His father was a country doctor, and Rudeforth also lived in Carnarvon and Corrigin before he moved to Perth to attend Hale School.
He was recruited to the West Coast Eagles with the 35th pick overall in the 2002 Rookie Draft, and spent three seasons at the club before being de-listed at the end of the 2004.
Rudeforth's form for Claremont was consistent however; he played 23 games in 2004 and was selected in the WAFL representative side against the Victorian Football League (VFL).
He also finished second in the EB Cook Medal, Claremont's best and fairest award, and played in the club's losing Grand Final team against Subiaco.
[8] During 2005, when he took a year off from playing football to travel overseas, Rudeforth kept fit by running in European mountain ranges, and also participated in the 2005 New York City Marathon, finishing the course in three hours, 15 minutes, and 32 seconds to place 1,425th out of 37,516 runners.