List of players who have converted from one football code to another
There are many footballers who have converted from one football code to another at a professional or representative level. In some cases, the player may also return to the original code, so the traffic is not merely one way.
In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland and Australia, where multiple codes are popular, and the practice of switching codes is relatively common, such players are known as code converts or code hoppers. In Australia, star code converts can have a substantial impact on the games. For instance, Dally Messenger's defection from rugby union to rugby league was considered a pivotal moment in the establishment of the latter over other codes in Australia.
Globalisation is increasing the opportunities for players to transfer to different countries and to different professional sports, including the forms of football.
From American football
American football to Canadian football
American football and Canadian football are very similar gridiron codes; talented Canadian youth players are often recruited by American universities offering scholarships, and conversely the Canadian Football League enforces roster minimums for Canadian-trained players to prevent its clubs from fielding American-dominated teams. The CFL and NFL competed for the same player pool in their earlier years before the CFL settled into a de facto developmental role to its American counterpart. Dozens of professional players move between these codes' top professional leagues every year, making any attempt at a list incomplete at best.Two quarterbacks in particular became well known in both codes. Warren Moon, a California native who starred at the University of Washington, began his professional career with the Edmonton Eskimos before crossing the border back south to the Houston Oilers and later Minnesota Vikings, earning Hall of Fame recognition in both professional leagues. Doug Flutie, who authored a comeback win for Boston College considered an iconic moment in the history of American college football, began his professional football career in the USFL before moving on to the NFL, then played a long CFL career that led to him being the first non-Canadian honored with induction to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, before returning to the NFL to close his football career. Dwayne Johnson played college football, and was on practice squad in the Canadian Football League. Ricky Williams played 12 seasons in the National Football League, one season in the Canadian Football League, and four years of minor league baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies.
American football to rugby union
NB:- Isles made the Detroit Lions practice squad late in the 2013 season, after having become a sevens international. However, he never appeared in an NFL game, and has since signed a professional contract in 15s.
- Tardits switched codes twice: to American football as a young adult, and back to rugby union after a brief NFL career. He played for Biarritz Olympique and the France under-21 national team before switching to American football, and played for the USA national team after returning to his original code.
From association football
Association football to American football
Numerous American football placekickers grew up playing association football ; however, very few have competed at a very high level in their original code. A large number of the first "soccer-style" placekickers of the 1960s, and early 1970s were Europeans and Latin Americans who changed codes in adulthood. Eventually, kickers who changed codes in adulthood were largely, though not completely, displaced by players who were either born and raised in the U.S. or immigrated to the U.S. at a relatively early age, thus receiving more exposure to American football than most of the first soccer-style placekickers.Most of the women to have played men's American football have crossed over from association football.
Association football to Australian rules football
Following the establishment of AFL Women's in 2016, several A-League Women players switched codes as they could augment their earnings in the off-season. Foot skills are advantageous in switching between these codes and goalkeepers have an advantage in marking and ball handling.Association football to rugby league
- St Helens R.F.C. players Steve Tyrer and Matty Smith were on the books at Wigan Athletic and Everton F.C. respectively. Tyrer was a goalkeeper and Smith was a midfielder, the latter appearing in the Everton reserve team on a few occasions.
- Bill Riches signed for Hull City in 1938 and played a number of wartime matches as a centre half. Following the war he played for Batley and Hull FC at rugby league. He was also capped many times for the Yorkshire representative team. He retired in 1956.
Association football to rugby union
- Luke McAlister, a New Zealand international rugby union footballer, grew up in the north-west of England and had a trial with Manchester United before converting to rugby union at an early age.
- The late Nevin Spence, former Ulster and Ireland A player, played for Northern Ireland under 16s before switching to rugby.
- Loreto Cucchiarelli former player-coach of the Italian rugby union team, played football for Lazio at a young age.
- Conrad Jantjes played for the youth national team of South Africa in soccer, rugby union and cricket.
- Brothers Kevin O'Flanagan and Mick O'Flanagan represented Ireland in both soccer and rugby union.
