Dick Thornett

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Richard Norman Thornett
Born
Monday, 23rd September, 1940
Died
Wednesday, 12th October, 2011 (Aged 71 years and 18 days)
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Brother
Ken Thornett

Biography

Former Randwick forward played in 11 RU Tests in his two seasons of senior rugby before changing codes to join his brother Ken at P’matta. The youngest of three brothers Dick Thornett represented Australia in water polo at the Rome Olympics in 1960 before touring South Africa with the Wallabies (and with eldest brother John) the following year. Turning to League in 1963 he joined an elite band of sportsmen to represent Australia in three sports when he made his Test debut against South Africa. With Ken Thornett also selected in the match they became the first set of brothers to play together in an Australia Test team since Viv and Bill Farnsworth in 1912. Dick Thornett, a robust second row forward, toured with his brother on the Ashes-winning 1963-64 Kangaroo tour, played in all three Tests against Great Britain and scored a try in the record-breaking 50-12 win over England in the Second Test at Swinton. Thornett went on to play in Tests against France (1964) and Great Britain (1966) before making his final appearance for Australia in the 1968 World Cup. A master ball-player who equalled the P’matta club record when he scored four tries in a match against C’bury in 1968, a bout of hepatitis affected his final seasons with the Eels and he saw out the final year of his career with Easts.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Craven Mild Cup 35 10 -   4 38 16 18 1 45.71% List
NRL 169 36 16   18 176 90 76 3 53.25% List
Tour Matches Sydney Firsts 3 2 -   - 6 2 1 0 66.67% List
Tour Matches Australia 13 1 -   - 3 11 2 0 84.62% List
Test Series 11 1 -   - - 9 2 0 81.82% List
NRL Finals 5 - 2   - 4 1 4 0 20.00% List
Interstate Matches 11 7 -   - 21 10 1 0 90.91% List
The Ashes 5 1 -   - 6 4 1 0 80.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 4 1 -   - 3 3 1 0 75.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 3 - -   - - 3 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1963-64, 1966, 1968 14 1 -   - 3 12 2 0 85.71% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1963-1968 3 - -   - - 3 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Sydney Firsts 1963-64, 1966 4 2 -   - 6 3 1 0 75.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1963, 1966 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
NSW Firsts 1963-66, 1968-69 13 7 -   - 21 12 1 0 92.31% List
NSW City Firsts 1964-65, 1967-68 4 1 -   - 3 3 1 0 75.00% List
Overall1963-1969 23 10 0   0 30 19 4 0 82.61% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Parramatta NSWRFL 1963 19 5 4   - 23 11 8 0 57.89% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1964 18 5 6   - 27 13 5 0 72.22% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1965 19 7 -   - 21 11 7 1 57.89% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1966 15 - 5   - 10 7 7 1 46.67% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1967 20 3 -   6 21 8 12 0 40.00% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1968 20 6 -   4 26 11 9 0 55.00% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1969 19 4 1   7 28 8 11 0 42.11% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1970 8 1 -   1 5 2 6 0 25.00% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1971 22 4 -   - 12 12 10 0 54.55% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1972 9 1 -   - 3 7 1 1 77.78% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Parramatta 1963-71 160 35 16   18 173 83 75 2 51.88% List
Eastern Suburbs 1972 9 1 -   - 3 7 1 1 77.78% List
Overall1963-1972 169 36 16   18 176 90 76 3 53.25% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    25/05/2015

    Dick was one of the best running League forwards I have had the pleasure of watching....his ball skills were also outstanding and to watch him kick field goals from his own half was just breathtaking...one of the best..
    Terry Ryan

  • Anonymous
    09/12/2016

    dick was tougher than most fans know,his water polo made him an expert at the heavy hit on opposition forwards and getting away with it,one example he broke ken day manlys jaw and at half time the manly players vowed revenge.

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Paul Carter, Michael Borg, Max Turner