State of Origin 2021: NSW Blues put funeral of Bob Fulton first in build-up to Game One

The life of rugby league Immortal Bob Fulton will be honoured this week — and the NSW State of Origin team will play a fitting role.

The Blues will honour rugby league Immortal Bob Fulton.

The entire NSW Blues team will suspend their State of Origin build-up to attend the state funeral of rugby league Immortal Bob Fulton.

In an emotional and fitting tribute, Brad Fittler’s NSW squad and coaching staff will form a guard of honour during the ceremony to be held at St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday.

Manly and Blues forward Jake Trbojevic revealed he approached Fittler as soon as he realised the side’s training schedule would clash with Fulton’s funeral.

Not only did Fittler decide Trbojevic should be at the funeral, the NSW coach re-scheduled a training session on Friday to ensure the entire squad could be there to honour Fulton

“When I found out we would be in camp, I wanted to find out if we (the Blues team) could go,” Trbojevic said.

Bob Fulton and Laurie Daley celebrate after NSW’s 2014 State of Origin triumph.

“Freddy said we’d change training to a bit earlier so we could go.

“He’s Manly’s greatest ever player, he has had a real influence on our club. I’m really happy we get to go and it will be great to pay our respects to his family, who have had a big effect on myself and Tom and our club.

“Bozo had a big impact on not just Manly, but the game in general, on the Blues and on Australia as a player and a coach.”

Jake Trbojevic will pay his respects to rugby league legend Bob Fulton. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The state service on Friday will honour the life of the former Australia rugby league Test captain and coach after he died earlier this month, aged 74.

Fulton is a NSW rugby league Hall of Fame member.

A special tribute was paid to both Fulton and the late Tommy Raudonikis — also a NSW Hall of Fame member — during the NSWRL True Blues dinner on Monday night.

Fittler told the packed room of past and present Blues players that the NSW squad would attend Fulton’s funeral, which “will be an important day for us’’.

“Even last night at the True Blues dinner, people on stage who played with him or been coached by him, they loved him,” Trbojevic said.

“He had a big presence, a big aura about him when he was in a room. He is similar to Mal Meninga, when they walk into a room, he has a real big presence because you know their standing in the game and you knew how much power he had.”

It’s believed players from the Manly club — where Fulton will forever be recognised as the Sea Eagles’ greatest-ever — will join with the Blues squad in forming a guard of honour.

Brad Fittler at the True Blues dinner on Monday night. Picture: Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos

Trbojevic credited Fulton for helping shape younger brother Tom into the superstar fullback he is today.

“Tom and I negotiated a contract with him, we got to know him real well then. He sat down with Tom a lot and did individual video on his defensive and positional play. He did that back in the day when Trent Barrett was coach. He worked really hard with Tom and he is reaping the rewards,” Trbojevic said.

Fulton has been afforded a state funeral by the NSW government in recognition of his service to rugby league, which included success at the highest levels, both as a player, coach and commentator.

Members of the public are invited to attend the service, which will also be live-streamed from 10:30am.
Doors will open at 9.30am with guests to be seated by 10.15am but if seating reaches capacity, guests will be invited to watch the service via live stream.
Fulton AM is survived by his wife Ann and children Scott, Brett and Kristie.

Originally published as State of Origin 2021: NSW Blues put funeral of Bob Fulton first in build-up to Game One