Player trades that rocked rugby league revealed — 50 years after Dennis Tutty’s stand against restraint of trade
As the NRL’s red-hot transfer market dominates headlines over the off-season, we recall the 11 most shocking player moves in rugby league history.
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It’s 50 years since Dennis Tutty sacrificed the best years of his rugby league career to pave the path for future generations on player contracts.
To mark the milestone we reveal 11 player trades that rocked rugby league.
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Ron Coote
South Sydney to Eastern Suburbs, 1972
One of the first beneficiaries of Dennis Tutty’s stance against the NSWRFL. After 151 games for Souths, Coote switched to Easts, played 108 games and won back-to-back titles in 1974-75. It completed an amazing decade for Coote, who played in nine grand finals in 11 seasons from 1965 to 1975, winning four premierships at Souths before defecting.
Bob Fulton
Manly to Eastern Suburbs, 1977
In 219 appearances over 11 years, Fulton became Manly’s greatest point scorer and won three premierships in 1972, 1973 and 1976. After captaining Manly to that third premiership, Fulton stunned rugby league by signing with Easts. He went onto captain the Kangaroos while at the club, before going into coaching. Manly still held him in such high esteem they made him a life member while he was still playing for the Roosters.
Ray Brown, John Dorahy, Les Boyd
Western Suburbs to Manly, 1980
The heated Fibros v Silvertails rivalry came to a head when Manly CEO Ken Arthurson outlaid big money to poach superstar Magpie trio Les Boyd, John Dorahy and Ray Brown to the Sea Eagles. The cash-strapped Wests were no match for Manly’s cheque book and the conjecture over their futures derailed the Magpies’ 1979 finals series.
Steve Rogers
Cronulla to St George, 1983
Following 10 years and 200 games for the Sharks, including captaining them in the famous 1978 grand final draw with Manly and the subsequent replay, Cronulla’s perilous financial position led him to sign for bitter rivals St George in 1983. After two years, Rogers returned home but broke his jaw in his first game back.
Anthony Mundine
St George to Brisbane, 1997
Mundine was one of the brightest stars in the game. Coming off the 1996 grand final defeat to Manly, he quit the Dragons to join the Broncos in Super League. Although he returned to St George a year later before quitting rugby league in 2000 to embark on a successful boxing career.
Wally Lewis
Brisbane to Gold Coast, 1991
The Queensland Origin legend and inaugural Broncos captain was unceremoniously let go by coach Wayne Bennett at the end of Brisbane’s third season in the ARL, with Bennett saying he needed to retain younger talent than the 31-year-old. He played two seasons at the Gold coast before retiring.
Brad Fittler
Penrith Panthers to Sydney Roosters, 1996
Phil Gould lured the Kangaroos captain and arguably the game’s premier player into a shock move to the Roosters from Penrith, where he debuted as a teenager and played in two grand finals, winning one. He led the Chooks to four grand finals, winning one.
Gorden Tallis
St George to Brisbane, 1997
The Raging Bull spent four years with the Dragons but signed with the Broncos at the beginning of Super League. However, when the competition was put on hold for a year, Tallis tried to buy out the final year of his Dragons deal. When St George rejected the offer, Tallis sat out the entire 1996 season before linking with Brisbane in 1997.
Greg Inglis
Melbourne to South Sydney, 2011
The Storm’s salary cap problems made Inglis’s place in Melbourne uncertain. In August 2010, he initially agreed to join Brisbane on a two-year deal. However, no deal was signed as contributing factors played out behind the scenes. The Broncos ultimately pulled out of signing Inglis, paving the way for him to join South Sydney, two weeks later, on a three-year deal.
Cooper Cronk
Melbourne to Sydney Roosters, 2019
The biggest signing in recent history. After a successful 14-year career with the Storm, the No.1 halfback in the game finished his Melbourne career with a premiership and then joined the Roosters on a two-year deal. In his first season, Cronk’s Roosters beat the Storm in the 2018 grand final, and went back-to-back 12 months later.
Latrell Mitchell
Sydney Roosters to South Sydney, 2020
Mitchell had just won back-to-back titles with the Roosters when he became distanced from the club, despite having 12 months to run on his deal. He didn’t go on an end-of-season trip with teammates, and rejected a rich deal to remain at Bondi. The Roosters withdrew the offer and he went on to sign with the Rabbitohs, reigniting the fierce local rivalry.
FREE-AGENCY PIONEER WANTS TRADE SYSTEM FIXED
The man who changed the landscape for free agency in Australian professional sport has called on the NRL to overhaul the player trade system that he says is no longer fair on fans.
