Toby Rudolf
{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Toby Rudolf
| fullname = Tobias Eric Rudolf
| image = Toby Rudolf.jpg
| image_size =
| position = {{rlp|PR|LK}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1996|01|29}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|106|kg|stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| club1 = Cronulla Sharks
| year1start = 2020
| year1end = present
| appearances1 = 108
| tries1 = 5
| goals1 = 0
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 20
| source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/toby-rudolf/summary.html Rugby League Project]
| updated = 22 June 2025
}}
Tobias Eric Rudolf (born 29 January 1996) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|pr}} and {{rlp|lk}} forward for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League.
Background
Rudolf is of German and Jewish descent.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/23/league-of-nations-stars-representing-40-countries/ |title=League of nations:Stars representing 40 countries |publisher=NRL.com |first=Brad |last=Walter |date=23 March 2022}}
About sexuality, he said: "Sexuality is very fluid. I’ve been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight women, and kissed many gay women"...I’m not a one-stop shop. Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone. That’s probably why I love going to all the gay bars in Sydney as well. I love dancing with my shirt off and getting down Universal on Oxford Street until 2 am".{{Cite news |date=2022-08-01 |title=Rugby Star Toby Rudolf Talks Sexual Fluidity, Says He's Kissed Gay Men |language=en |url=https://www.out.com/celebs/2022/8/01/rugby-star-toby-rudolf-talks-sexual-fluidity-says-kissed-gay-men |access-date=2022-08-02}}
Playing career
=2018=
A South Eastern Seagulls junior, Rudolf began his playing career in South Sydney's Under 20s side before graduating to the club's then feeder side North Sydney. Rudolf played one season for Norths in the Canterbury Cup NSW before signing with Queensland Cup side Redcliffe Dolphins for 2018. Rudolf was part of Redcliffe's 2018 premiership team and won the Duncan Hall Medal for man of the match in the grand final.{{Cite web |title=Dolphins v Tigers |url=https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2018/grand-final/dolphins-v-tigers/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Queensland Rugby League |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-09-26 |title=Intrust Super Cup grand final STATS |url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/20182/09/26/intrust-super-cup-grand-final-stats/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Queensland Rugby League |language=en}} However Rudolf ruptured his ACL a week later playing for the Dolphins in the 2018 NRL State Championship final.{{Cite web |date=2019-09-12 |title=How F45 and a dog has Rudolf back on track for NRL |url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/09/12/how-f45-and-a-dog-has-rudolf-back-on-track-for-nrl/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=New South Wales Rugby League |language=en}}
=2019=
After being noticed by Cronulla-Sutherland, Rudolf signed a two-year deal with the club starting in 2019. Rudolf returned from his ACL to play for Cronulla's feeder club side Newtown and went onto win the 2019 Canterbury Cup NSW premiership and the 2019 NRL State Championship final where he was awarded man of the match.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-10 |title=Jets claim national title with a sensational try in the game’s final seconds - Newtown Jets |url=https://www.newtownjets.com/jets-claim-national-title-with-a-sensational-try-in-the-games-final-seconds/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |language=en-AU}}
=2020=
Rudolf made his NRL debut in round 1 of the 2020 NRL season for Cronulla-Sutherland against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/03/10/round-1-nrl-team-lists/ |title=Round 1 NRL team lists |publisher=NRL.com |date=10 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2020/03/11/nrl-debuts-rugbyleague-round-1/|title=Debutant Watch Canterbury Cup NSW Rd 1|website=www.nswrl.com.au|date=11 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2019/02/11/under-the-surface-toby-rudolf2/|title=Under the Surface: Toby Rudolf|website=www.sharks.com.au|date=11 February 2019}}
In round 18 of the 2020 NRL season, Rudolf scored his first try in the top grade in Cronulla's 22-14 victory over the New Zealand Warriors at Kogarah Oval. The victory meant Cronulla qualified for the finals at New Zealand's expense.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/live-results-storm-cowboys-sharks-warriors-start-time-scores-news-2020-round-18/04d4594c-ae60-405a-bc7a-cebfa9063f84/|title=Human battering ram seals Cronulla Sharks' finals ticket in thrilling win over New Zealand Warriors|website=wwos.nine.com.au}}
=2021=
In round 20 of the 2021 NRL season, Rudolf was sent to the sin bin for headbutting an opponent during Cronulla's 22-40 loss against rivals Manly in the "Battle of the Beaches" match.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/08/02/trbojevic-in-a-class-of-his-own-as-sea-eagles-sink-sharks/|title=Trbojevic in a class of his own as Sea Eagles set sights on Storm|website=www.nrl.com|date=2 August 2021}}
