Dennis Tutty

Balmain lock, the cousin of Reg Gasnier and the brother of international sculler Ian Tutty, won a landmark court case against the NSWRL in the early 1970s. Dennis Tutty was graded by the Tigers as a 17-year-old in 1964 and became the youngest player ever to appear in a grand final when Balmain lost to St George at season’s end. A talented sculler Tutty helped NSW win the King's Cup the following year before retiring from competition to concentrate on his league career. Although he had no previous rep experience he was chosen in the second row in Australia's First Test team that defeated NZ in 1967. This was to be his only Test appearance and, in 1969 (the year the Tigers won the premiership), he chose to sit out the season because of Balmain's refusal to place him on transfer to join Penrith. Although Tutty successfully sought leave to return to the Tigers in 1971 his career was effectively left at a standstill for three years. In November 1971 he was finally released from the club after it was ruled that Balmain's stand was a restraint of trade. Tutty ultimately played for the Panthers but, after moving to Easts in 1975, he was playing in great heart until a broken arm robbed him of a chance to win a premiership. It was ironic that Tutty saw out the final year of his playing career with the Tigers in 1976, but his season as Balmain's first grade coach in 1980 finished turbulently. He has since assisted coach Warren Ryan at Balmain and Wests as a trainer and conditioner.