Dennis Tutty’s stance comes on the 50th anniversary of his historic High Court victory against a system that originally prevented players switching clubs.
The now 75-year-old opened up about his courageous decision that ultimately cost him more than two years on the sidelines at the peak of his career, but paved the way for future generations in all sports.
At times during the interview Tutty was overcome with emotion while recalling the personal toll that included missing out on the Tigers’ famous 1969 grand final victory, while he never played another Test for Australia after commencing legal proceedings.
RLPA chief executive Clint Newton says Tutty needs to be honoured for his legacy.
“He should be in the NRL’s Hall of Fame,” Newton said.
“I mean, really, when you think about it, there is no greater sacrifice outside of those that went away to war.
“This guy took on Goliath … and he did it all on his own.
“When you consider the industry that we are in, and the finite time that you play the game, and he chose to sit out for two years based on something that was unjust, and also something that is a fundamental right for someone to choose who their employer is.
“Given the impact that it had on our game, let alone all the rest of the sports, it is something that is worth recognising and never forgetting.
“It wasn’t just rugby league (that benefitted). It was Australian sport.”
CALL FOR CHANGE
The man himself believes the modern trade system has also lost its way.
“I know back when I played and all the players I played with, if you signed a contract you honoured that contract,” Tutty said.
“And you had to play it out, no matter what.
“There was no going back on it once you signed it. I think you should honour your contract.”
He also says the NRL should change the current system that allows the Melbourne Storm’s Brandon Smith to sign with the Sydney Roosters with more than a season remaining on his existing deal.
“I am dead-set against all that,” Tutty said.
“I just don’t like what they are allowed to do.
“I mean, the officials can change it. If they want to change something (instead of introducing more rule changes) that is what they should be changing.”
COST OF COURAGE
Tutty was only 17 when he played in a first grade grand final for Balmain in his rookie year.
At the time he also had a dream of representing Australia at the Olympics in rowing.
In order to keep that dream alive he had to forgo getting paid as a professional footballer to still qualify as an amateur athlete.
But a few years down the track when football had taken priority, Tutty found he was still missing out.
Under the old rules a player could not sign elsewhere unless he was released by transfer.
So Tutty fronted then Tigers boss Kevin Humphreys to see if he could be put on the transfer list at the completion of his contract in 1968.
“They were buying English players and a couple of them couldn’t make first grade,” Tutty recalled.
“But at least they were getting a signing on fee and they were getting their medical expenses all covered, whereas I wasn’t.”
But when Tutty put his case to Humphreys at his office in the Balmain Leagues Club, he was told in no uncertain terms that playing at another club wasn’t an option.
“I don’t like speaking bad of people but he just poked his finger in my chest and he said, ‘You play for us under what we tell you, or’ he said, ‘you don’t play this game at all’.
“And I said, ‘You can’t do that’.”
So Tutty stood his ground.
He was initially one of several players that also included the legendary Arthur Beetson who made the decision to stand down from playing.
But while the others eventually worked out a deal, for more than two years Tutty’s career went nowhere while he took his fight through the courts.
He’d made his debut and only game for Australia in 1967 but never played another Test.
“It cost me a lot in my life,” he continued.
“They were probably the two best years of my career … (missing the grand final) was heartbreaking because I had played in two previous first grade grand finals, and we had won a second grade grand final.
“It was all leading up to something big. It would have been nice, but, anyway, it wasn’t to be.”
But ultimately it was his courage that opened the door for future generations.
Ron Coote was one of the first who took advantage of the change when he moved from South Sydney to Easts, then John O’Neill and Ray Branigan to Manly.
Tutty went to Penrith in 1972 and then the Roosters for ’75 but missed the grand final through injury.
Asked if he looked back with regrets, he said: “It was worth it. I was done a wrong by a person and I wanted to try and right that wrong.”
He choked back tears when told Newton wanted him inducted in the Hall of Fame.
For many years his deed went without any real recognition before the RLPA created the Dennis Tutty award to recognise outstanding leadership.
Even today Tutty was reluctant to mention Humphreys by name.
“I don’t like speaking ill of the dead,” he said.
“Artie made his peace with him but I couldn’t.”
These days he still stays fit, rowing on a machine each morning but he can’t get out on the water too often because of an old footy injury.
“I had a knee replacement that went horribly wrong,” he chuckled.
“They are the legacies of the game.
“But I wouldn’t have changed it in any other way. I really enjoyed playing football.”
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