Born 23 September 1940
Sydney, NSW
Representative honours
Australian Olympic Water Polo Team, Australian Wallabies, Australian Kangaroos
Born 23 September 1940
Sydney, NSW
Representative honours
Australian Olympic Water Polo Team, Australian Wallabies, Australian Kangaroos
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Youngest member of one of Australia's great sporting families, and one of the few sportsmen to represent his country in three sports, Dick Thornett played water polo, rugby union and rugby league for Australia.
After competing in the 1960 Rome Olympics, he went on to appear in eleven rugby union Tests against Fiji, France, New Zealand and South Africa.
At 104 kilograms, the big Randwick second-rower was a feared runner with the ball and was renowned for his strength in rucking and mauling.
Dick Thornett then changed codes and joined his brother Ken at Parramatta, going on to make his Kangaroo debut in 1963 against South Africa. He played 14 Test matches for Australia, against Great Britain, France and New Zealand.