The South Sydney Rabbitohs have always been the pride of the league, one of the oldest and proudest teams in Rugby League. However their achievement of 20 Premierships has been tarnished by the fact they haven't won a premiership since 1971and have not made the finals since 1989.

To add to this misery there was the controversial decision by the NRL to drop them in 1999 leading to many court battles which eventually saw South Sydney win on appeal and regain admission into the 2002 competition. Since their return to the league they have continued their bad form, winning three wooden spoons and finishing in the bottom three in their other two seasons.

However after three rounds of this year's competition signs are looking good for a return to South's glory days, led by none other than Hollywood actor Russell Crowe.

As they head into their 100th year next season, possibly one of the biggest turning points of the club's long history came at the end of last year. High profile supporter Russell Crowe, along with close friend Peter Holmes a'Court put forward a takeover plan to South Sydney's members.

South Sydney had always been a club which prided itself on being community owned and run by its members, but the promise of success by Crowe and Holmes a Court brought a big victory for the two as the members voted in favour of the takeover bid. One of the biggest reasons for the approval by South Sydney's large group of members was that Crowe and Holmes a Court promised they would improve their on-field results or return the club to its people, which, after three straight victories, already seems to be unecessary.

In the off season Souths brought many high profile players including Nigel Vagana, David Kidwell, Roy Asotasi, Dean Widders and Joe Galuvao to add to a roster that already included veterans David Peachey and Peter Cusack as well as young guns Joe Williams, John Sutton, Beau Champion and try scoring wizard Nathan Merritt. To add to this list of incoming talent, Souths signed talented coach Jason Taylor, a former player with Wests, Norths, Northern Eagles and Parramatta.

After Parramatta and coach Brian Smith parted company midway through last season, the Eels elected Jason Taylor as their new head coach and the former half-back led Parramatta on a surge to the finals. The Rabbitohs saw Taylor's talent and hired him as their assistant coach but quickly promoted him to the top job, a move which has proved successful so far and could possibly be their biggest personnel improvement.

The Crowe and Holmes a Court takeover had many critics, but none could deny where their passion lay - and it was with the South Sydney club. Both men bleed red and green and have implemented a professional culture at the club, transforming everything from the dress code to the half-time entertainment.

Yet the biggest thing they have changed so far are the on-field results, with South Sydney already equalling the total number of wins from last year. Although having possibly the strangest name is professional sports, no one can doubt the green and red's contribution to the history of Rugby League, so it's no suprise that it's not only South's fans who are glad to see the 'pride of the league' back to their winning ways.

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