Tony Butterfield
Encyclopedia
Tony Butterfield is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative prop-forward, he started his club football career with the Penrith Panthers
but played the vast majority of it with the Newcastle Knights
, with whom he won the 1997 ARL premiership.
. In 1997 Butterfield was named in the Newcastle Knights Team of the Decade and again, in 2007, in the Team of the Era.
Butterfield was selected for one NSW Origin match; game 3, 1998.
In 2003 the RLPA was registered as a national trade union. It was the first sporting body in the history of Australia to become so registered.
2003 proved to be turbulent year in the relations between the RLPA and the NRL. Negotiations for player minimum conditions had not gone well during the season. At the end of the season the NRL believed that the players would boycott the competition's major awards night if their demands were not met. Butterfield took a negotiating stance that if the NRL announce that they would accept a number of minimum conditions that would be sufficient to guarantee the players' attendance at the awards. In response, the National Rugby League
called the players' union's bluff
and cancelled the awards for that year. There was much media comment about the decision. Craig Gower
was widely tipped to be the winner of the award for 2003 but never received his medal. Gower was awarded an honorary medal by the RLPA in 2004 in recognition of his support for the players' campaign.
Following the controversy of 2003, and despite some reservations from one club, an agreement was finally reached in 2004.
In 2004 Butterfield instituted the RLPA awards. The RLPA awards are based on peer review. At the end of each match the players vote to allocate points to the three best players on the opposing team. These points are tallied and at the year RLPA holds its own gala awards night.
for his efforts in building up the RLPA.
Butterfield retired from the RLPA in February 2006. He was replaced as head of the RLPA by former Newcastle
teammate Matthew Rodwell
. The RLPA was deregistered as a trade union in 2008 when Rodwell agreed to accept funding for the Association directly from the NRL.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative prop-forward, he started his club football career with the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
but played the vast majority of it with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, with whom he won the 1997 ARL premiership.
Playing career
Butterfield was signed from the Panthers reserve-grade to join the inaugural Newcastle Knights team for 1988. He remained with the Knights for thirteen seasons, retiring in 2000 as the club's most capped player - a record he later surrendered to Andrew JohnsAndrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
. In 1997 Butterfield was named in the Newcastle Knights Team of the Decade and again, in 2007, in the Team of the Era.
Butterfield was selected for one NSW Origin match; game 3, 1998.
Players' Association
Butterfield was active as a representative of players both during and after his playing days. In the mid-nineties he was Vice President of the Kevin Ryan (rugby) led Rugby League Association and when that folded he became involved in the NRLPA in "99 and 2000. In 2000 Butterfield became the president and driving force behind the newly created Rugby League Professionals' Association. The RLPA was involved in unsuccessful negotiations with the NRL to improve players' wages and conditions from 2000 - 2003.In 2003 the RLPA was registered as a national trade union. It was the first sporting body in the history of Australia to become so registered.
2003 proved to be turbulent year in the relations between the RLPA and the NRL. Negotiations for player minimum conditions had not gone well during the season. At the end of the season the NRL believed that the players would boycott the competition's major awards night if their demands were not met. Butterfield took a negotiating stance that if the NRL announce that they would accept a number of minimum conditions that would be sufficient to guarantee the players' attendance at the awards. In response, the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
called the players' union's bluff
Bluff (poker)
In the card game of poker, a bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand. To bluff is to make such a bet. The objective of a bluff is to induce a fold by at least one opponent who holds a better hand. The size and frequency of a bluff determines its...
and cancelled the awards for that year. There was much media comment about the decision. Craig Gower
Craig Gower
Craig Gower is an Australian-Italian professional rugby footballer. He is a dual-code rugby international, having played rugby league for Australia, and rugby union for Italy...
was widely tipped to be the winner of the award for 2003 but never received his medal. Gower was awarded an honorary medal by the RLPA in 2004 in recognition of his support for the players' campaign.
Following the controversy of 2003, and despite some reservations from one club, an agreement was finally reached in 2004.
In 2004 Butterfield instituted the RLPA awards. The RLPA awards are based on peer review. At the end of each match the players vote to allocate points to the three best players on the opposing team. These points are tallied and at the year RLPA holds its own gala awards night.
Awards
Butterfield was awarded 2004 Organiser of the Year by the Labor Council of New South WalesLabor Council of New South Wales
The Labor Council of New South Wales is a representative body of Trade union organisations in the State of New South Wales, Australia. As of 2005 there are 67 unions and 8 Rural and Regional Trades & Labor Councils affiliated to the Labor Council, representing 800,000 workers in NSW...
for his efforts in building up the RLPA.
Butterfield retired from the RLPA in February 2006. He was replaced as head of the RLPA by former Newcastle
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
teammate Matthew Rodwell
Matthew Rodwell
Matthew Rodwell is a former rugby league player. He played for the Newcastle Knights, Western Reds, St. George Dragons, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Penrith Panthers and the Warrington Wolves as a half-back....
. The RLPA was deregistered as a trade union in 2008 when Rodwell agreed to accept funding for the Association directly from the NRL.