RIP Ken Bucket Thornett

Vale Ken Thornett, as the Aussies put it. My father still rates him as the best full back Leeds have ever had and he's supported Leeds since the late 1930's. There will be hardly anyone on this forum who will acknowledge or recognise him or his name as they only know about Sooper League and the Rhinos. www.eraofthebiff.com/p97.html

Vale Ken Thornett, as the Aussies put it. My father still rates him as the best full back Leeds have ever had and he's supported Leeds since the late 1930's. There will be hardly anyone on this forum who will acknowledge or recognise him or his name as they only know about Sooper League and the Rhinos. www.eraofthebiff.com/p97.html

Before my time but I have heard others say the major of parramatta was a top class player.

RIP

Me too. I heard about him through my old man and his tales of the top players of his youth so i am aware of his impact at the club. Hopefully they will give him a fitting tribute.

Williams Dad was right about Thornett he was the best along with 3 others from the 1961 team namely Lewis Jones, Barry Simms and Jack Fairbank all great

Was a hero of my dad and uncle. When you see photos of him he looked an athlete in an era when players didn't. Im sure he was a great player in his day. To have a stand named after him at Parramatta says everything.

I was very young when Ken Thornett played for Leeds, but I retain some memories of him.
Firstly, I recall that on many occasions he seemed to be able to lean over the touchline, legs planted in the field of play, and pluck penalty kicks for touch out of the air - it was amazing to watch.
Secondly, in a match at Belle Vue, he caught Alan Skene, the South African centre high. Following that a ball was kicked to him and he was hit, held, and battered by Derek Turner, Brian Briggs and some of the other forwards. He still played on, head heavily bandaged. (I think the ref turned a blind eye - different in those days).
The other thing I recall was the way Lewis Jones and Colin Evans used Lewis's famous "hanging pass" to launch Thornett from a scrum with sleight of hand. He was a very quick and strong runner and often made huge inroads into the opposing ranks.

Fond memories

RIP

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parr ... qucg2.html www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8072009

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parr ... qucg2.html www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8072009

Very sad news. "Bucket" was the best fullback fullback I have seen and one of my all time favorite players. I was fortunate to see most of his games for Leeds home and away and also have vivid memories as described by Fred Pickup. Particularly the attacking move from a scrum where SH Colin Evans would do the run around with SO Lewis Jones who would supply the 'hanging pass' for Evans to regather and give a back pass to Thornett who timed his run on the burst. I also remember Thornett's powerful hand off. He was big, fast, brave with great hands. I do not recall him ever dropping a ball and there was a story that the bookies stopped offering odds on this happening. He was one of those players than would have been a sensation in any era. RIP Kenny.

I remember that game at Wakefield too Turner actually stamped on his head

Ken Thornett was the Mayor of Parramatta rather than the major.

Before my time also but clearly a great player in both codes and in both hemispheres.

When he joined Parramatta he helped lift them into the Play Offs after years of successive wooden spoons.

Also a visionary as IIRC in his book from the mid sixties he proposed an interstate contest between New South Wales and Queensland.

Also before my time, and also from a time before many videos of him are available. From everything I've read though, he sounds like a fantastic player. I love his nickname of 'Bucket', because he never dropped a high ball.

Nice silent tribute from Tom Briscoe yesterday. IIRC when Thornett returned to Australia he forced a rule change down under when performing his trademark knock backs from outside the field of play.