Dick Thornett passed away this morning

[Glenn]

Another club legend passes away R.I.P Dick Thornett

 

[Mr Pmatta]

a true true legend of this club...

if there's a greatest ever eels team chosen now, him and Hindy would partner each other in the second row followed by daylight.

RIP Dick..I will cherish your autograph on my jersey forever.

Well said, RIP Dick and god bless.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

Had the pleasure of spending time with Dick Thornett, thanks to Ron Lynch.
Saw Moby Dick play many games during the 60's.
Most memorable moment was Dick at the Sydney Sports Ground booting a field goal from halfway, very close to the sideline.
Until then, I thought such feats were impossible.
Dick was one of my few heroes growing up.
I always looked up to him.
He often took time out to chat with me.
Both he and Ron knew my dad.
What a fantastic MAN.
Always looked up to him.
Will always remember you Dick
Have many tears flowing now.

 

[Parraletic]

RIP Dick, a very sad day for Parramatta.

 

[TheParraboy]

RIP Mr Thornett

 

[Gazzamatta]

RIP Moby.

I also remember "that" field goal referred to by Casper. I was not there that day but will long remember Frank Hyde's description as the ball sailed towards the uprights. Frank was in awe as to the distance the ball travelled. I seem to recall it was a "wet track" that day as well.
Dick Thornett is also the only player I have ever seen attempt a converstion with a drop kick other than in the "7s". He coud sure hit them could Dick.
As a kid we use to attend training at Cumberland Oval and wait for the players afterwards to collect autographs. I recall fondly a close friend asking Dick Thornett for his autograph. Dick, ever the gentleman, asked my friend what she would like him to write. Her reply is etched in my memory.
"Just Moby" will be fine thanks. He laughed and laughed.
I wonder if she still has that very special autograph?
Condolences to Ken and John. Such a loss.

 

[parra pete]

Pete, is there a moment that stood out for you that involved "Moby"? ...a try? covering tackle or did you even meet the man, feel free to tell us about it...

Unfortunately, I never met Dick, but I have met both Ken and John.
Had a great yarn with John about 6 years ago when he was in town visiting my newspaper business partner who also breeds Dorper Sheep, and John breeds Dorper Sheep in Cowra.
My mates and I drove to Coolah in 1969 (I was working at East Mailand at the time from 1969 until 1970 when I came back to Sydney, and back to Hay) to watch Ken Thornett lead Coonabarabran in the Group 14 Grand Final against Dunedoo..The only game Coona lost all year..I think 10-9..It was also a sad day for me as a former Coonabarabran coach, George Green, who was a close associate of my brother who played with him at Coona was killed in a car accident on the way to the game.
Ken returned for one more year at Parra in 1971, playing under Ian Walsh - the team made the semi final but got eliminated by St George in extra time...
Dick played better for Australia than he did for the Club. He was devastating at Test level. Funnily enough, I remember him having a blinder at Belmore Oval against Canterbury. Parra won the match 20-5. I often spoke about this game with another business partner of mine, Kevin Goldspink, who played with the Berries.
Dick created several tries and it was in this game that he announced himself as arriving as a future Test player. Of course he toured with the Kangaroos at the end of the season, and became one of the first picked from then on...

 

[parra pete]

Ken took over from non playing Killer Kearney as Captain/Coach in 1964.
He sang this to the boys ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lty0aZ9IsWc (.....he didn't really..:lol

AND it was covered like this by the great George Crawford



Big Moby Dick in action....

 

[Casper The Ghost]

RIP Moby.

I also remember "that" field goal referred to by Casper. I was not there that day but will long remember Frank Hyde's description as the ball sailed towards the uprights. Frank was in awe as to the distance the ball travelled. I seem to recall it was a "wet track" that day as well.
Dick Thornett is also the only player I have ever seen attempt a converstion with a drop kick other than in the "7s". He coud sure hit them could Dick.
As a kid we use to attend training at Cumberland Oval and wait for the players afterwards to collect autographs. I recall fondly a close friend asking Dick Thornett for his autograph. Dick, ever the gentleman, asked my friend what she would like him to write. Her reply is etched in my memory.
"Just Moby" will be fine thanks. He laughed and laughed.
I wonder if she still has that very special autograph?
Condolences to Ken and John. Such a loss.

It was a wet and windy day Gazzamatta.
A wet-heavy leather ball drop kicked from that distance!!! WOW.
I never got to see Puig Aubert (Pipette) kick but Moby's drop kick exploits were on par with Puig's extraordinary goal kicking feats.

