The NZ Sunday News 4-29-07:

RUSSELL Crowe has invoked the fighting spirit of his Gladiator role to urge Kiwis to get behind his bid for sporting glory.

Crowe has packed his South Sydney side with New Zealand league warriors to lead the strugglers to NRL glory  and now he wants our league fans to join the Rabbitohs' heroic comeback.

"This is the greatest underdog story in sports,'' Hollywood superstar Crowe told the Sunday News in an exclusive interview.

"(Souths) is a team that has been on its heels for 35 years. It's a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1989.

"Every underdog can understand this story. And being a New Zealander and knowing the psychology of the country, I know they'd be attracted to this story because like most New Zealanders the people that I have always been attracted to is the person that needs to work the most and dream the hardest.

"And that's what this is with this club and that's why I feel we are a genuine alternative for New Zealand NRL fans.

"Everyone knows (New Zealand) is the underdog at most things. There's no denying that and that's something that shouldn't be shunned it should be embraced.''

Crowe, who won an Oscar playing heroic general-turned- gladiator Maximus in Gladiator  inspired Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, Nigel Vagana and Jeremy Smith to join their Kiwi compatriots David Faalogo and Joe Galuvao at Souths.

The New Zealand-born league stars will do battle today with a Warriors side that ironically contains eight Australians.

A Rabbitohs TV campaign is cheekily previewing its Telstra Stadium clash with the "South Sydney Warriors'' with a cartoon of New Zealand decked out in Souths' Red and Green strips.

Souths-co-owner Crowe will oversee his first-ever clash with the Auckland-based Warriors  and he says for the first time in Warriors history, New Zealand fans have a genuine alternative club to support.

The blue-collar suburbs of Redfern and Waterloo, which make up South Sydney, are packed with Kiwi ex-pats.

"Rugby league has always been about territory. Since Super League and inflated salaries have come into the game that has been eroded somewhat. But when it comes to territory New Zealand is a part of South Sydney. So it was always a clean and easy way of convincing New Zealandersthat Souths were a real alternative for them to support because they could have a personal connection with the team,'' Crowe said.

"We want to create a team that embraces the rugby league community in its totality. We place emphasis on strength, leadership and courage and we want ways of achieving those things from all of lots of different areas.

"It can be from David Peachey and Dean Widders (Aboriginal), or Roy Asotasi (Polynesian New Zealander) David Kidwell or Jeremy Smith (Maori) or Peter Cusack (Australian). You want to get your influences from all sorts of people. We don't want to cut ourselves short and just do things one way.''

Critics have said Crowe's cash has been behind Souths early- season stunning form  the side was sitting third on the NRL ladder after beating the Roosters, Eels, Cronulla and last year's grand finalists the North Queensland Cowboy.

The Rabbitohs' Armani uniforms drew claims of "you've bought your success''.

But Crowe laughs off the jibes.

"You can't spend more than the salary cap. There's no room to be creative within those mathematics. Success, if it comes, will ultimately be down to the players. If they decide they want the success enough it will happen,'' he said.

"You can't buy success in the NRL.  The players have to work for it and that's why I think New Zealanders will buy into the story because if we start to win it because of the players.

"It will be because guys like Roy and Jeremy and Nigel have decided that this red and green strip and white or black rabbit means so much to them that they are going to take themselves and the club to a different place.''

* Souths v Warriors

SIDEBAR

SOUTH Sydney are upping the ante in the battle for New Zealand's rugby league heart.

The Kiwis-packed franchise have been the story of the 2007 NRL and after six rounds were sitting in third place, one spot ahead of the New Zealand War riors.

Cricket legend Martin Crowe, cousin of Souths' owner Russell Crowe, has been charged with capitalising on the club's growing profile in New Zealand.

"Everywhere I go people stop me and want to talk about Souths,'' said Martin, a Souths board member.

"Because of the strong Kiwi connection in the playing side New Zealanders, if they aren't watching the Warriors, are watching Souths.''

Martin wants Souths fans to email him and register their support for the club.

Special merchandise deals, game viewing nights and trips to Sydney to support the team will be organised for the supporters club.

"As a club we want to reach out to those people that are looking for an alternative NRL team to support and make them feel good about supporting the Rabbitohs from afar,'' he said.