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The Gold Coast Bulletin: Crowe directs play - 30Jan06 HE'S won an Oscar as a gladiator, but yesterday Russell Crowe took
on a new role The Mediator.
Crowe was called on to extinguish a potentially explosive situation
at the annual Orara Valley Axemen sevens rugby league tournament he
sponsors at Coramba, just outside of Coffs Harbour.
Led by former Gold Coast Chargers halfback Wes Patten, Sydney team
Moore Park Broncos staged a protest before the semi-final of the tournament,
claiming they had been robbed of victory in the preceding quarter-final.
Patten and his teammates refused to leave the field to allow the
team that beat them, Lebanon, and Malta start their match.
But following several tense minutes, Patten and his team left after
Crowe intervened.
The world-famous actor spoke to Patten and calmed him down, allowing
the tournament to continue.
He may be painted as a Hollywood bad boy after brawling and phone-throwing
incidents, but Crowe showed nothing but class yesterday.
"I probably do a lot more mediating in my professional life than
you realise," said Crowe with a laugh after placating Patten.
"I've known him
(Patten) for quite a long time.
"The players
are passionate. It is a game that calls for it.
"You can't play
this game sitting back on your hands. You have to get involved.
You can go through that passionate thing and make a protest.
"But as long
as there are avenues for conversation, you can redirect that into
a positive thing.
"Those guys will
look back on this thing and say that the result didn't go their
way, but at the same time they competed really well.
"Everyone is
going to relax and enjoy their weekend now."
The drama started after Moore Park were denied a try at what they
claimed was a vital part of the game.
The referee at first awarded the try until he realised a touch judge
had raised his flag to indicate a player had earlier run out.
He reversed the decision that would have put Moore Park ahead, and
Lebanon, the eventual winners of the tournament, won 28-18.
The protest started when Lebanon went on to the field for the semi-final,
and Patten and his teammates invaded the playing area.
They left only once Crowe agreed to talk to them. He followed Patten
back to his team tent, then listened attentively as the heated halfback
called for a replay of the match with Lebanon. Crowe calmly told Patten
something most learn as a child playing rugby league.
"The ultimate rule in this ball game is the referee's call," he
said.
Eventually the pair retired to a nearby shed away from the crowd,
and when Crowe emerged victorious, the tournament continued.
"In every game a shift of momentum can change a game, but in the
end the result is the result," he said later.
The incident was the only drama in another highly successful weekend
for Crowe and his local side, Orara Valley.
Like the inaugural competition last year, thousands turned out and
watched Lebanon defeat Fiji in a tight final.
The crowd also got the first look at a Gold Coast Titans side which
joins the National Rugby League next year.
Head coach John Cartwright's young side battled well to finish equal
fifth out of 36.
The success of the tournament ensured Crowe, who jetted in especially
from Tamworth after performing at the Country Music Awards on Saturday
night, will be back next year.
"The committee here for a number of years kept throwing up ideas
for fundraising and bringing the community together," said Crowe.
"They were successful
to a certain degree but the sevens idea, when they came up with
it, I said, 'now you have got it'."
But as for the chance of there ever being a sequel to his Oscar
winning Gladiator, a film titled Mediator?
"Write the script, son," he
said.
"You have had
time to think about it, so whip it up over the weekend."
Sport, Page 20 Thanks, BarbieCat |