Ron Coote

Ron Coote
Born	1944 Kingsford, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)	Rugby league athlete, entrepreneur
Known for	Australian rugby league player, member of The Immortals, founder of Men of League program

Ronald Joseph Coote (born 1944) is a retired Australian rugby league athlete who had a distinguished club career with both the South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs Roosters, securing premiership victories at each club. He represented the Australian national side 23 times and is celebrated as one of the premier Australian players of the 20th century. In 2024, Coote was honored as the 14th inductee into The Immortals. The annual Ron Coote Cup, contested by South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters, commemorates his unique career exclusively spent with these two teams.

Early life and playing style

Coote was born in Kingsford, New South Wales in 1944 and developed through the South Sydney junior ranks. He is the son of Jack Coote, a forward for Easts during the 1930s. Known for his tall, lean physique and upright running form, Coote gained recognition for his outstanding cover defence and a distinctive tackling method characterized by low, "round-the-legs" technique. Often referred to as the "Prince of Locks," he is widely regarded as the second greatest Australian lock forward, following the legendary "King of Locks," Johnny Raper.

Club and representative career

Over his club career, Coote appeared in 151 matches for South Sydney between 1964 and 1971, followed by 108 games representing Eastern Suburbs from 1972 to 1978. Both teams achieved considerable success during his tenure, with Coote participating in nine Grand Finals across 11 seasons from 1965 to 1975. He won four premierships with South Sydney and back-to-back titles with Eastern Suburbs in the 1974 and 1975 seasons. His playing days concluded in 1978 due to an arm injury.

At the international level, Coote earned 23 caps representing Australia in Tests and World Cup fixtures between 1967 and 1975. He captained the national team on three occasions during the 1970 World Cup tournament.

Post playing and accolades

Following retirement, Coote established himself as a prosperous entrepreneur, owning several McDonald's franchises. Additionally, he contributed to rugby league governance through his role on the New South Wales Rugby League judiciary panel. In 2000, he initiated the Men of League program—now known as Family of League—which offers support and guidance to former players, officials, and referees experiencing difficulties while promoting rugby league within regional communities.

Coote's legacy includes selection in South Sydney's South Sydney Dream Team (2004) and recognition among Eastern Suburbs' greatest players. He was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2005 and featured on Australia's 100 Greatest Players list spanning from 1908 to 2007, commissioned by both the NRL and ARL. In 2008, he was chosen at second-row position for both the Australian rugby league Team of the Century and New South Wales' rugby league team of the century.

He holds life membership at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where his contribution is marked by a plaque on its Walk of Honour. Furthermore, he has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

During the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, Coote's residence at Lake Conjola was lost to fire.

On 21 August 2024, he was formally inducted as rugby league’s 14th member among The Immortals.

External links

• Profile of Ron Coote at eraofthebiff.com