Phil Hawthorne

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.