True Blue Ron Coote, AM, who was affectionately known as the ‘Prince of Locks’ during his stellar playing career, has become the 14th Immortal in the NRL’s Hall of Fame.
Entrenched in Rabbitohs territory, Coote played for South Sydney Juniors club of Kensington and then made his first grade debut for the famous cardinal and myrtle in 1964 playing against the Eastern Suburbs Roosters – a club he later switched to.
Coote played 257 first grade matches in the then NSWRL-run competition – 148 for the Rabbitohs, including the 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1971 premierships, and 109 for the Roosters, adding the 1974 and 1975 premierships to his tally.
He won the Clive Churchill Medal in the 1971 Grand Final and ended up scoring 261 tries from his 257 matches.
He was named NSWRL Player of the Year four times (1969, 1970, 1975, 1977).
He also played for NSW 15 times (1965-75) and 23 Tests for Australia (1967-75).
“There’s a reason Ron was so good at playing in the back row,” said NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“He often tells the story of how he modelled his excellent cover-tackling in defence and his attacking game on the player who preceded him in the royalty stakes at lock – Johnny Raper.
“It’s fitting those two fine NSW players are now together as Immortals.
“On behalf of NSW Rugby League I extend my sincere congratulations to Ron and his family.”
Coote was named in the NSWRL Team of the Century in the second row in 2008, along with being given Life Membership of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1990, named in the South Sydney Dream Team at lock in 2004, and named in the ARL Team of the Century in 2008 in the second row (Raper was lock).
He became a NSWRL Hall of Fame member in 2017, after earlier being named in both the NRL Hall of Fame of the International Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2005.
He retired from playing in 1978 but remained close to the sport.
Coote served as a member of the NSWRL judiciary during the 1990s and was the founder and president of the Men of League Foundation, now known as the Family of League, which supports people connected to Rugby League through financial or other difficulties.