- Kenny Logan, Scottish rugby internationalist had Football trials as a goalkeeper for Dundee United and Hearts.
- England international Danny Cipriani played on the junior team of Queens Park Rangers and was offered a spot in Reading's youth setup before switching to rugby. Even after his switch, he has flirted with a return to association football, having trained with QPR, Tottenham, the Colorado Rapids, and most recently MK Dons.
- Melissa Ruscoe has not only represented New Zealand in both soccer and rugby union, but has captained both sides.
- Frank Hadden, Scottish rugby player and coach, had trials with both Queens Park Rangers and Forfar Athletic, as well as being offered a contract by Raith Rovers.
- Wesley Fofana, a France international rugby union player, grew up in the Paris region of France and trained as a youth with CFF Paris before switching to rugby union as a teenager.
- Filipo Daugunu, a Fijian-Australian rugby union player changed sports after being an amateur/semi-professional goalkeeper in Fiji.
- Paulo Scanlan, a Samoan rugby 7's player changed sports after being a professional attacking midfielder in Samoa.
From Australian rules football
Australian rules football to American football
Notably, the specialist role of punter in American football requires similar skills to those found in Australian football players.Australian rules football to association football
International rules participation provides experience with the round ball and goalkeeping.As well as the players below, players known to have played amateur level soccer after retiring from the AFL include Gary Ablett, James Hird, Gavin Wanganeen, Glenn Manton and Ang Christou.
| Name | Country | Top Australian rules level | Top association football level | Top representation level | Australian rules debut | Association football debut |
| Peter Bevilaqua | Australia | Victorian Football League | Victorian Premier League | N/A | 1953 | 1954 |
| Fred Agius | Australia | South Australian National Football League | National Soccer League | Olyroos | 2003 | 2003 |
| Angelo Lekkas | Australia | Australian Football League | Victorian Premier League | Victoria Australia | 1993 | 2005 |
Australian rules football to Canadian football
Notably, the specialist role of punter in Canadian football requires similar skills to those found in Australian football players.| Name | Country | Top Australian rules level | Top Canadian football level | Australian rules debut | Canadian football debut |
| Josh Bartel | Australia | Ovens & Murray Football League | Canadian Football League | 2012 |
Australian rules football to Gaelic football
Some players involved in the Irish Experiment to play professional Australian rules football returned to Ireland and went on to be notable in senior level Gaelic football. Such players have included:| Name | Country | Top Australian rules level | Top Gaelic football level | Top representation level | Australian rules debut | Gaelic football debut |
| Paul Earley | Ireland | Victorian Football League | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland | 1984 | 1985 |
| Dermot McNicholl | Ireland | Victorian Football League | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland | 1989 | 1991 |
| Anthony Tohill | Ireland | Australian Football League reserves | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland | 1990 | 1991 |
| Brian Stynes | Ireland | Australian Football League | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland Ireland | 1992 | 1995 |
| Tadhg Kennelly | Ireland | Australian Football League | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland | 2001 | 2009 |
| Conor McKenna | Ireland | Australian Football League | Gaelic Athletic Association | Ireland | 2015 | 2021 |
Australian rules football to rugby league
Early in the history of the two codes in Australia, players would interchange the codes and even had discussions of merging them into a single game. Rugby league has since evolved to specialise in physicality and body type making it more difficult for successful conversion between the two, although it does sometimes happen at junior level, particularly in areas where both codes are played. Though the modern specialist and positions in rugby league can be suitable for the body type and skill of some Australian rules players. League players Darren Lockyer, Glenn Lazarus, Greg Brentnall, Chris Kinna, Eric McCormack, Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Kevin Proctor, Matt Duffie, Shaun Johnson, Tom Trbojevic, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, William Warbrick, Kalyn Ponga and Corey Horsburgh all played Aussie Rules at a junior level.Australian rules football to rugby union
Jason Akermanis was the first professional Australian football player to suggest a switch to rugby union. Nevertheless, there are still some positions and roles that have commonalities.Also at amateur level, conversion is quite common, as in the case of many start-up Australian rules clubs in countries such as France and countries such as New Zealand, Samoa and Papua New Guinea where there are dual-internationals at junior level.
