Billy Johnstone

Tough Cunnamulla hooker, a professional middleweight boxer, came to C’bury from Souths Brisbane in 1983 as a replacement for retired Test captain George Peponis. Johnstone, who was also a promising boxer, fought for both the Junior and Senior Australian Middleweight titles during his boxing career (he lost the latter title in 1983 after being disqualified for a head-butt). The 1983 'Dally M' Hooker of the Year he was beaten by Mark Bugden for selection in the 1984 grand final but bounced back to play in the club's victorious 1985 team. After a final season with St George Johnstone joined the G’Coast in the club’s inaugural year and became club conditioner after his retirement. He later rejoined the Bulldogs in that role under the coaching of Chris Anderson and Steve Folkes before linking with the North Queensland North Queensland. In 2004 Johnstone was part of Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff in Australia’s successful Tri Nations campaign. In 2007 he joined the coaching staff of the newly promoted G’Coast Titans.