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.{{cite web|last=Hadfield|first=Dave|title=Rugby League: Super League delays decision on TV deal|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-super-league-delays-decision-on-tv-deal-1167444.html|work=The Independent|accessdate=1 January 2014|date=25 June 1998}}{{cite web|title='Bosman' deal for rugby|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%60Bosman%27+deal+for+rugby%3B+RUGBY+LEAGUE.-a060641382|work=The People|accessdate=1 January 2014|date=7 June 1998}} As a result, transfer fees in rugby league became much more uncommon. The current record fee paid is {{GBP|700000|2013}}, paid by the New Zealand Warriors to the Wigan Warriors in 2013 for Sam Tomkins.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/10328757/Sam-Tomkins-to-leave-Wigan-Warriors-for-New-Zealand-Warriors-in-world-record-deal-after-World-Cup.html | title=Sam Tomkins to leave Wigan Warriors for New Zealand Warriors in world record deal after World Cup | publisher=Telegraph | date=23 September 2013 | accessdate=24 December 2013}}

Record progression

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: left" ! Year !! Player !! From !! To !! Fee (£) !!class="unsortable"\| Notes
19011901	{{sortname\|James\|Lomas\|James Lomas (rugby league)}}	Bramley	Salford	100{{cite web\|last=Baker\|first=Andrew\|title=100 years of rugby league: From the great divide to the Super era\|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/100-years-of-rugby-league-from-the-great-divide-to-the-super-era-1597130.html\|work=The Independent\|accessdate=2 January 2014\|date=20 August 1995}}
19011911	{{sortname\|James\|Lomas\|James Lomas (rugby league)}}	Salford	Oldham	300
19131913	{{sortname\|Billy\|Batten}}	Hunslet	Hull F.C.	600{{cite web\|title=Billy Batten\|url=http://www.hullfc.com/first-team/profile/204069/billy-batten\|publisher=Hull FC\|accessdate=1 January 2014}}
1921 1921	{{sortname\|Harold\|Buck}}	Hunslet	Leeds	1,000
1930 1930	{{sortname\|Stan\|Smith\|Stanley Smith (rugby league born c. 1910)}}	Wakefield Trinity	Leeds	1,075
1934 1934	{{sortname\|Stan\|Brogden}}	Huddersfield	Leeds	1,200
19371937	{{sortname\|Vic\|Hey}}	Ipswitch	Leeds	1,400{{cite book\|last=Collins\|first=Tony\|title=Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History\|year=2006\|publisher=Routledge\|location=United Kingdom\|page=24\|isbn=9780203088357\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J6nXcpxXzWsC}}	This was a "signing on fee" and was at the time higher than the world record transfer fee.
1937 1937	{{sortname\|Billy\|Belshaw}}	Liverpool	Warrington	1,450
19471947	{{sortname\|Bill\|Davies\|Bill Davies (rugby league)}}	Huddersfield	Dewsbury	1,650{{cite book\|last=Collins\|first=Tony\|title=Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History\|year=2006\|publisher=Routledge\|location=United Kingdom\|page=87\|isbn=9780203088357\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J6nXcpxXzWsC}}
19471947	{{sortname\|Bill\|Hudson\|Bill Hudson (rugby league)}}	Batley	Wigan	2,000
1948 1948	{{sortname\|Jimmy\|Ledgard}}	Dewsbury	Leigh	2,650
1948 1948	{{sortname\|Ike\|Owens}}	Leeds	Castleford	2,750
1949 1949	{{sortname\|Stan\|McCormick}}	Belle Vue Rangers	St. Helens	4,000{{cite web\|last=Dooley\|first=Dave\|title=Stan McCormick\|url=http://www.saints.org.uk/home/player.php?num=15941\|publisher=Saints Heritage Society\|accessdate=4 March 2014}}
1949 1949	{{sortname\|Albert\|Naughton}}	Widnes	Warrington	4,600{{cite web\|title=Wolves season review 2006\|url=http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/2315/9/Wolves-season-review-2006/Page9.html\|work=Warrington Worldwide\|accessdate=4 March 2014\|first= Gary\|last= Skentelbery\|date=January 2006 }}
1950 1950	{{sortname\|Bruce\|Ryan}}	Hull F.C.	Leeds	4,750
1950 1950	{{sortname\|Joe\|Egan\|Joe Egan (rugby league)}}	Wigan	Leigh	5,000
19521952	{{sortname\|Lewis\|Jones\|Lewis Jones (rugby, born 1931)}}	Llanelli	Leeds	6,000{{cite news\|last=skysports.com\|title=Lewis Jones, Martin Offiah, Garry Schofield and Mick Sullivan to join the Rugby League Hall of Fame\|url=http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/9000927/lewis-jones-martin-offiah-garry-schofield-and-mick-sullivan-to-join-the-rugby-league-hall-of-fame\|accessdate=14 February 2014\|newspaper=Sky Sports\|date=31 October 2013}}
1957 1957	{{sortname\|Mick\|Sullivan}}	Huddersfield	Wigan	9,500
1959 1959	{{sortname\|Ike\|Southward}}	Workington Town	Oldham	10,650{{cite web\|title=Lord Of The Wings\|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/lord-of-the-wings-1.315215\|work=News & Star\|accessdate=2 January 2014\|date=24 March 2006\|archivedate=January 3, 2014\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103041500/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/lord-of-the-wings-1.315215}}
