavyweights Cannon-Brookes and James Packer to the ownership structure

“The fact that the decision was unanimous shows that they agree on the decision,” he said, referring to the board of directors.

“Any board that doesn’t give something like this the discussion and deliberation it deserves is not doing its job…that’s the sign of a good board, not a dysfunctional board of directors.”

Last year, Crowe clashed with club great Sam Burgess when he accused Demetriou of giving special treatment to stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker and not being tough enough on the team in his together.

While the two men patched things up, it was an early sign of Crowe’s desire to defend Demetriou despite strong signs – such as the club going from top spot after Matchday 11 last year to missing the final – that the team was slipping under his stewardship.

And while Crowe stuck to his guns on that front earlier this week, the rest of the powers that be — including Cannon-Brookes — have been unequivocal in their call to move on.