Tom Hadfield
Personal information
Full nameBernard Tom Hadfield
Born(1934-12-11)11 December 1934[1]
Died16 May 2018(2018-05-16) (aged 83)
Birkenhead, New Zealand
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Northern Districts
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Auckland
1956–1961 New Zealand 18 15 0 0 45
Rest of the World 1
Source: [2]

Bernard Tom Hadfield (11 December 1934 – 16 May 2018) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups and retired as the highest try-scorer in the New Zealand national side's history.

Playing career

A Northcote Tigers player, Hadfield was an Auckland representative. He was part of the Northcote club during the Auckland Rugby League's district era and so played for Northern Districts - an amalgamation of the Northcote and North Shore clubs.[3]

Hadfield first made the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1956. He went on to play 15 Tests for the Kiwis, including at the 1957 and 1960 World Cups. After the 1960 World Cup Tom played for the Rest of the World vs Great Britain.[4] He finished his career with a then-record 15 tries for the Kiwis, five more than the previous record.[5] As of 2010 he is 6th equal highest try scorer for the Kiwis.[6]

Legacy and death

Hadfield was inducted into the New Zealand Rugby League's "Legends of League" in 2010.[7] In 2009 he was named as a member of the New Zealand Rugby League Team of the Century and in 2010 he was made a Legends of Harbour by Harbour Sport.[8][9][10]

Hadfield died in the Auckland suburb of Birkenhead on 16 May 2018, aged 83.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Death search: registration number 2018/12970". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ History Northcote & Birkenhead Tigers Rugby League & Sports Club Inc.
  4. ^ Hadfield, Bernard Thomas 1956 - 61 - Kiwi #375 nzleague.co.nz
  5. ^ Rugby League Football An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Accessed from Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand on 1 December 2010, last updated 23 April 2009
  6. ^ Playing Records nzrl.co.nz
  7. ^ Legends of League nzrl.co.nz
  8. ^ "Graham is best in 100 years". The Sunday Star-Times. 2 December 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  9. ^ 2010 Massey University Harbour Sport Excellence Awards harboursport.co.nz
  10. ^ Team Of The Century nzrl.co.nz
  11. ^ "Tom Hadfield – Kiwi league loses one of the greats". New Zealand Herald. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Tom Hadfield death notice". New Zealand Herald. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
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