NRL: Russell Crowe trying to lure Kieran Foran to South Sydney

Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe watches on during the round three NRL match between the St George Dragons and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Photo / Getty Images

Russell Crowe and South Sydney are making a play to take troubled Kiwi Kieran Foran away from the Warriors.

The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed Crowe is considering making a play for Foran to join the Rabbitohs in 2018.

The club is banking on Foran being readmitted to the NRL and wanting to return to Sydney where his children live. The Warriors are currently waiting for Foran, who is training with them, to be cleared to play for the Auckland-based franchise in 2017.

Warriors officials are confident that will happen and ultimately want to secure Foran, who has been plagued by mental health issues and links to match-fixing and Sydney underworld figures, on a long-term contract.

But Crowe has other ideas.

Foran is only currently looking at a one-year deal with the Warriors and wants to keep his options open around being close to his children.

"The process of considering Kieran Foran's registration is ongoing," an NRL spokesperson said.

Foran has only committed to the Warriors for one season and has told those close to him he wants to return to Sydney the following year to be closer to his young children.

But the Warriors want him to be the vanguard of their side alongside Kiwi team-mates Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Club CEO Jim Doyle believes Foran can find stability in his personal life in Auckland.

If Foran is readmitted to the NRL and finds the form that secured Manly a premiership and made New Zealand the No.1 test side in the world, he will find plenty of suitors.

The Rabbitohs, who made discreet enquiries about Foran before he signed with the Warriors, are likely to be joined by Canterbury, now coached by Des Hasler who oversaw the Kiwi's rise at Manly.

"He only wanted a one-year deal so he can come back to Sydney to be close to his family and benefit from any rise in the salary cap," a source close to Foran told the Sydney Morning Herald.