Peter Jackson

After representing both codes at Australian schoolboy level (U'17s in RU in 1980 and U'18s in League in 1981), Peter Jackson started his rugby league career with Brisbane Souths and proved a valuable attacking player at centre and five-eighth. He made his State of Origin debut in 1986 before following his former coach Wayne Bennett to Canberra in 1987. Jackson played in the centres in the Raiders’ grand final loss to Manly that year before breaking into the Australian Test team in 1988. His two tries in the Centenary Ashes Test were a telling factor in Australia's victory and he went on to play in four more Tests that year. Jackson then shifted back to Brisbane to play with the Broncos and despite touring with the Australian side to NZ (1989) and with the 1990 Kangaroos in England and France, his two years with Brisbane brought inconsistent results. Joining Norths, however, he was the focal point of the Bears' attack during the club's successful 1991 season. Jackson earned his place at pivot in the Australian Test side against NZ but was sent from the field in the Second Test of the series. He toured Papua New Guinea on Australia's short tour in October but was dropped after one Test against Great Britain the following year. Jackson missed most of the 1993 season through illness and retired after Norths' reserve grade grand final win over Newcastle to concentrate on his career in the media. Linking with C’bury as a skills coach he contemplated a return to the field with the Bulldogs but was secretly battling his own demons. In November 1997 Jackson took his own life during a severe bout of depression.