George Piggins – the man who saved South Sydney – received a massive boost in his battle with serious illness on Friday.
In a show of the special brotherhood that rugby league creates, Darren Brown, Les Davidson, Michael Andrews and Darryl Neville – who were all coached by Piggins at the Rabbitohs in the 1980s – visited their one-time mentor in hospital.
And the impact on the legend who fought the News Limited and NRL empires to bring the Bunnies back into the big league was immediate.
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Piggins is struggling with dementia and other major health concerns – but the smile on his face said it all.
“His carer said it’s the most happy and active he’s been in a while when we visited,” Brown told Wide World of Sports.
“We spent some quality time with him, had a few laughs and talked about old times.”He wasn’t in a position to speak, his speech is very soft.
“But we could tell how much it meant to him.”
A former Souths hooker, Piggins then coached the club – for free – and led the fight for reinstatement to the game after officials cruelly booted the Rabbitohs out of the old ARL competition for two years.
Soon after his beloved club was reinstated, Piggins walked away due to differences with Souths Sydney’s new owners, triggering a 17-year split that was only recently mended.
Only a few months ago, Piggins was recognised for his contribution to the game when he was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.