Toby Rudolf

One of the NRL's biggest personalities has opened up about his sexuality, saying he's “not a one-stop shop”.

I try to be that workhorse and help the team wherever I can. “There are still times I’d love to be that Sam Burgess-style player who shoots out of the line and breaks someone in half. “Dale and Cam have also been great. “What I will say is I was raised by quite a few gay and lesbian community members. My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there’s so much love in that community.” Rudolf, a player with big hair and an even bigger personality, is one of very few NRL stars to openly speak about his same-sex experiences, and said while he identified as heterosexual, “love is love, and I love to share it with everyone”.

Cronulla Sharks forward Toby Rudolf has backed calls for an NRL pride round in the wake of Manly's rainbow jersey furore.

It’s important that every boy and girl and man and woman can go to the game and feel they can be treated the same as everyone else.” Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone. Anything will do”. “I’m not a one-stop shop. My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there’s so much love in that community. “I haven’t got caught up in the Manly situation,” he said.

Toby Rudolf has thrown his support behind the introduction of a pride round while opening up about his own ...

"I'm not a one-stop shop. "Sexuality is very fluid. My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there's so much love in that community.

Toby Rudolf has revealed he's 'not a one-stop shop' as he pushes for the NRL to introduce a yearly pride round.

But in the end we have to move forward. “Maybe we didn’t get the label right this year. “We would like that to be with a game-wide initiative. It’s important that every boy and girl and man and woman can go to the game and feel they can be treated the same as everyone else.” We were maybe shying away from it before. “And if this conversation takes us further down the pathway to resolving it and hearing everyone’s opinions, then I think it is a great outcome.”

Cronulla Sharks player Toby Rudolf has spoken out about his sexuality and endorsed a pride round for the NRL after the Manly incident.

The interview comes after Rudolf landed himself in hot water last year for saying he was going to “try and pull something; anything will do” at the pub. “Sexuality is very fluid. “What I will say is I was raised by quite a few gay and lesbian community members.

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT. Cronulla Sharks prop Toby Rudolf has today thrown his support behind the introduction of an NRL pride round in the wake ...

However, the front-row enforcer has gone one further and said not only does he believe love is love – but went on to explain that he has no problem engaging in all kinds of love himself – making him the first NRL player to open up about his sexuality since fellow Maroubra hard man Ian Roberts came out as gay in 1995. Rudolf went on to explain that the idea of a Pride Round isn’t as controversial in his rough and tumble hometown of Maroubra beach, when compared to the more religious enclaves of Sydney. The Maroubra Bender King has revealed to journalists that he fully supported the move, after NRL boss Peter V’landys alluded to the idea of a yearly event to celebrate members of the LGBTQIA community.