The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks mourn the passing of Ron Turner, player number 53, who has sadly passed away at the age of 81.
Since the club’s formation in 1967, 30 Sharks players have had the honour of wearing the green and gold for Australia. But 55 years ago, in 1970, it was Turner—a tough, determined hooker—who paved the way as Cronulla’s first Kangaroo, earning selection for Australia’s World Cup squad to tour the United Kingdom.
Turner hailed from Gunnedah, where he carved out a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense hooker and earned selection in the 1969 Country Seconds side. In a tough initiation to representative football, Turner’s side prevailed 24-18 against a Sydney side that contained future NRL Immortals Bob Fulton and Johnny Raper.
A deal was all but done the following season for Turner to join Newtown, and had it not been for the club signing New Zealand international Oscar Danielson instead, Turner may well have been a Jet.
At a crossroads in his career, Turner seriously considered retirement—he couldn’t afford to keep playing for nothing, a reality many country footballers faced. However, fate had other plans. Cronulla stepped in, offering Turner a chance and signed him to a three-year deal.
Turner wasted no time making his presence felt in the Sydney premiership. Standing tall for a hooker, his size, speed, and toughness quickly caught selectors' eyes. His performances in 1970 were so impressive that he earned a call-up to the Australian squad for the World Cup—an incredible achievement that made him the first Sharks player ever selected for the Kangaroos.
Turner wasn’t just part of the squad—he played a key role in Australia’s World Cup triumph, helping secure a 12-7 victory over England in the final in Leeds.
Through the early 1970s, Turner was an anchor in the Sharks’ forward pack, forming a strong partnership with Cronulla Sharks Immortal Tommy Bishop. His consistent performances kept him on the radar of representative selectors, and in 1973, he was part of the Cronulla side that reached its first-ever Grand Final.
That grand final, against Manly, is infamous as one of the most brutal matches in rugby league history. Turner stood toe-to-toe with some of the game’s hardest men, refusing to back down as the Sharks nearly pulled off an upset victory.
By 1974, with Bishop leaving Cronulla, the team’s form began to dip, and Turner’s representative hopes seemed to be fading. Yet, in a stunning turn of events, he was recalled to the Australian side for the Third and deciding Test against Great Britain. In that match, Turner helped Australia defend the Ashes, proving his worth once more at the international level.
After 95 first-grade games for the Sharks, Turner was released at the end of 1975 and joined the Newtown Jets for the 1976 season, where he finally surpassed the 100 first-grade games milestone. That season proved to be his last in Sydney, as he retired shortly after.
Today, as Cronulla continues to produce elite talent for Australia, Turner’s legacy as the club’s original Kangaroo remains firmly etched in the club’s history.
Born: 6 February 1945
Positions: Hooker, Prop, Second row;
Years at club: 1970-75
Player no: 53
Games for club: (107) 95 in first grade and 12 in Reserve Grade.
Debut: Round 1, Saturday 28 March 1970 against Newtown at Endeavour Field.
Last game: Round 12, Sunday 8 June 1975 against Newtown at Henson Park.
Statistics for Cronulla: 36 points in first grade and 3 points in Reserve Grade.
Other club: Newtown 1976 (Player no. 655) played 10 games for 0 points.
Representative: 1972 New South Wales: 1 game; Australia: 4 Tests between 1970-74
