West Tigers Are Mourning The Death Of A Legend…

Former rugby league star Terry Hill has died, aged 52.

Hill made 246 first-grade appearances during spells at Manly, Wests Tigers, Western Suburbs, Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney. It is understood he passed away after a heart attack.

Hill played 14 State of Origin matches for NSW and also represented the Kangaroos on nine occasions.

Former Australian representative and Manly player David Gillespie was in the Philippines with Hill at a fundraiser last week.

“Only a few days ago he was fine,” Gillespie said. “He was the life of the party. He MC’d the day and had everyone in stitches – his usual self – and was quite funny and entertained everyone from the afternoon, and that’s the last memories I’ve got of him.

“I stayed a couple more days after that and we had a few beers together the next day.

“We both went over to Manly at the same time. Terry was tough, uncompromising, he was a sledger but he could take it and give it … he was a tough player. He was a great footballer.”

Ken Arthurson, known as the “Godfather of Manly”, said he was extremely saddened by Hill’s passing.

“I did have a lot to do with him, he was a great footballer,” Arthurson said. “I saw a great deal in him as a player and he was a really, really good footballer.

“The time he was with Manly, I found him a really good bloke as well. He did a great job for Manly and he’s very highly regarded in that area. He’s certainly very, very highly regarded by me.”

He retired from the NRL in 2005 and was a well-liked character in the game.

In late 2005, Hill and Scott Fulton – the son of league great Bob Fulton – pleaded guilty in Gosford Local Court to interfering with seven lobster traps on the Hawkesbury River belonging to a commercial fisherman.

The pair were fined $2550 each, and paid more than $4500 in legal expenses.

At 19, Hill and other players took NSW Rugby League to court and won.