Rudolf played every game for Cronulla in the 2021 NRL season which saw the club narrowly miss the finals by finishing 9th on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/09/03/storm-secure-minor-premiership-anxious-wait-for-sharks/|title=Papenhuyzen back to best as Storm secure minor premiership|website=www.nrl.com|date=3 September 2021}}
=2022=
On 15 August, Rudolf was ruled out from playing for four weeks with a grade two medial ligament tear.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby-league/news/cronulla-dealt-injury-blow-toby-rudolf-ruled-out-month/yajvmxow9z1vhse2t1byzx5d/|title=Cronulla dealt an injury blow with Toby Rudolf ruled out for a month|website=www.sportingnews.com}}
Rudolf played a total of 22 games for Cronulla in the 2022 NRL season as the club finished second on the table. In the qualifying final, Rudolf scored a memorable individual try as he beat five North Queensland players to the try line. North Queensland would go on to win the match 32-30. The following week, Rudolf played in the elimination final which Cronulla lost 38-12 against South Sydney.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/cronullas-dual-gamble-pays-off-major-flaw-exposed-in-finals-disaster-brutal-review/news-story/619a3957ee64720ef66e0e9542f375b7/|title=Young gun who can solve Sharks' big problem; masterstroke that can't be overlooked: Brutal Review|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
=2023=
Rudolf played a total of 15 matches for Cronulla in the 2023 NRL season as they finished sixth on the table. Rudolf played in the clubs 13-12 upset loss against the Sydney Roosters which ended their season.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-09/nrl-finals-panthers-warriors-sharks-roosters-live-updates/102816232/|title=Sydney Roosters score 'wild' 13-12 NRL elimination final win over Cronulla Sharks, Penrith Panthers beat Warriors|website=www.abc.net.au}}
=2024=
On 25 March, it was announced that Rudolf would miss 3-6 weeks with an ankle injury which he sustained during Cronulla's upset loss against the Wests Tigers in round 3 of the 2024 NRL season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/01/01/nrl-casualty-ward-latest-injury-news-return-dates-and-details/|title=NRL Casualty Ward: Cleary, Moses sidelined; Triple blow for Sharks|website=www.nrl.com}}
Rudolf played 21 games for Cronulla in the 2024 NRL season as the club finished 4th on the table and qualified for the finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/mole-2024-season-review-cronulla-sharks-20240929-p5kegl.html/|title=The Mole's end of season review: Awkward Sharks puzzle laid bare after $1m star 'lost his way'|website=www.nine.com.au}} During the off-season Rudolf while on holiday injured his shoulder while surfing and would undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the first month of the 2025 season.{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Ethan Lee |date=2024-11-18 |title=Sharks forward set to miss opening month of 2025 season |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/sharks-forward-set-to-miss-opening-month-of-2025-season-217216/ |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:85%;" | |||||
| width=2%|Season
!width=8%|Team !width=2%|Matches !width=2%|T !width=2%|G !width=2%|GK % !width=2%|F/G !width=2%|Pts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2020
| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland | 20|| 1|| 0|| —|| 0|| 4 | |||||
| style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2021 | 24 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | 2022
| 22|| 1|| 0|| —|| 0|| 4 | |||||
| 2023
| 15 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| 2024
|21 |1 | | | | | |||||
| 2025
|4 | | | | | | |||||
| class="sortbottom"
! colspan="2" | Career totals ! 106 ! 5 ! 0 ! — ! 0 ! 20 |
Controversy
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo labelled the comments “offensive and derogatory” before issuing Cronulla and Rudolf with an official warning.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/03/16/nrl-issues-rudolf-with-warning-for-inappropriate-interview/|title = NRL issues Rudolf with warning for inappropriate interview|date = 16 March 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-toby-rudolf-warning-daly-cherryevans-cronulla-sharks-peter-vlandys/news-story/7b02942862bf0a958ec3f5fb09d26f4d/|title='What is a player meant to do?': DCE slams NRL over warning for Rudolf's 'offensive' interview|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=17 March 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.sharks.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/cronulla-sutherland-sharks/toby-rudolf/ Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks profile]
{{Cronulla Sharks squad}}
{{Redcliffe Dolphins squad - 2018 Queensland Cup premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudolf, Toby}}
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Australian people of German descent
Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players
Category:North Sydney Bears NSW Cup players
Category:Newtown Jets NSW Cup players