Dick Thornett

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.