THE NATURAL: RICHARD THORNETT

RICHARD ‘Dick’ Thornett was an Olympian and a dual Rugby International, an imposing man, and a dominant force in the pool, and on the football field.

His story has finally been told, 13 years after his passing, and 52 years since he hung-up the boots after 169 First Grade Games with Parramatta Eels and Eastern Suburbs Roosters, on top of 14 Rugby League Tests and 11 in Rugby Union. He also represented New South Wales 13 times in rugby league.

Dick Thornett’s eldest brother, John captained the Wallabies in rugby union, while another sibling, Ken played 12 rugby league Tests for Australia, as well as starring with Leeds in England, and Parramatta. But neither brother could match the record of youngest sibling, Dick, who represented Australia in Water Polo at the 1960 Rome Olympics, before making his mark in Rugby Union, and then League.

‘The Natural: Richard Thornett’, will be released this year, thanks to the diligent work of Dick’s son-in-law, Brendan Morris, and Academic/Independent Film maker, Stephan Wellink. The book explores Dick’s idyllic upbringing at Bronte, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs; his sporting career and travels, through to his time as one of Sydney’s best known publicans, and then his business and family struggles.

The story is compassionate, but raw, whether recalling his personal life, or his time ‘on the road’, with Australia’s Olympic Squad, as well as the Wallabies and Kangaroos.

When Thornett played rugby union for Australia, the Wallabies were not highly regarded in South Africa and New Zealand. The backs were respected for their athleticism, but the forwards were seen as inferior to the feared Springbok and All Blacks’ packs.

In the chapter on the Wallabies in the ‘The Game’ magazine, which was published in the late 1960s/early 1970s, the author had this to say about the Australians.

“Like the French Tricolours, the Wallabies have always been renowned for their running play. But whereas the French development of this style of play is due mainly to natural flair, Australian play is brought about partly by flair and partly by necessity. For some strange reason, Australia has never been able to produce forwards big enough to do battle ‘up front’ with the packs of other countries, especially those of New Zealand, their most frequent opponents – and their most frequent conquerors. Therefore, they have adapted their play to make as much use as possible of their threequarters.”

After touring New Zealand and South Africa, Dick Thornett had gained the respect of critics and opponents.

All Blacks’ legend, Colin ‘Pine Tree’ Meads had this to say about Thornett: “He was just a great rugby player. He was big, powerful and pretty bloody quick too, I recall. And he loved running at you. The biggest comment I reckon is, he was like a real great New Zealand forward.”

Thornett’s success on the Wallabies’ tour of New Zealand in 1962 made him a target for league talent scouts, and in 1963 he switched codes, signing with Parramatta, where he joined his brother, Ken. Both men toured Britain and France with the Kangaroos in 1963-64, a tour in which Australia won the Ashes in England for the first time in 50 years.

Dick’s last campaign in green and gold was the 1968 World Cup in Australia, when he was controversially replaced at halftime in the final against France at the SCG. The book pulls no punches in revealing the background to coach, Harry Bath’s decision, one which baffled the critics, and angered Thornett, given he had played so well in the first 40 minutes, when Australia went to a 7-0 lead in a hard tackling contest.

The book also delves into the sadness he felt in having to leave Parramatta after nine years loyal service. He loved the culture of mateship at the Eels, where his brother, Ken was captain-coach, in 1965-66.

“Parramatta was probably like a country team, in a way, because a lot of them were from the bush,” he said. “But all the blokes were knockabout, dinky-di Aussies, and I think that was probably the best part of it, and we developed a good camaraderie.”

At the Eels, Thornett took future Test prop, Bob ‘The Bear’ O’Reilly under his wing, and O’Reilly was devastated to see ‘Moby’ (as Thornett was nicknamed) leave, along with fellow Test forward, Ron Lynch (Penrith) after the Eels offered the pair reduced contracts. 

Lynch, who had been captain-coach of Parramatta in 1970, signed with Penrith, while Thornett, who had played senior club rugby union for Randwick and junior rugby league in Easts’ district, headed ‘home’, to the Roosters, who were coached by Don Furner.

Thornett and Furner had different views on the way rugby league should be played, and the veteran forward played only nine first grade games, some off the bench.

Dick Thornett’s pubs were the favoured meeting places of many prominent footballers, business people and fans, with ‘The Dolphin ‘ at Surry Hills probably the best known of the watering holes.

“Before he passed, I had the privilege of enjoying 14 years of, not just his company and heartfelt friendship, but his telling of tales, a life well travelled, of experiences so remarkable, yet so enchanting, that they deserve retelling,” says book co-author, Brendan Morris, a school teacher, who is married to Thornett’s youngest daughter, Sophie, one of three daughters Dick had from his first marriage. “They reflect his deep devotion to his family and friends, tales that extend well beyond the physical wonderment he was able to conjure as an athlete.

“Richard Thornett, it turned out, was not just an athlete of exceptional skill, but also a sensitive, humble and loyal man, and just a little bit cheeky, a man whose gentle nature defied his prowess on the field. There were times of weakness, sure, and times when mountains stood before him that must have seemed insurmountable. But, as is so often the case, it is the manner in which these challenges are met that is the nature of any person.”

Stephan Wellink had wanted to write a book about the three brothers, and approached the oldest brother, John Thornett, MBE., with the idea. John was keen, and then Ken and Dick agreed to collaborate. That was about 17 years ago, and it wasn’t until two years ago that the concept was revisited.

Wellink said it was impossible to write about Dick without references to John and Ken, because their lives were strongly linked. (Ken passed away in 2016 and John died in 2019).

“However, this is Richard’s story, and by any measure, his was an extraordinary life,” Wellink said.

I helped edit the Thornett book. I saw Dick play for Australia in 1966 and ’68, and met him at the Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills in the 1990s, on a visit there with fellow journo., Wayne Heming. The first rugby league book I read was ‘Tackling Rugby’, a bio of Ken Thornett. I also has a story on this website, entitled ‘Thornett Boys Were A Product of a Golden Age’, a story which prompted Stephan Wellink and Brendan Morris to approach me to help edit their manuscript, a task I thoroughly enjoyed.

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