New South Wales State of Origin great, “giant personality” and rugby league revolutionary Terry Hill has died aged 52.
The stout centre with an effervescent character played for five Sydney clubs in a career spanning the end of the old NSWRL to the dawn of the merged NRL. The Manly Sea Eagles said it was understood he died from a heart attack while travelling in the Philippines.
The Australian Rugby League Commission chair, Peter V’Landys, said Hill was a “prodigiously talented footballer”. “As well as being one of the game’s great centres he was also one of its most popular characters, a giant personality who was universally loved by the players he played alongside over his long career in the top grade,” V’Landys said.
Hill was at his most dangerous just as the Super League war splintered the code, representing the Blues 14 times and the Kangaroos in nine tests, winning the World Cup in 1995. But his supporters appreciated his off-field exploits just as much as his tries, fends and tackles. His most successful playing stint came at Manly, where he played between 1994 and 1999.
“Terry was a much loved and respected figure at not only at the Sea Eagles, but across rugby league, where he played for several clubs,” Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov said. “On behalf of everyone at the Sea Eagles, we offer our deepest and sincere condolences to Terry’s family and friends during this difficult time. Terry will always be fondly remembered at Manly.”
Geoff Toovey, who captained Hill in Manly’s 1996 premiership, said Hill was a “good friend”. “He did a lot of good things for his team-mates,” Toovey said. “My sincere condolences to his family.”
His beaming smile and seemingly endless enthusiasm was a perfect fit for menswear retailer Lowes, for whom he starred in lightly comedic television advertisements for much of his playing career. He was also a regular on Channel Nine’s The Footy Show with his mock crosses, dressed in a gold jacket, from the Dapto greyhound racing track.
Former prop and rugby league commentator Darryl Brohman posted on X saying the news was “sad”. “Originally I had my doubts as to if I liked him or not,” he said. “However once I spent time with him at both Lowes and The Footy Show my respect for him grew. He was a larrikin but deep down a good guy. RIP Tezza.”
Hill was happy to make fun of himself, but through 246 top grade matches proved himself as one of rugby league’s most fierce competitors and effective right centres. In a famous Origin clash in 1999, he went nose-to-nose with Queensland enforcer Gorden Tallis.
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Even before the television fame and on-field exploits, Hill had already left his mark on the game. He started his career at Souths, but agreed to join Wests before the NSWRL draft forced him to play for the Roosters in 1991.
Hill was one the most prominent players among more than 100 who were plaintiffs in a successful legal case against the NSWRL, which was the end of the draft in rugby league. He was able to join Wests after playing a single season at Bondi, that was limited to 13 matches by a diagnosis of pericarditis – swelling of the tissue surrounding the heart.
After a stop at the newly merged Wests Tigers, he announced his retirement before a brief comeback back at Manly in 2005.