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. As a result, transfer fees in rugby league became much more uncommon. The current record fee paid is , paid by the New Zealand Warriors to the Wigan Warriors in 2013 for Sam Tomkins.
Record progression Year Player From To Fee (£) Notes19011901 Bramley Salford 100 19011911 Salford Oldham 300 19131913 Hunslet Hull F.C. 600 1921 1921 Hunslet Leeds 1,000 1930 1930 Wakefield Trinity Leeds 1,075 1934 1934 Huddersfield Leeds 1,200 19371937 Ipswitch Leeds 1,400 This was a "signing on fee" and was at the time higher than the world record transfer fee.1937 1937 Liverpool Warrington 1,450 19471947 Huddersfield Dewsbury 1,650 19471947 Batley Wigan 2,000 1948 1948 Dewsbury Leigh 2,650 1948 1948 Leeds Castleford 2,750 1949 1949 Belle Vue Rangers St. Helens 4,000 1949 1949 Widnes Warrington 4,600 1950 1950 Hull F.C. Leeds 4,750 1950 1950 Wigan Leigh 5,000 19521952 Llanelli Leeds 6,000 1957 1957 Huddersfield Wigan 9,500 1959 1959 Workington Town Oldham 10,650 1961 1961 Wigan St. Helens 11,000 1961 1961 Oldham Workington Town 1961 1961 Hunslet Leeds 13,250 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 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 Workington Town Salford 12,500 19711971 Castleford Manly-Warringah 15,000 1973 1973 Wigan Penrith 15,000 19731973 Dewsbury Penrith 20,000 1978 1978 Castleford Hull F.C. 25,000 Hull player Jimmy Crampton joined Castleford as part of this deal.1978 1978 Barrow Hull Kingston Rovers 33,000 1980 1980 Bradford Hull Kingston Rovers 38,000 1980 1980 Wakefield Trinity Hull F.C. 40,000 1981 1981 Wigan Hull Kingston Rovers 72,500 1985 1985 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 Widnes Wigan 100,000 1987 1987 Warrington Wigan 130,000 1987 1987 Hull F.C. Leeds 150,000 1987 1987 Hull F.C. Leeds 155,000 19891989 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 Wigan Leeds 250,000 1992 1992 Widnes Wigan 440,000 1995 1995 Bradford St. Helens 500,000 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 Bradford Wigan 450,000 2013 2013 Wigan New Zealand 700,000
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