NSWRL was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of True Blue and NSWRL Hall of Famer Billy Smith, aged 84.
Smith was born in Fremantle, Western Australia, before moving to Mortdale in Sydney’s south. A St George junior, he started his career in the centres in 1961 before Dragons’ captain-coach and Rugby League Immortal Norm Provan switched him to halfback the following year.
He was a pivotal member of the Dragons premiership-winning teams from 1963-66 (he played centre in the deciders from 1963-65) and would go on to play 234 first grade games for the club before hanging up the boots in 1977.
Smith had an instinctive partnership with fullback and Rugby League Immortal Graeme Langlands, while legends of the game including Provan, John Sattler, Ian Walsh and Steve Edge all rated him as one of the toughest players they had seen.
He made 17 appearances for NSW, which included 15 games against Queensland from 1964-73. He captained his state in 1967 and was part of eight series-winning teams.
Smith also played 29 Tests for Australia from 1964-70 and collected the Harry Sunderland Medal twice for the best player in an Ashes series.
Upon retirement, Smith joined Provan as an assistant coach at Cronulla and steered the club’s reserve grade side to consecutive Grand Finals in 1978-79.
He was named NSWRL Player of the Year in 1967, was awarded Life Membership of the Dragons in 1973, was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2008 and the NSWRL Hall of Fame in 2021.
NSWRL passes on its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Billy Smith.
