The South Sydney Rabbitohs congratulate a true legend of the Club and of Rugby League, Ron Coote AM, on his elevation to Rugby League Immortal status as the game’s 14th Immortal at the NRL Hall of Fame function at the Sydney Cricket Ground tonight.
Born in South Sydney territory in Kingsford and playing for South Sydney Juniors club, Kensington, Mr Coote is one of the most decorated players in the sport’s history.
Rabbitohs first grade player number 528, Mr Coote made his first grade debut for South Sydney against Eastern Suburbs in 1964. He went on to play 148 first grade games for South Sydney between 1964 and 1971, playing in six first grade Grand Finals in the red and green, bringing Premiership glory to the Club on four occasions in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1971. Mr Coote would go on to play in three more Grand Finals and win two further Premierships with Eastern Suburbs.
Mr Coote captained South Sydney on one occasion in 1971, he was inducted as a Life Member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1990, was named in the South Sydney Dream team at lock in 2004, was named in the Australian Rugby League team of the Century and the New South Wales Rugby League Team of the Century in the second row in 2008, and the annual clashes between the Rabbitohs and Roosters are played for a trophy named in his honour, the Ron Coote Cup.
Mr Coote, Kangaroos player number 417, also played 23 Tests for Australia between 1967 and 1975, captaining Australia on three occasions in 1970. He represented Australia in three World Cup campaigns, played 15 games for New South Wales between 1965 and 1975, and represented City Firsts on four occasions.
Known as the ‘Prince of Locks’, he won the Harry Sunderland Medal in 1970 and 1974; won the Grand Final man-of-the-match award, which would become the Clive Churchill Medal, in 1971; won the NSWRL Player of the Year award on four occasions, was inducted into the New South Wales Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2017; and the NRL Hall of Fame and the International Hall of Fame in 2005.
Mr Coote has continued to contribute greatly to the sport of Rugby League, serving as a member of the NSWRL judiciary during the 1990s and was the founder and president of the Men of League Foundation, which continues to this day under the name Family of League, in supporting people connected to the game of Rugby League who have fallen on difficult times.
Mr Coote’s impact on the South Sydney Football Club and the sport of Rugby League is close to immeasurable and he has rightly been inducted as an Immortal of the sport, alongside fellow Rabbitoh, and his former premiership-winning coach, Clive Churchill.
Rabbitohs Chairman, Nicholas Pappas AM, paid tribute to Mr Coote following his elevation to an Immortal.
Rabbitohs Chairman, Nicholas Pappas AM"It is difficult to put into words Ron Coote’s impact on the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the game of Rugby League, A giant in every sense, Ron embodies all the qualities of a sporting legend: towering strength, uncanny skill and gracious humility"
“Always a Rabbitoh first and foremost, Ron is an icon not just because of the way he conducted himself on the field, but equally for what he achieved, and continues to achieve, off it.
“With an abiding care for his fellow players, Ron is emblematic of what a modern footballer should aspire to become and there are many lessons there for the modern-day player.
“On behalf of the Board of the South Sydney Rabbitohs on this momentous day, our hearty congratulations go to Ron, to Robyn and to the entire Coote family for a truly spectacular career in Rugby League.”
Congratulations to Mr Ron Coote AM on his elevation as Rugby League Immortal #14 tonight.
| Biography | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Ron Coote AM |
| Date of Birth | 25 October 1944 |
| Place of Birth | Sydney, NSW |
| Position | Lock, second row |
| Junior Club | Kensington |
| Other Club | Eastern Suburbs (1972-78) |
| First Grade Debut | Rabbitohs vs Roosters, Sydney Sports Ground, 5 April 1964 (Rd 1) |
| First Grade Games | 257 (148 for the Rabbitohs; 109 for the Roosters) |
| First Grade Points | 261 (from 48 tries for the Rabbitohs; 39 tries for the Roosters) |
| NSWRL Grand Finals | Nine (Six for the Rabbitohs in 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971; three for the Roosters in 1972, 1974, 1975) |
| NSWRL Premierships | Six (Four for the Rabbitohs in 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971; two for the Roosters in 1974, 1975) |
| Rep Honours | 23 Tests for Australia (1967-70, 1974-75); 15 matches for New South Wales (1965, 1967, 1969-70, 1974-75); four matches for City Firsts (1969-70, 1974-75) |
| Achievements | Six premierships (1967-68, 1970-71, 1974-75); International Hall of Fame (2005); NRL Hall of Fame (2005); NSWRL Hall of Fame (2017); Australian Rugby League Team of the Century – second row (2008); New South Wales Rugby League Team of the Century – second row (2008); South Sydney Dream Team - lock (2004); Rabbitohs captain (1971); Australian captain (1970); Founded the Men of League Foundation (2002) |
| Awards | Harry Sunderland Medal winner (1970, 1974); Grand Final man-of-the-match (1971); NSWRL Player of the Year award (1969, 1970, 1975, 1977) |
