John Sutton (rugby league)

Background

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Sutton played his junior football for Kensington United and the Coogee Randwick Wombats. Sutton attended Marcellin College, J J Cahill Memorial High School and South Sydney High School before being signed by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Sutton is a member of the Maroubra Bra Boys brotherhood. He is the older brother of Joanna Sutton. Due to his Rotuman mother who comes from the village of Hapmafau, Itu’tiu, Rotuma, Sutton qualifies to play for the Fiji Bati.

2004

In Round 17 of the 2004 NRL season, Sutton made his NRL debut for the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the Brisbane Broncos at centre and scored a try in the Rabbitohs 48-28 loss at Suncorp Stadium. Sutton finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 10 matches and scored 2 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2004 season.

2005

Sutton finished the 2005 NRL season with him playing in 19 matches, scoring 5 tries, kicking 7 goals and kicking a field goal for the Rabbitohs. On 18 September 2005, Sutton played for the Australian Prime Minister's XIII team against Papua New Guinea, playing off the interchange bench in the 34-0 win in Port Moresby.

2006

Sutton played in 21 matches and scored 7 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2006 NRL season.

2007

In Round 8 against the Brisbane Broncos, Sutton suffered a shoulder injury attempting to score the Rabbitohs match-winning try in dramatic circumstances. Sutton was ruled to have knocked on following a late attempt from Broncos fullback Karmichael Hunt to prevent the try. Souths lost the match 8-4 after a scoreless hour of play at Suncorp Stadium. Sutton missed 9 matches from the injury. Sutton played in 16 matches and scored 3 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2007 NRL season.

2008

On 2 May 2008, Sutton played for NSW City Origin against NSW Country Origin at lock and scored a try in the 22-all draw at WIN Stadium. Sutton finished the 2008 NRL season with him playing in all of the Rabbitohs 24 matches and scored 6 tries. In October 2008 Fiji named Sutton in their training squad for the 2008 World Cup, but he pulled out citing injury.

2009

In 2009, Sutton moved to play at five eighth permanently for the Rabbitohs. On 21 April 2009, Sutton was named in the preliminary 40 man squad for game 1 of the 2009 State of Origin series. On 8 May 2009, Sutton played for City Origin against Country at five-eighth in the 40-18 win in Orange, New South Wales. Sutton was one of the favourite for the NSW halves combination, but he injured a knuckle during the City-Country match and missed the Origin series as a result. In Round 13 against the North Queensland Cowboys, Sutton played his 100th NRL career match for the Rabbitohs in the 46-12 loss at 1300SMILES Stadium. In 2009 Sutton won the George Piggins Medal as the South Sydney Rabbitohs' best and fairest player for the season. Sutton played in 22 matches and scored 5 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2009 NRL season.

2010

Sutton played in 20 matches and scored 4 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2010 NRL season.

2011

In Round 20 against the New Zealand Warriors, Sutton played his 150th NRL match for the Rabbitohs in the 48-16 loss at ANZ Stadium. Sutton played in 23 matches and scored 3 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2011 NRL season.

2012

On 29 January 2012, Sutton was named by coach Michael Maguire as one of five co-captains of the South Sydney Rabbitohs alongside Michael Crocker, Sam Burgess, Matt King and Roy Asotasi for the 2012 NRL season. Sutton played in all the Rabbitohs 27 matches and scored 4 tries in the season. On 6 October 2012, Sutton again won the George Piggins Medal as the South Sydney Rabbitohs best and fairest player for the season. On 24 September 2012, Sutton was included in the Australian train-on squad.

2013

On 4 April 2013, Sutton re-signed with the Rabbitohs on a 4-year contract to the end of the 2017 season. In Round 20 against the Gold Coast Titans, Sutton played his 200th NRL career match for the Rabbitohs in the 32-4 win at Cbus Super Stadium. Sutton played in 25 matches and scored 7 tries for the Rabbitohs in the 2013 NRL season. On 10 October 2013, Sutton and Greg Inglis were named the joint winners of the George Piggins Medal as the South Sydney Rabbitohs best and fairest player for the season. In October 2013, Sutton was named in the Fijian squad for the 2013 World Cup, but was replaced by Ryan Millard prior to the tournament.

2014

In February 2014, Sutton was included in the South Sydney Rabbitohs inaugural Auckland Nines squad. Sutton made the shift back to lock for make way for upcoming five-eighth Luke Keary. In Round 5 against the St George Illawarra Dragons, Sutton became the most capped South Sydney Rabbitohs player with 212 matches overtaking Bob McCarthy with 211 matches, Sutton also made a return to five-eighth in the Rabbitohs 26-6 win at SCG. On 5 October 2014, in the Rabbitohs 2014 NRL Grand Final match against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Sutton played at second-row and captained in the Rabbitohs to a 30-6 Grand Final victory.

2015

On 20 January 2015, Sutton was dumped as captain of the Rabbitohs and was replaced by Greg Inglis after himself and former teammate Luke Burgess got into an incident at a bar in Flagstaff, Arizona. The pair were arrested after a bouncer told them to leave and Burgess threw the bouncer to the ground, the pair were heavily intoxicated and were later charged with disorderly conduct. Later on 2 March 2015, the club received a $20,000 fine by the NRL for the incident. In Round 25 against the Brisbane Broncos, Sutton suffered a season ending broken leg injury in the Rabbitohs woeful 47-12 loss at Sydney Football Stadium. Sutton finished the 2015 NRL season with him playing in 18 matches and scoring 2 tries for the Rabbitohs.

2016

On 2 February, Sutton was named as the captain of the Rabbitohs 2016 Auckland Nines squad. Although being heavily linked with a move to the super league