James Packer’s feud with billionaire Roosters chairman Nick Politis is reportedly over.
The pair had not been on speaking terms for more than 10 years when their close friendship came to a sudden, bitter end.
Now, The Sydney Morning Herald reports the pair are beginning to quietly mend their rift following a meeting in Las Vegas this month.
According to the report, it was Roosters board member and mutual acquaintance Mark Bouris that pushed for the secret meeting to take place and convinced Packer to reach out to Politis during the NRL’s season-opening blockbuster in Las Vegas.
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The trio reportedly sat down for coffee at the Wynn Hotel.
The meeting ended 10 years of silence with Packer revealing in 2013 that Politis had refused to speak to him following his decision to buy up a stake in the Rabbitohs — the Roosters’ biggest rival.
When Packer organised a $3 million sponsorship deal between his Crown Resorts and South Sydney in 2013, the son of Kerry Packer confirmed rumours of a rift with Politis.
Packer spent time on the Roosters board of directors before jumping ship to the Rabbitohs as a result of the friendship he shared with Hollywood star Russell Crowe.
Crowe has been a co-owner of the Rabbitohs for a long time and now shares a 25 per cent stake in the NRL club — the same stake as Packer.
While many at the time viewed Packer’s move a betrayal to Politis — who famously loathes the rival club — Packer has been gracious when speaking about the situation publicly.
“I love Nick Politis,’’ Packer said at the time.
“He’s a hero to me. Nick hasn’t spoken to me since Crown sponsored Souths — but I still love him.”
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Packer previously said it was Crowe that revived his interest in the game having said he was left “disillusioned” following the code’s infamous civil war between the ARL and rebel Super League.
“I lost a lot of my love for rugby league during the Super League war. It was a fight I didn’t enjoy,” he said.
“Souths have given me back some of that love and enthusiasm for the game. Russell’s enthusiasm for life is contagious.”
Another key factor in the Politis-Packer relationship breaking down is the casino kingpin’s infamous punch up with former Nine boss David Gyngell.
Politis and Gyngell have also shared a long friendship.
According to the SMH, there is still water to go under the bridge before Politis and Packer exchange Christmas cards this year.
Source Agencies
