Rugby league transfer record

The Rugby league transfer record is the highest-ever sum of money paid by a club to purchase the contract, and thereby obtain the playing services of another club's player. It has been broken in every decade since the sport became professional around the start of the 20th century. Between the 1930s and 1980s, international transfer bans were imposed, removed and renewed at different times due to the sport's governing bodies' fears of excessive talent drain overseas. In 1998, the sport's transfer system was changed to allow any player aged 24 or over to move between clubs at the end of their contract without a fee being paid.[1][2] As a result, transfer fees in rugby league became much more uncommon. The current record fee paid is £700,000 (equivalent to £853,516 in 2021), paid by the New Zealand Warriors to the Wigan Warriors in 2013 for Sam Tomkins.[3]

Record progression
YearPlayerFromToFee (£)Notes
19011901James LomasBramleySalford100[4]
19011911James LomasSalfordOldham300
19131913Billy BattenHunsletHull F.C.600[5]
1921 1921Harold BuckHunsletLeeds1,000[4]
1930 1930Stan SmithWakefield TrinityLeeds1,075
1934 1934Stan BrogdenHuddersfieldLeeds1,200
19371937Vic HeyIpswitchLeeds1,400[6][lower-alpha 1]
1937 1937Billy BelshawLiverpoolWarrington1,450
19471947Bill DaviesHuddersfieldDewsbury1,650[7]
19471947Bill HudsonBatleyWigan2,000
1948 1948Jimmy LedgardDewsburyLeigh2,650
1948 1948Ike OwensLeedsCastleford2,750
1949 1949Stan McCormickBelle Vue RangersSt. Helens4,000[8]
1949 1949Albert NaughtonWidnesWarrington4,600[9]
1950 1950Bruce RyanHull F.C.Leeds4,750
1950 1950Joe EganWiganLeigh5,000[7]
19521952Lewis JonesLlanelliLeeds6,000[10]
1957 1957Mick SullivanHuddersfieldWigan9,500[10]
1959 1959Ike SouthwardWorkington TownOldham10,650[11]
1961 1961Mick SullivanWiganSt. Helens11,000[10]
1961 1961Ike SouthwardOldhamWorkington Town11,002 10s[11]
1961 1961Brian ShawHunsletLeeds13,250[12][lower-alpha 2]
1968 1968Colin DixonHalifaxSalford15,000[lower-alpha 3]
1969 1969Paul CharltonWorkington TownSalford12,500[13]
19711971Mal ReillyCastlefordManly-Warringah15,000[14]
1973 1973Bill AshurstWiganPenrith15,000
19731973Mike StephensonDewsburyPenrith20,000
1978 1978Steve NortonCastlefordHull F.C.25,000[lower-alpha 4]
1978 1978Phil HoganBarrowHull Kingston Rovers33,000
1980 1980Len CaseyBradfordHull Kingston Rovers38,000[15]
1980 1980Trevor SkerrettWakefield TrinityHull F.C.40,000
1981 1981George FairbairnWiganHull Kingston Rovers72,500
1985 1985Ellery HanleyBradfordWigan150,000[lower-alpha 5]
1986 1986Joe LydonWidnesWigan100,000
1987 1987Andy GregoryWarringtonWigan130,000
1987 1987Lee CrooksHull F.C.Leeds150,000[16]
1987 1987Garry SchofieldHull F.C.Leeds155,000[17]
19891989Graham SteadmanFeatherstone RoversCastleford170,000[lower-alpha 6]
1991 1991Ellery HanleyWiganLeeds250,000
1992 1992Martin OffiahWidnesWigan440,000[10]
1995 1995Paul NewloveBradfordSt. Helens500,000[18][lower-alpha 7]
2006 2006Stuart FieldenBradfordWigan450,000[19]
2013 2013Sam TomkinsWiganNew Zealand700,000[3]

Notes
  1. This was a "signing on fee" and was at the time higher than the world record transfer fee.
  2. Shaw was signed for £9,500 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Leeds players Bernard Prior and Norman Burton join Hunslet.
  3. Dixon was signed for £12,000 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Salford player Mike Kelly join Halifax.
  4. Hull player Jimmy Crampton joined Castleford as part of this deal.
  5. Hanley was signed for £85,000 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Wigan players Steve Donlan and Phil Ford join Bradford.
  6. Castleford paid an initial fee of £145,000 for Steadman, and agreed to play an additional £25,000 if he played a Test for Great Britain.
  7. Newlove was signed for £250,000 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Saints players Paul Loughlin, Bernard Dwyer and Sonny Nickle join Bradford.

References
  1. Hadfield, Dave (25 June 1998). "Rugby League: Super League delays decision on TV deal". The Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. "'Bosman' deal for rugby". The People. 7 June 1998. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. "Sam Tomkins to leave Wigan Warriors for New Zealand Warriors in world record deal after World Cup". Telegraph. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  4. Baker, Andrew (20 August 1995). "100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era". The Independent. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  5. "Billy Batten". Hull FC. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  6. Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History. United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 24. ISBN 9780203088357.
  7. Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History. United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 87. ISBN 9780203088357.
  8. Dooley, Dave. "Stan McCormick". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  9. Skentelbery, Gary. "Wolves season review 2006". Warrington Worldwide. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  10. skysports.com (31 October 2013). "Lewis Jones, Martin Offiah, Garry Schofield and Mick Sullivan to join the Rugby League Hall of Fame". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  11. "Lord Of The Wings". News & Star. 24 March 2006. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  12. "Brian Shaw RIP". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  13. "Paul Charlton joins Workington Town Hall of Fame". News & Star. CN Group. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  14. Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History. United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 127. ISBN 9780203088357.
  15. "Casey named in Greatest Ever 13". Hull Kingston Rovers RLFC. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  16. Richards, Martin (27 January 1997). "Lee makes up for those wasted years". The Mirror. London.
  17. "Four living legends inducted into RL Hall of Fame". Super League. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  18. Hadfield, Dave (30 November 1995). "World record fee for Newlove". The Independent. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  19. Hadfield, Dave (22 June 2006). "Desperate Wigan capture Fielden for record £450,000". The Independent. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
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