1961 1961	{{sortname\|Mick\|Sullivan}}	Wigan	St. Helens	11,000
1961 1961	{{sortname\|Ike\|Southward}}	Oldham	Workington Town	{{sort\|11002.50\|11,002 10s}}
1961 1961	{{sortname\|Brian\|Shaw\|Brian Shaw (rugby league)}}	Hunslet	Leeds	13,250{{cite web\|title=Brian Shaw RIP\|url=http://www.therhinos.co.uk/news/9682\|publisher=Leeds Rhinos\|accessdate=1 January 2014}}	Shaw was signed for £9,500 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Leeds players Bernard Prior and Norman Burton join Hunslet.
1968 1968	{{sortname\|Colin\|Dixon}}	Halifax	Salford	15,000	Dixon was signed for £12,000 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Salford player Mike Kelly join Halifax.
1969 1969	{{sortname\|Paul\|Charlton\|Paul Charlton (rugby league)}}	Workington Town	Salford	12,500{{cite web\|title=Paul Charlton joins Workington Town Hall of Fame\|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/town/paul-charlton-joins-workington-town-hall-of-fame-1.874263\|work=News & Star\|publisher=CN Group\|accessdate=27 May 2014\|date=2 September 2011\|url-status=dead\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527213736/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/town/paul-charlton-joins-workington-town-hall-of-fame-1.874263\|archivedate=27 May 2014}}
19711971	{{sortname\|Mal\|Reilly}}	Castleford	Manly-Warringah	15,000{{cite book\|last=Collins\|first=Tony\|title=Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History\|year=2006\|publisher=Routledge\|location=United Kingdom\|page=127\|isbn=9780203088357\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J6nXcpxXzWsC}}
1973 1973	{{sortname\|Bill\|Ashurst}}	Wigan	Penrith	15,000
19731973	{{sortname\|Mike\|Stephenson}}	Dewsbury	Penrith	20,000
1978 1978	{{sortname\|Steve\|Norton}}	Castleford	Hull F.C.	25,000	Hull player Jimmy Crampton joined Castleford as part of this deal.
1978 1978	{{sortname\|Phil\|Hogan\|Phil Hogan (rugby league)}}	Barrow	Hull Kingston Rovers	33,000
1980 1980	{{sortname\|Len\|Casey}}	Bradford	Hull Kingston Rovers	38,000{{cite web\|title=Casey named in Greatest Ever 13\|url=http://www.hullkr.co.uk/on-the-pitch/news/article/casey-named-in-greatest-ever-13\|publisher=Hull Kingston Rovers RLFC\|accessdate=5 July 2014\|date=2 October 2012}}
1980 1980	{{sortname\|Trevor\|Skerrett}}	Wakefield Trinity	Hull F.C.	40,000
1981 1981	{{sortname\|George\|Fairbairn\|George Fairbairn (rugby league)}}	Wigan	Hull Kingston Rovers	72,500
1985 1985	{{sortname\|Ellery\|Hanley}}	Bradford	Wigan	150,000	Hanley was signed for £85,000 cash, and included a player exchange deal which saw Wigan players Steve Donlan and Phil Ford join Bradford.
1986 1986	{{sortname\|Joe\|Lydon\|Joe Lydon (rugby)}}	Widnes	Wigan	100,000
1987 1987	{{sortname\|Andy\|Gregory}}	Warrington	Wigan	130,000
1987 1987	{{sortname\|Lee\|Crooks\|Lee Crooks (rugby league)}}	Hull F.C.	Leeds	150,000{{cite news\|last=Richards\|first=Martin\|title=Lee makes up for those wasted years\|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Lee+makes+up+for+those+wasted+years.-a061115920\|newspaper=The Mirror\|date=27 January 1997\|location=London}}
1987 1987	{{sortname\|Garry\|Schofield}}	Hull F.C.	Leeds	155,000{{cite web\|title=Four living legends inducted into RL Hall of Fame\|url=http://www.superleague.co.uk/article/29153/four-living-legends-inducted-into\|publisher=Super League\|accessdate=25 December 2013\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227044659/http://www.superleague.co.uk/article/29153/four-living-legends-inducted-into\|archivedate=27 December 2013\|date=31 October 2013}}
19891989	{{sortname\|Graham\|Steadman}}	Featherstone Rovers	Castleford	170,000	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.
1991 1991	{{sortname\|Ellery\|Hanley}}	Wigan	Leeds	250,000
1992 1992	{{sortname\|Martin\|Offiah}}	Widnes	Wigan	440,000
1995 1995	{{sortname\|Paul\|Newlove}}	Bradford	St. Helens	500,000{{cite news \| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/world-record-fee-for-newlove-1584401.html \| title=World record fee for Newlove \| work=The Independent \| date=30 November 1995 \|first =Dave \|last=Hadfield \| accessdate=24 December 2013}}	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.
2006 2006	{{sortname\|Stuart\|Fielden}}	Bradford	Wigan	450,000{{cite news \| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/desperate-wigan-capture-fielden-for-record-163450000-405106.html \| title=Desperate Wigan capture Fielden for record £450,000 \| work=The Independent \| date=22 June 2006 \| accessdate=24 December 2013\|first=Dave \|last=Hadfield }}
2013 2013	{{sortname\|Sam\|Tomkins}}	Wigan	New Zealand	700,000

Notes

References

Transfer record

Transfer