VALE - JOHN THORNETT

Published Mon 14 Jan 2019

Sad news indeed this past week with the death of John Thornett (WPNSW Life Member). Much has been written recently about John’s great sporting achievements, particularly in Rugby where he played 114 internationals for the Wallabys and was captain on 63 occasions. However, we need to set the record straight as his significant achievements in water polo have been either understated or neglected. John Thornett was born in 1935, the eldest of three talented sporting brothers with Ken, younger by two years, playing rugby league as a full-back for Australia and for Leeds in England. Richard (Dick), the junior by five years, represented his country at the 1960 Olympic Games at water polo and was an international in rugby league, but also played 11 times in the same Wallaby pack as his elder brother, before switching to Rugby League (a triple Australian representative). Clearly the Thornetts were no run of the mill weekend athletes.

Their summer passion was for the beach and swimming, and the Thornetts all frequented Bronte Beach and the Baths, but few realise that it was John, in company with Bert (Momi) Vadas (ex-Hungarian Olympian) who really promoted the Bronte Water Polo Club. The Thornetts were pivotal to the success of Bronte water polo, and having been runners-up in the Sydney 1st grade competitions of 1953/54 and 1954/55, they claimed four 1st grade premierships in a row from 1958/59 to 1961/62. John was a significant and potent member of the Bronte 1st grade team throughout all those seasons, but few will remember that John was also selected in and represented the prestigious NSW Mens Water Polo Team on four separate occasions (1953/54 in Sydney, 1954/55 in Melbourne, 1958/59 in Perth & 1959/60 in Melbourne). John was also actively involved with the NSW Water Polo Association acting as registrar and secretary for a number of years. Bronte water polo club is no longer, but there are plenty of ex-members residing in Sydney that will attest to the power and talent of the Bronte club in those , ably led by the remarkable John Thornett.

Our deepest sympathies go out to John’s family, who while grieving must also feel very proud of their very own great Australian.