From Canadian football
Canadian football to American football
As discussed above, Canadian and American football are highly similar gridiron codes. Dozens if not hundreds of players and coaches move back and forth between Canadian and American codes every season and occasionally even within a season, making assembling a list of these players an impossible and largely immaterial task.From Gaelic football
Gaelic football is especially vulnerable to code-switching, for reasons outlined by rugby union journalist Hugh Farrelly in 2009:Gaelic football to Australian rules football
These two codes share many similarities, making switching between them relatively easy. International rules representation for players of both codes is common.The Gaelic Athletic Association prohibits professionalism, meaning that there is a financial lure for players to compete in the professional elite Aussie Rules competitions in Australia.
| Name | Country | Top Gaelic level | Top Australian rules level | Top representation level | Gaelic football debut | Australian rules debut |
| Sean Wight | Ireland | Kerry minor | AFL | NA | 1982 | 1985 |
| Paul Earley | Ireland | Gaelic Athletic Association | AFL | NA | 1982 | 1984 |
| Dermot McNicholl | Ireland | Derry All-Ireland winner 1993 | AFL | NA | 1980 | 1990 |
| Brian Stynes | Ireland | Dublin All-Ireland winner 1995 | AFL | Ireland Ireland (AR) | 198? | 1992 |
| Jim Stynes | Ireland | Dublin All-Ireland winner 1994 | AFL | Ireland | 1984 | 1987 |
| Tadhg Kennelly | Ireland | Kerry All-Ireland winner 2009 | AFL premiership 2005 | Ireland | 2001 | |
| Colm Begley | Ireland | Laois GAA | AFL | Ireland | 2006 | |
| Martin Clarke | Ireland | Down All-Ireland winner 2005 | AFL | Ireland | 2005 | |
| Pearce Hanley | Ireland | Mayo GAA | AFL | Ireland | 2008 | |
| Michael Quinn | Ireland | Gaelic Athletic Association | AFL | N/A | 2009 | |
| Kevin Dyas | Ireland | Armagh GAA | AFL | N/A | 2009 | |
| Jamie O'Reilly | Ireland | Down GAA | AFL | N/A | 2010 | |
| Zach Tuohy | Ireland | Laois GAA | AFL premiership 2022 | Ireland | 2011 | |
| Caolan Mooney | Ireland | Down GAA | AFL | N/A | 2012 | |
| Tommy Walsh | Ireland | Kerry All-Ireland winner 2007 & 2009 | AFL | Ireland | 2012 | |
| Ciarán Byrne | Ireland | Louth GAA | AFL | Ireland | 2014 | |
| Patrick Brophy | Ireland | Kildare GAA | AFL | Ireland | 2015 | |
| Conor McKenna | Ireland | Tyrone GAA | AFL | Ireland | 2015 | |
| Mark O'Connor | Ireland | Kerry All-Ireland minor winner 2015 & 2016 | AFL | N/A | 2017 |
Gaelic football to rugby union
Up until the mid-1990s, both codes were officially amateur. However, the professionalisation of rugby union has provided a financial lure.NB: Byrne and Duffy both changed codes twice. Each first switched to rugby union as a teenager, then returned to Gaelic football after a long professional rugby career. This entry discusses their Gaelic football careers before their first code switch.
