To those outside the sport, Terry Hill's affiliation with greyhound racing was the Footy Show's live crosses to Dapto to watch him in full flight and to see 'their' dog, Nads, go around.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It brought the sport into loungerooms of a different audience during prime time, and it also endeared Terry to the industry.
News on April 24 that Terry Hill had passed away after suffering a heart attack while holidaying in the Philippines brought many in the sport to tears.
If the wider population knew the gold jacket-wearing Terry having fun with racegoers at Dapto, those inside the sport knew of his love for it, and for the many greyhounds he has owned and raced. "When I first heard I said no way," said Darren Sultana who trains Terry's superstar straight track champion Shall Not.
"Then the phone started ringing and one of Terry's good mates called me and was bawling his eyes out. That's when I knew it was true. It's so very sad. He loved any dog. Dogs were his passion. They keep talking about his football - and he had a great football career - but Terry loved dogs more than football just from everything I could gather from him, and he did have a soft spot for this one I've got [Shall Not]."
Terry Hill spent more time in greyhound racing than he did in rugby league. He was just 17 when he had his first greyhound, and the love affair continued for the following three and half decades.
Terry's best dog and his biggest successes came in 2000 when his greyhound Placard won the Group 1 National Sprint Championship in Tasmania and then the Group 1 Topgun in Melbourne.
"By sheer affection, enthusiasm and kindness, Terry was one of the great assets of the greyhound industry," GRNSW CEO Rob Macaulay said.
"He has been a lifelong supporter of greyhound racing, owned some wonderful champion greyhounds, and more importantly, his passion for the sport was infectious. Terry had great enthusiasm for greyhound racing and was responsible for helping the sport to attract widespread coverage in the 1990s through the Footy Show. Years later Terry said he would be stopped on The Corso at Manly not to be asked about his football career, but to chat about Nads and the racetrack he loved, Dapto. Terry Hill will be sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his family and wide network of friends."
Shall Not won his 16th successive race at Richmond on April 27. "Win, lose or draw Terry would ring after the race and we would chat about it. He had a soft spot for this dog. It's a little bit surreal to think that phone call won't ever happen again. I just wanted him to win to honour Terry. I don't get emotional with races, I keep to myself, but it just felt like the world was on top of me for some reason. Everyone, including me, wanting Shall Not to win for Terry."
Hill played 14 matches for NSW in State of Origin, but he also thrived on the Origin format in greyhound racing and has been captain of the NSW team in recent years.
Last year Shall Not also gave Hill an Origin victory when he won the Straight of Origin race up the straight at Capalaba, in Queensland, and he was desperate to do it again. "Terry had one mission on his mind for the dog the last three months. Hopefully we keep him sound and have another crack at that for Terry," Darren said.
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.
