Farewell to Terry Williams, an outstanding Newtown RLFC identity.
The Newtown Rugby League Football Club is deeply saddened to learn about the death of our long-time club historian, author and essayist, Terry Williams.
Born in Marrickville in 1963 and the son of former Bluebags lower grade player Warren Williams, Terry was raised in Ashcroft alongside his six other siblings. It was during his childhood that Terry developed his passion for sports history and the Newtown club.
A teacher by profession, Terry turned his attention towards writing in the early 1990s. His first book, ‘Out of the Blue: The History of Newtown RLFC’, was published in 1993 and quickly sold out. He was also the author of the club’s second history book, ‘Through Blue Eyes: A Pictorial History of Newtown RLFC’, which was published in the club’s centenary year, 2008.
In 1995, Terry established Sydney League News magazine, before spending more than a decade as a communications manager and historian at the New South Wales Rugby League and the Australian Rugby League. This culminated in his appointment as curator of the NRL’s museum at Moore Park.
Terry Williams, proudly wearing a Newtown club tie and speaking at the centenary celebration of the Newtown RLFC held at the Newtown Town Hall on Tuesday, 8th January 2008. (Gary Sutherland Photography).
In 2018, Terry wrote and co-produced the critically acclaimed documentary film ‘Headgear to Helmets’, which explored the contributions of rugby league identities during World War 1. He was subsequently invited by Mal Meninga to address the Kangaroos, Jillaroos, Junior Kangaroos and Men’s and Women’s Australian Defence Force squads.
Among his other services to the game, Terry also served as the team manager of an Australian Prime Minister’s XIII squad during a tour of Papua New Guinea.
Terry’s contribution to our club cannot be overstated. In his role as the club historian, he played a central role in selecting Newtown’s Team of the Century and contributed numerous superb articles to the club’s website. He also served as an MC at many Newtown Jets club functions.
Terry was also a great family man. He and his wife Denise had a daughter, two sons and two grandchildren.
He was a proud alumnus of the famous rugby league school, St Gregory’s, Campbelltown. He has always been a popular figure at high school reunions.
Terry was also a mainstay of the annual Tom Brock Lecture, the well-respected rugby league history forum.
A Newtown Jets man until the very end, Terry passed away just hours after hosting the club’s 2026 season launch at the Petersham RSL Club.
Details of Terry’s funeral will be advised at a future date.
We send our sincere condolences to his family and many friends.
Terry Williams (wearing a 1908 Australian rugby league representative jersey) with rugby league greats Norm Provan (on the left) and Arthur Summons (right) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1963 NSWRL first grade grand final. (Photo: NSWRL).