 

[parra pete]

double post....Oooops

 

[dazeely]

Rip mr thornett. A true legend.

Thank you Pete for your treasured memoirs. Nice read old boy. Nothing wrong with your memory by the way.

 

[parra pete]

I had forgotten how much of my life revolved around watching Parramatta in those days, and I understand why the current crop of supporters are passionate too.
I have enjoyed going through my records tonight, they are becoming a bit tattered, but I still have a sharp memory. Those years made so much of an impression on me and my mates, and I would like to think they helped develop us for the tough years ahead.
Just reading some of the articles I wrote for the Telegraph in 1960 - 1966 (50/50 Letterettes) when I was just 15 or 16 in the early sixties..I was a good shit stirrer in those days too, even if I do say so myself..:lol:
I was a Boxy before Boxy was a Boxy...:lol:

 

[MrT]

My dad grew up in Granville, Louis St. He's old like you Pete. Maybe you knew him. Were you close to Louis St?

ur kidding me

Lived in that street for 28 years, not far away now

 

[MrT]

I can remember both..I lived in Adah Street, between Adam and Eve, and next door to Mark and Matty Geyer's father..

The Avenue and Louie Street almost run into one another. I remember my late mother and father used to play tennis at Louie Street courts..that was in the mid fifties.
Kerry Burke, who played with Parra in the early sixties, lived in a street behind my place and George Cook, the Parramatta first hooker and player No 2..was my "Hello Godfarder"

I remember the tennis coutrs in Louis st, down the other end from me.
The avenue bisects Louis st.

 

[parra pete]

Some of the letters I had published around 62-63...

 

[parra pete]

 

[attamarrap]

Very sad news rip

 

[Gronk]

By David Lord October 13th 2011 (3 hours ago)


Vale Dick Thornett: one of Australian sports’ true greats

The death of Dick Thornett yesterday rings the curtain down on a superb sportsman, in a family of superb sportsmen. The roll call’s spectacular.
* John Thornett (76) captained the Wallabies 16 times during his 37-cap career, one of the five inaugural inductees into the ARU Hall of Fame.
* Ken Thornett (74) was a Kangaroo fullback tourist to Britain in 1963, playing all six Tests during his 12 Test career, and had an illustrious career with Parramatta, where he was known as the “Mayor”, as well as with Leeds.
* And Dick (71), who with Mike Cleary share the honour of being the only two to represent Australia in three sports since World War 2: Dick with rugby, rugby league, and water polo at the 1960 Olympics; Cleary with rugby, rugby league, and the track, winning bronze over the 100 at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth.
The Thornett brothers shared another asset: every one of them revered as damn good blokes.
Dick’s death will come as a shock to his massive number of mates who all believed he was indestructible.
As mine-host at four pubs he’s owned over the years, Dick was always the centre of attention. Not that he sought it, the punters wanted it that way.
As a result, he was in at least five shouts at a time and keeping pace with the lot. Not that it did his liver a whole heap of good. But Dick Thornett was a stayer, as well as a top-drawer publican.
The other part of their lives the brothers shared was being quietly spoken – Dick even quieter than John or Ken, and that’s really quiet.
The voice wasn’t in keeping with the physicality of the three sports he played at international level where he was as legally physical as the toughest opponent on duty.
But despite all his outstanding success in the sporting spotlight, and with his pubs, there were low some times for Dick.
I jumped a cab in the city a few years ago, and asked to be taken to Neutral Bay on Sydney’s lower north side, without looking at the cabbie.
After a couple of minutes, the cabbie softly said: “Lordy, don’t you talk to your old mates anymore”.
It was Dick.
I felt sick in the stomach. There’s no way I wouldn’t have given him a right royal greeting, as usual.
I, like countless others today, will be recalling the many hours we’ve spent in Dick Thornett’s company over the years over a beer or 10.
It was never dull. Dick Thornett was never dull. His pubs were always full of life.
It’s been a privilege to know a great sportsman, and a great bloke, so well.
Irreplaceable.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/10/13/vale-dick-thornett-one-of-australian-sports-true-greats/

 

[Maroubra Eel]

ur kidding me

Lived in that street for 28 years, not far away now

Dad, is that you?

 

[parra pete]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/10/13/vale-dick-thornett-one-of-australian-sports-true-greats/

Well said David Lord..,..