From rugby league
Rugby league to American football
On 3 March 2015 Jarryd Hayne became the first rugby league player to sign a contract with a National Football League team.| Name | Country | Top rugby league level | Top American football level | Top representation level | Rugby league debut | American football debut |
| Manfred Moore | USA | New South Wales Rugby League | National Football League | N/A | 1977 | 1978 |
| Jarryd Hayne | Australia | National Rugby League | National Football League | Australia Fiji | 2006 | 2015 |
| Jordan Mailata | Australia | National Youth Competition | National Football League | N/A | 2017 | 2018 |
| Valentine Holmes | Australia | National Rugby League | National Football League | Australia | 2014 | 2019 |
| Jotham Russell | Australia | Gold Coast Rugby League | National Football League | N/A | 2020 | 2024 |
Rugby league to Australian rules football
In addition to the senior players listed below numerous schoolboy rugby league players have made a transition to success at senior Australian rules, including Wayne Carey, Paul Kelly, Kieren Jack, Andrew McLeod, Jared Brennan, Matthew Whelan, and Sam Gilbert.| Name | Country | Top rugby league level | Top Australian rules level | Top representation level | Rugby league debut | Australian rules debut |
| Ray Smith | Australia | Brisbane Rugby League | Victorian Football League | Queensland Queensland | 1970 | 1971 |
| Joe Buboi | Papua New Guinea | Kumuls | Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea national rugby league team Papua New Guinea | 1970 | 1973 |
| Michael McLean | Australia | Northern Territory Rugby League | Australian Football League | Aboriginal All-Stars | 1980 | 1983 |
| Fabian Francis | Australia | Northern Territory Rugby League | Australian Football League | Northern Territory Aboriginal All-Stars | 1992 | 1993 |
| Andriu Sucu | New Zealand | Auckland Rugby League | New Zealand | New Zealand | 2000 | 2005 |
| Israel Folau | Australia | National Rugby League | Australian Football League | Australia | 2007 | 2010 |
| Ben Barba | Australia | National Rugby League | AFL Mackay / North Queensland | Australia | 2008 | 2020 |
| Tom Robertson | Australia | Jersey Flegg Cup | AFL Canberra | 2020 | 2021 |
Rugby league to rugby union
While the traffic used to be almost entirely from rugby union to rugby league, the tide has now turned the other way, and numerous rugby league players have gone over to union, since the game was professionalised.From rugby union
Rugby union to American football
Rugby union and American football share the same origins, but have evolved into very different games. Both are very physical and require similar body types with high speed and strength.Rugby union to Australian rules football
In recent years, several schoolboy rugby union players have made a transition to Australian Rules, including Ray Smith, Jim Stynes, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Aaron Edwards, Adam Campbell, Daniel Merrett, Brad Moran and Tom Williams. In 2012, Canadian Mike Pyke became the first former professional rugby player to win an AFL premiership.| Name | Country | Top rugby union level | Top Australian rules level | Top representation level | Rugby union debut | Australian rules debut |
| Andrew Stoddart | England | British & Irish Lions | Great Britain | British & Irish Lions Great Britain | 1886 | 1888 |
| George A. Gillett | New Zealand | New Zealand | New Zealand, Western Australia | New Zealand New Zealand | 1899 | 1908 |
| Mike Pyke | Canada | Top 14 | Australian Football League premiership | Canada | 2002 | 2009 |
| Karmichael Hunt | Australia | Top 14 | Australian Football League | French Barbarians | 2009 | 2011 |
| Chloe Dalton | Australia | Olympics | AFL Women's | Australia | 2014 | 2019 |
| Conor Nash | Ireland | Leinster Rugby | Australian Football League | Ireland U18 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Kendra Heil | Canada | Guelph Gryphons | AFL Women's | Canada | 2007 | 2016 |
| Brooke Walker | Australia | World Sevens Series | AFL Women's | Australia | 2015 | 2019 |
| Mhicca Carter | Australia | Super W | AFL Women's | Australia A | 2018 | 2019 |
| Courtney Hodder | Australia | Super W | AFL Women's premiership | Australia A | 2018 | 2021 |
Rugby union to Gaelic football
| Name | Country | Top rugby union level | Top Gaelic football level | Top representation level | |
| Ireland | Galwegians, Connacht | Tuam Stars senior team, Galway senior team | Galway senior team | ||
| Ireland | Leinster, Ireland, British and Irish Lions | Aughrim senior team | |||
| Ireland | Leicester Tigers, Leinster, Barbarians, Ireland, British and Irish Lions | Ballyboden St. Enda's GAA, Dublin senior team | Barbarians, Ireland, British and Irish Lions | ||
| Ireland | Connacht, Harlequins, Ireland | Salthill-Knocknacarra senior team, Mayo senior team | Ireland |