There were several significant Australian athletes, coaches, administrators and journalists that died in 2016. This list is not exhaustive as it does not include the many contributors at the state and local level.
Mike Agostini (1935-2016) – Trinidad track sprinter and leading Australian sports journalist and publisher.
Nichol ‘Nicky’ Barnes (1941-2016) – water polo player at the 1964 and 1972 Olympics.
Bill Barrot (1944-2016) – played 134 VL games including 120 for Richmond and premiership player for Richmond in 1967 and 1969.
Dudley ‘Dud’ Beattie (1934-2016) – rugby league front rower who played 18 Tests from 1959 to 1962.
Forbes Carlile MBE (1921-2016) – modern pentathlete at 1952 Olympics and legendary Olympic swimming coached Shane Gould among others.
Dr Brian Corrigan AM (1929-2016) – leading Australian sports physician, medical officer for Australian Team at Olympics from 1968 to 1988 and Socceroos team doctor for 30 years.
Paul Couch (1964-2016) – played 259 games for Geelong Cats and 1989 Brownlow Medallist.
Neville Crowe (1937-2016) – played 150 games for Richmond and their captain from 1963 to 1966 and All Australian in 1966.
Terrence ‘Terry’ Curley (1938-2016) – fullback with the Wallabies where he made his debut in 1957 and played 11 Tests.
Judy-Joy Davies (1928-2016) – swimming bronze medallist at 1948 Olympics and leading sports journalist in Melbourne.
Laurie Dwyer – played 201 VFL games for North Melbourne and was a member of their ‘Team of the Century’.
Bernard ‘Midget’ Farrelly (1944-2016) – won the first world surfing championship in 1964.
John Gleeson (1938-2016) – spin bowler who played 29 Tests from 1969 to 1972.
Joy Hardon (1921-2016) – fencer at the 1956 Olympics.
Daphne Hilton (1934-2016) – Australia’s first female Paralympian and won 14 medals at three Paralympics.
Deidre Hyland AM (1936-2016) – leading Australian sport administrator and physical educator including President of All Australia Netball Association from 1978 to 1988.
Jennifer ‘Jen’ Jacobs (1956-2016) – played seven cricket Tests and 13 ODIs from 1979 to 1984.
Brian Johnson (1956-2016) – rugby league fullback who played 264 games for St George, Warrington and Eastern Suburbs and coached Warrington and Australian Institute of Sport teams.
Peter Johnson (1937-2016) – hooker for the Wallabies and played 42 Tests from 1959 to 1971.
Ken Judge (1958-2016) – Hawthorn VFL premiership player in 1983 and coach of Hawthorn 1996 to 1999 and West Coast 2000 to 2001.
John Kidd (1947-2016) – silver medallist in athletics at the 1976 Paralympics.
Merv Lincoln (1933-2016) –leading middle distance runner who competed at 1956.
and 1960 Olympics and won a silver medal at 1958 Commonwealth Games.
Len Maddocks (1926-2016) – played seven Tests as wicket keeper from 1954 to 1956 and leading cricket administrator.
Ron Massey (1929-2016) – leading rugby league coach who worked with legendary Jack Gibson at Parramatta Eels and Eastern Suburbs and has the Ron Massey Cup named after him.
Norman ‘Nugget’ May AM (1928-2016) – leading Australian television and radio broadcaster who worked for the ABC from 1958 to 1984.
Mario Milano (1935-2016) – leading professional wrestler in Australia in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Peter Mullins (1926-2016) – Australian decathlete at 1948 Olympics and represented Canada at 1959 World Basketball Championships.
Bob Oatley AO, BEM (1928-2016) – leading yachtsman and owner of Wild Oats that won Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race eight times.
Des O’Reilly (1954-2016) – played 127 games for the Eastern Suburbs from 1975 to 1982 and 13 games for Cronulla from 1983 to 1985.
Norm Osborne OAM (1936-2016 ) – leading athletics coach including stint at the Australian Institute of Sport and coached Rick Mitchell, Mike Hillardt and Rohan Robinson.
Greg Pierce (1950-2016) – rugby league lock who played eight Tests and 210 games for Cronulla and coached them from 1981 to 1982.
Brian ‘Whale’ Roberts (1945-2016) – played 78 and 15 VFL games for Richmond and South Melbourne respectively and premiership player for Richmond in 1973 and 1974.
Harvey Stevens (1930-2016) – played 126 VFL games for Collingwood and Footscray and premiership player for Footscray in 1954.
Sarah Tait (1983-2016) – rowing silver medallist at 2012 Olympics and first mother to represent Australia in rowing at the Olympics.
Ken Thornett (1937-2016) – rugby league player who played 12 Tests, 133 games for Parramatta Eels and captain-coached them from 1965 to 1966.
Alan Trengove (1929-2016) – leading Australian sports journalist based in Melbourne.
Brian Trouville (1942-2016) – Sprint canoe coach at four Olympics including Head Coach at 1998, 1992 and 1996 Olympics and Australian Institute of Sport coach.
Frank Tuck (1931-2016) – played 131 VFL games for Collingwood and was captain from 1958 to 1959.
Bill Tuckey (1936-2016) – leading motoring journalist for over 50 years.
Arthur Tunstall OBE (1922-2016) – Secretary of Australian Commonwealth Games Association 1969 to 1998 and Secretary/Treasurer of Amateur Boxing Union of Australia for 46 years.
Max ‘Tangles’ Walker AM (1948-216) – medium fast bowler who played 34 Tests, 85 VFL games with Melbourne and was highly successful cricket commentator and author.
Bill Williams (1925-2016) – played 124 VFL games for South Melbourne from 1945 to 1951 and best and fairest winner in 1946, 1947 and 1950.
Judy (Canty) Wilson (1931-2016) – longer jumper at the 1948 Olympics and silver medallist at 1950 Commonwealth Games.
Rebecca Wilson (1961-2016) – leading Australian female sports journalist, radio and television broadcaster.
Special note to three dominant racehorses.
Better Loosen Up (1985-2016) – winner eight Group 1 races including 1990 Cox Plate and Australian Horse of the Year in 1991.
Saintly (1992-2016) – winner of four Group 1 races including 1996 Melbourne Cup.
Octagonal (1992-2016) – winner of ten Group 1 races including 1995 Cox Plate.
Finally, my thoughts are with the families and friends of athletes who died playing sport in 2016.
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