THE moment arrived two hours before kick-off. South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe and star recruit Sam Burgess, a player the Oscar-winning actor personally convinced to swap the north of England for the south of Sydney, took a casual stroll along the sidelines before stopping beside the posts at the southern end of Redfern Oval.
Crowe reached into his pocket and pulled out a South Sydney membership card for Burgess's late father Mark, who died from motor neurone disease three years ago. Written on the card were two quotes Burgess's father would tell him before each game.
Tears welled in the recruit's eyes. Crowe gave him a hug. The hardy souls who had braved the wind and rain to arrive early must have wondered what was going on.
The most-hyped recruit in the Rabbitohs' recent history, who nursed his father through the final months of his life, was about to make his debut and he was crying like a baby.
"It was pretty special," Burgess said.
"It made the day really good, something I will never forget . . . a touching moment and really thoughtful of the club and Russell.
"It was a bit emotional. It got a little bit upsetting because I wish my dad could still be here."
Burgess has only been in the country a matter of months, but Rabbitohs fans have already embraced him. When he was presented to the crowd before kick-off, receiving his jersey from club legend Mario Fenech, there was thunderous applause.
Even the weather gods turned it on for Burgess. Rain lashed the ground for most of the afternoon. Suddenly Redfern bore an uncanny resemblance to Bradford.
Burgess only played 20 minutes, but it was enough time to show why Crowe chased him with such vigour. In the opening minutes he knocked the ball from Ben Shorter's grasp with a savage hit.
After Manly raced to a 12-0 lead, it was Burgess who inspired the comeback. First, he put fullback Josh Mansour through a gaping hole. A try was in the offing. Only one problem - Mansour forgot to hold on to the ball.
The next time opportunity knocked, Burgess answered himself, reaching out to score. That was enough for coach John Lang. At the end of the first quarter, he wrapped Burgess in cotton wool.
Still, by playing against Manly, Burgess had achieved something he and his father spoke about in the years preceding his death.
"I told my dad I would come over here at some stage of my career," Burgess said. "Even if I had a shocker, he would have just been happy I have done what I wanted to do. I have always wanted to come to Australia."
And the quotes? "I'm going to keep them a secret," he said.
Burgess spent the rest of the match, won 42-12 by Souths, signing autographs and cheering on his teammates. Nearly an hour after full-time, he was still accommodating the requests of the supporters. Souths have a new hero. So does the NRL.