Rugby league cult hero Terry Hill dies suddenly (2024)

Former Kangaroos star and league personality Terry Hill has died of a heart attack.

Hill is believed to have suffered a massive heart attack in the Philippines. He was 52.

A colourful character, he played 246 first grade games for Souths, Easts, Wests, Manly and Wests Tigers between 1990 and 2003 and went on to star on Channel Nine's The Footy Show.

IN PICTURES: The incredible career and life of Terry Hill

South Sydney legend Craig Coleman was shocked when his phone exploded with news of Hill's passing on Wednesday.

"I was swimming, got out of the pool and had about 20 texts - I am devastated," Coleman told Wide World of Sports.

"Terry was one of the game's real characters and a great player.

"I'd watched him come through Souths as a kid he was a proud Souths junior and we always knew he was destined for big things."

Hill was in the Philippines helping raise money for an orphanage.

"That's the kind of bloke he was - had a heart of gold," Coleman said.

"He'd been there for a couple of weeks and rang a mate and said he wasn't feeling well. The mate told him to lie down… apparently he went to sleep and never woke up - it's a sad day for the game."

Former Balmain centre Tim Brasher played with and against Hill and was rocked by the news of his death.

"He was great to play with at State of Origin but a nightmare to mark when I was playing for Balmain and he was playing for Manly," Brasher told Wide World of Sports.

"He was a great fella and loved to give you a bit of stick after he beat you to score a try."

Brasher recalls a prank he played on Hill during a NSW Origin camp.

"You couldn't shut him up – he was a larrikin who just loved to chatter," Brasher said.

"Once on a bus trip we all put money in a jar – it came to about $200 which was a lot back then.

"And I said to him 'Terry, this money is all yours if you don't talk for the rest of the trip'.

"Then I brought up a subject he was passionate about and he couldn't help himself. It was a challenge he couldn't win.

"He lived life at 100 miles per hour and will be missed.

"It's far too young to die… 52."

Manly Sea Eagles, who Hill played 142 games for across two stints, were shocked by the death of one of the club's favourite sons, with club CEO Tony Mestrov, Hill's former captain Geoff Toovey and champion back-rower Steve Menzies paying tribute.

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"Terry was a great player for Manly,'' Toovey, who captained the 1996 premiership side playing alongside Hill, said.

"He was a good friend. He did a lot of good things for his team-mates. My sincere condolences to his family."

Menzies said he was shocked to hear of the passing of his former teammate.

"I'm in disbelief - he was a larger than life character and it's a really sad day," Menzies told Wide World of Sports.

"His personality on and off the field made him one of the favourite players of our era.

"I feel like I played with him for more than 10 years at Manly - not just six. He was a serial pest, but a great bloke to have around.

"As a back-rower, he was a dream to play alongside. He was fast, strong, had good hands and was a great a defender.

"At his peak he was one of the best centres in the game. He was ferocious on the field and off the field he was always the centre of attention.

"He was the best sledger that I've played with or against. He could really get under an opponent's skin, but it was always good natured - we had some laughs."

Wayne Pearce coached Hill in the Blues Origin team and loved having the colourful centre in camp.

"He was the life of the party and the sort of guy you really needed in an Origin camp to break the tension," Pearce said.

"He was larger than life and he could tell a story, even if he did embellish it a bit.

"And as a player, he was very intimidating - he got in his opponents' faces and was big and strong enough to run over them.

"He had a long and successful career in the game across several clubs and was highly respected - it's such a shame he is gone and he will be missed."

Nine commentator and former superstar Brad Fittler knew Hill from an early age.

"We played against each other in the under eights and he was already a cheeky fella back then who loved giving out some advice on how you should play against him," Fittler said.

"He made you laugh and will be missed.

"We toured England together a couple of times and he was always a great guy to go away with – he was just so full of energy and fun.

"It's hard to believe he is gone."

The NRL also paid tribute to Hill in a statement.

"Terry was a prodigiously talented footballer who burst onto the scene in first grade as a teenager and went on to represent Australia in nine Test matches as well as playing 14 State of Origin matches for New South Wales," ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said.

"As well as being one of the game's great centres he was also one of its most popular characters, a giant personality who was universally loved by the players he played alongside over his long career in the top grade. Who can forget the hilarious skits on the Channel 9 Footy Show?

"On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Terry's family, and all those who knew him."