A bullocking centre with a big personality is how many contemporaries will remember True Blue Terry Hill, who passed away today aged 52.
Hill was a South Sydney junior, who ended up playing for five NRL clubs in a career spanning 246 games and 89 tries across 15 years (1990-2005), including the 1996 Premiership with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles over the St George Dragons.
He also played 14 games for the NSW Origin team being a part of three series wins (1993, 1997, 2000). Hill played eight Tests for Australia.
“Boy he could play,” former Sea Eagles coach in 1999, Peter Sharp, told nswrl.com.au
“He scored one of the great tries at Brookvale, when we were up against the Broncos.”
Sharp said that Brisbane side brandished Gorden Tallis and Shane Webcke in the forwards and Darren Locker, Wendell Sailor and Michael Hancock in the outside backs.
“We were down 26-0 at halftime but we came back to draw the game,” Sharp said.
“Terry scored a try from 50 or 60 metres out. It was just enormous. I can still hear the crowd going beserk.
“He was strong; he was quick; he was big. It’s like he set the mould for centres – solid and aggressive and hard to handle. And he was great in defence as well.”
NSWRL Community and Welfare Manager, who is also a Premiership-winner and True Blue, Paul Langmack, played with Hill in 1992-93 at the Western Suburbs Magpies.
“He was very tough – came from a tough upbringing,” Langmack said.
“I was the captain of Western Suburbs when he came to us. He was just a kid – raw – but you could see the talent.
“In fact you heard him before you saw him. He talked more than me although I’d like to think I taught him how to talk on the football field.
“It worked. He was one of the best sledgers going around.”
Then Hill left the Magpies and went to the Sea Eagles and the pair opposed each other for the first time in 1994.
“He drove me mad playing against him. At Brookvale Oval one day he terrorised me – absolutely gave it to me all game.”
Former NRL referee and now NSWRL Community Football Referees Manager, Gavin Badger grew up with Hill in Erskineville, where his physical attributes stood out even then.
“When he was just 10 or 11-years-old people were saying how he would play football for Australia one day – and he did,” Badger said.
“That’s how good he was. He didn’t take life too seriously and he was always good for a laugh and a joke.”
The NSWRL would like to extend its condolences to all Hill’s family, friends and former teammates.
