Source: The Daily Telegraph
January 25, 2002
Russ and the Rabbitohs
FOUR days ago Russell Crowe was the toast of Hollywood as he proudly held his Golden Globe statuette for his performance in the movie A Beautiful Mind. Yesterday the international cinema star was having a ball back home in Coffs Harbour.
Instead of mixing with the likes of stars Nicole Kidman and Harrison Ford, Crowe was up the coast rubbing shoulders with his much-loved South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Crowe is an unabashed Souths fan, who once took Tom Cruise along to Sydney Football Stadium to watch the team play.
And he was a vocal supporter of the club in their fight to win reinstatement to the competition.
Six weeks ago the star of Gladiator invited the Rabbitohs up to Coffs Harbour for a training camp to help celebrate their return to the NRL competition.
He was also keen for them to have a run with his local team, the Orara Valley Axemen.
Souths' 30-man first grade squad and coaching staff flew to Coffs Harbour on Tuesday, where they have been in camp and conducting coaching clinics with the locals.
On Wednesday night they attended a function with Crowe's parents and his brother. Crowe, meanwhile, flew home from the US on Wednesday and spent the night in Sydney. True to his word, he arrived in Coffs Harbour yesterday to host last night's function for his favourite team.
In the afternoon he sat on the sideline and watched intently when the Rabbitohs had a training session with the Axemen. Proudly wearing a Souths cap, the bearded Crowe signed autographs for locals who turned up to see their most famous resident. The relaxed star was nothing like the image of a Hollywood "bad boy" as he is sometimes portrayed.
Guests at last night's invitation-only party included Souths top players, coach Craig Coleman, football manager Sean Garlick and chief executive Paul Dunn.
During the evening Crowe was also presented with an autographed and framed Rabbitohs jumper which is likely to take pride of place alongside his Academy Award and Golden Globe.
This has not been the first time the former Sydney High School student has invited Souths to his place. Between Christmas and New Year Paul Dunn, Garlick and coach Coleman attended a party at Crowe's farm with marquees set up to cater for the 150 guests.
"It was a terrific night and everything you would expect a Hollywood party to be like," Garlick said before heading off to last night's soiree.
source: The Sunday Telegraph
January 25, 2004
Crowe gets fighting fit
Many Australians have resolved to get fit this year, but few have thrown themselves into it with as much gusto as Russell Crowe.
Training for his new movie about American boxer Jim Braddock, Crowe is pushing himself through 11km runs and 9.5km kayak paddles from Woolloomooloo to the Spit Bridge, as well as improving his boxing at a Surry Hills gym.
Crowe is dreading the start of filming in Canada in March, saying that he's just not made for the chilly northern weather.
"When I arrive in a cold climate my body just goes brrrr," he told The Sunday Telegraph between workouts. "It's the coldest month there 37C below so you won't catch me running outside. I'll get all my heavy stuff done here first.
"I'll be training all the way through (filming), but not as much as I'm doing at the moment."
Reports from Hollywood say Crowe's new film will be directed by Ron Howard and is called Cinderella Man.
Set in New York during the Depression, it tells the true story of James Braddock (Crowe), who takes up boxing to make money to feed his family.
From gladiator, to maths genius, to ship's captain, and now a boxer, Crowe said that he enjoys learning new skills with each movie.
"Get some life experiences, build the character and move on. It's better than most jobs," he said.
Leaving his Woolloomooloo apartment on Friday, Crowe walked through to Surry Hills, passing a football with a mate.
Crowe enjoyed a quick game in a Surry Hills park before heading off to the business end of the day in the gym.
But his thoughts were never far from home. When asked how his new bub, Charles, was doing, Crowe said: "Really, really good".
Source: The Coffs Coast Advocate January 25, 2005
Much to Crowe about
By Mitchell Dale
MARK Carroll's Barbarians side proved the star attraction of the weekends Orara Valley Axemen rugby league Sevens tournament, featuring legends of the game like Gorden Tallis, Cliff Lyons, Tim Brasher and Russell Crowe.
Hang on a second. Russell Crowe?
Thats right, the Gladiator donned the boots and went into battle on Saturday night, making a surprise cameo appearance for the star-studded Barbarians against Armidale.
Crowes appearance was only brief but the Academy Award winner more than held his own in esteemed company, setting up a try for former Test fullback Robbie O'Davis.
"It was the realisation of a childhood dream," Crowe said.
"Mark Carroll played the ball to Cliff Lyons, who passed it to Paul McGregor who gave it to me, I dummied and held it up for Robbie O'Davis who scored.
"That's not a bad line-up."
Crowe said it was only a last-minute decision to have a run with the Barbarians, who were captained by former Test frontrower and Crowe's bodyguard and trainer Mark Carroll.
"Spud (Carroll) said I had to kick-off and then get off," Crowe said. "But the way the bounce of the ball went, I ended up staying on for about three or four minutes. It all started with Gorden Tallis saying in the papers that I would definitely be playing. We play a lot of touch at training and Spud is always bragging about what the two of us get up to when he runs off my hip. So a couple of the (Barbarians) players said prove it.
"The scariest thing was that I was given the kick-off and I was wearing a pair of borrowed boots. No one would give me a ball to practise with, so (the kick-off) was the first time I had kicked with those boots. Luckily it went well."
Crowe, who personally underwrote the event, confirmed he would sponsor the Sevens again next year. "It was a great family event with some wonderful skills shown on the field and some excited young kids who got to stand very close to their heroes," he said.
"The plan is to make it an annual event and we have already had interest from Japan and Tonga for next year as well as some murmurs from NRL clubs."
Orara Valley Axemen president Kevin Elks predicted even more big names will attend the tournament in 2006.
"(National Rugby League CEO) David Gallop said he would urge all NRL clubs to get involved next year and the North Sydney Old Boys and most of the Barbarians indicated they would be back," Elks said.
"South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson was here both days and was very supportive of the event. He has already said he will send a side up next year with six of their bigger names and six younger players."
Elks estimated around 10,000 footy fans went through the gates over the two days.
Source: unknown January 25, 2005
Singer and songwriter is not the way Russell Crowe is usually styled, but the actor has been recording tunes for some 20 years. And on Wednesday a televised concert for a 30,000-strong crowd in Canberra provided a showcase for his musical talents.
One of Oz's famous sons, he'd been called upon to headline with his new band, The Ordinary Fear Of God at the Australia Day gala celebrating the country's nationhood. As the brawny star let rip at the mike he got a warm reception from young fans on the lawn of Parliament House, where the event was being held.
Russell, whose previous outfit 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts released three albums between 1998 and 2003, has joked that keeping the same acronym is a way to save on merchandising. "That way we don't have to re-spray the road cases," he quipped.
His current download-only album My Hand, My Heart, was released through his own Gruntland label. The star's lyrics on the album have been widely praised, with his favorite songwriter, Billy Bragg, hailing one track Raewyn as "a beautiful, intimate song, which brought my morning to a halt".
