Phil Hawthorne

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Phillip Francis Hawthorne
Born
Sunday, 24th October, 1943
Died
Sunday, 18th September, 1994 (Aged 50 years and 329 days)
Place Of Birth
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Father
Frank Hawthorne

Biography

Champion pivot, the son of Newcastle’s 1928 State rep Frank Hawthorne, had a brilliant RU career before signing with St George in 1968. Phil Hawthorne was just 18 years of age when he made his debut for NSW and the Wallabies in 1962. Possessing superior ball skills and a match-winner with the boot, the quick-thinking five-eighth toured overseas on six occasions and played in 21 Tests for Australia. At rep level, Hawthorne formed a brilliant partnership with the great Ken Catchpole but it was not until 1967 that he left his native Newcastle to join Catchpole at Randwick. The following year he switched codes on a $30,000 contract and became a dual international just two years later. Hawthorne landed two field goals in Australia's 37-15 thrashing of Great Britain in the First Test of the 1970 Ashes series and with Graeme Langlands and John Sattler both unavailable for the deciding Third Test, he was named captain. Australia lost the match 21-17 (and the Ashes) and Hawthorne did not play rep football again. He found himself starting the 1971 season in reserve grade (where, in the opening match of the season against Balmain, he potted the first one-point field goal in a premiership match) and did not play in a first grade game in 1972. Hawthorne left Sydney and captain-coached the Coffs Harbour ‘Comets’ but later fought a courageous battle against leukemia. An inspiration to other sufferers of the disease because of his self-depreciating modesty and good humour Hawthorne passed away in September 1994, aged 51.
- 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 19 1 -   11 25 11 8 0 57.89% List
NRL 57 5 1   56 128 37 17 3 64.91% List
NRL Finals 4 - -   3 6 2 2 0 50.00% List
Interstate Matches 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 3 - -   3 6 1 2 0 33.33% List
Test Series 3 - -   3 - 1 2 0 33.33% List
The Ashes 3 - -   3 12 1 2 0 33.33% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1970 3 - -   3 6 1 2 0 33.33% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW City Seconds 1970 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1970 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Overall1970 3 0 0   0 - 2 1 0 66.67% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George NSWRFL 1968 18 4 -   18 48 11 5 2 61.11% List
St George NSWRFL 1969 12 - -   12 24 7 5 0 58.33% List
St George NSWRFL 1970 22 1 1   25 55 15 7 0 68.18% List
St George NSWRFL 1971 4 - -   1 1 3 0 1 75.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1972 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George 1968-71 56 5 1   56 128 36 17 3 64.29% List
Eastern Suburbs 1972 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1968-1972 57 5 1   56 128 37 17 3 64.91% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    24/09/2013

    Phil was a great player and a great man. A terrible shame he left us all so young.

  • ross flanagan
    06/05/2016

    I knew Phil before his rugby career and he was a really great bloke. He did not seem all that big to me for all that he was able to achieve in some pretty tough situations on the field. Does anyone know what his height and weight were? I never asked him.....

  • DAVID clifford
    25/02/2018

    What a footballer and great example to all that knew him and saw him
    His association with the great Ken catchpole will be one of the great memories I have had from watching rugby

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