John Cootes

{{short description|Australia international rugby league player (born 1941)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = John Cootes

|fullname =

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1941|8|19}}

|death_date =

|retired = yes

|height =

|weight =

|position = {{rlp|CE|WG}}

|club1 = Wests (Newcastle)

|year1start = 1967

|year1end = 73

|appearances1 = 83

|tries1 =

|goals1 =

|fieldgoals1 =

|points1 =

|club2 =

|year2start =

|year2end =

|appearances2 =

|tries2 =

|goals2 =

|fieldgoals2 =

|points2 =

|teamA = Newcastle

|yearAstart =

|yearAend =

|appearancesA =

|triesA =

|goalsA =

|fieldgoalsA =

|pointsA =

|teamB = Country NSW

|yearBstart = 1967

|yearBend = 70

|appearancesB = 3

|triesB = 2

|goalsB = 9

|fieldgoalsB =

|pointsB = 24

|teamC = New South Wales

|yearCstart = 1969

|yearCend = 70

|appearancesC = 5

|triesC = 4

|goalsC = 1

|fieldgoalsC =

|pointsC = 13

|teamD = Australia

|yearDstart = 1969

|yearDend = 70

|appearancesD = 7

|triesD = 6

|goalsD = 0

|fieldgoalsD = 0

|pointsD = 18

|updated =

|source =[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/john-cootes/summary.html John Cootes]. Rugby League Project

}}

John Cootes (born 19 August 1941), nicknamed "the footballing priest", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and Roman Catholic priest.Paddy McAteer (22 December 2010) [http://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/whole-world-in-their-hands-1.793415?referrerPath=sport/ "Whole World in their Hands"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005172123/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/whole-world-in-their-hands-1.793415?referrerPath=sport%2F |date= 5 October 2012 }} North West Evening Mail An Australia international representative three-quarter back and adept goal-kicker, he played club football in the Newcastle Rugby League for Western Suburbs during the 1960s and also later worked as a television commentator and presenter.

Cootes hailed from Newcastle and was trained during childhood by Clive Churchill and later played for the Lazio rugby union club in 1966 while on scholarship to study theology at Rome's Propaganda College.{{Cite news

| last = AAP

| author-link = Australian Associated Press

| title = Priest makes Hit in Rugby

| work = The Age

| place = Australia

| page = 21

| date = 14 March 1966

| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PdYQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6719,2649350

| access-date = 31 December 2010}}

In 1967 he commenced playing in the Newcastle Rugby League for Western Suburbs.{{Cite news

| title = Cootes still with Newcastle Club

| work = The Sydney Morning Herald

| place = Australia

| page = 12

| date = 19 January 1968

| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N50pAAAAIBAJ&pg=4985,4717170

| access-date = 31 December 2010}}

Father John Cootes became the first Roman Catholic priest to play international rugby league when he was selected for Australia's tour of New Zealand in 1969. Also that year he was named New South Wales' Country Rugby League player of the year.[http://www.crlnsw.com.au/index.php?id=117 Country Player of the Year] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925133828/http://crlnsw.com.au/index.php?id=117 |date=25 September 2011 }} at crlnsw.com.au He made appearances for Australia as a three-quarter back in 1969 and 1970.{{Cite news

| last = Hadfield

| first = Dave

| title = No higher power on rugby league paddock

| work = The Independent

| place = UK

| date = 12 March 1997

| url = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/no-higher-power-on-rugby-league-paddock-1272453.html

| access-date = 31 December 2010}} He played in the Newcastle Rugby League grand final-winning Wests side in 1970.{{cite web|title=West Rosellas RLFC Newcastle – TEAM OF THE CENTURY|url=http://www.westrosellas.com.au/page16383/-TEAM-OF-THE-CENTURY-.aspx|work=westrosellas.com.au|publisher=West Rosellas RLFC|access-date=30 April 2011}} Cootes' last Test match was the final of the 1970 World Cup which was against Great Britain at the Headingley ground in Leeds, England. A particularly violent match, Australia won 12–7, with Cootes crossing in the first half, becoming the tournament's top try-scorer.

Having obtained a dispensation to marry, Cootes wed in 1972 in Arizona, US.{{cite news|title=John Cootes, ex-priest, marries|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19720825&id=AfhjAAAAIBAJ&pg=3199,8464097|access-date=18 February 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=25 August 1972}} Eventually he left the priesthood and opened a chain of furniture stores in New South Wales.{{Cite news

| last = Barnes

| first = Steve

| title = Questions & Answers

| work = The Sunday Times

| place = UK

| date = 13 August 2006

| url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article607193.ece

| access-date = 1 January 2011}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} After football, Cootes also enjoyed a long and successful media career, becoming a sports commentator for Channel 10. In 1979 he was appointed as John Singleton's replacement as host of Channel 10's Saturday Night Live programme.{{Cite news

| title = John Cootes takes Singleton's job

| work = The Sydney Morning Herald

| place = Australia

| page = 16

| date = 28 March 1979

| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t4tWAAAAIBAJ&pg=2852,9880039

| access-date = 31 December 2010}} He left Channel 10 in 1983 to concentrate on a business venture, but returned to television in 1986.{{Cite news

| last = Jacqueline Lee Lewes

| title = Jottings

| work = The Sun-Herald

| place = Australia

| page = 96

| date = 21 December 1986

| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S3VWAAAAIBAJ&pg=4914,3333723

| access-date = 1 January 2011}}

He was named at centre in West Rosellas RLFC's team of the century.