Vale – Reginald Austin OAM

Vale – Reginald Austin OAM

Reg, a proud Men of League member passed away during the last week of June 2015 aged 78 years old. He was a well-known and highly respected sportsman through his achievements in rugby league and as a professional and Master runner athlete.

Reg had a successful and respected career over many years as a Sprint Coach/Trainer with both the North Sydney Bears RL Club and then Manly Warringah RL Club. When at North Sydney Bears he trained the late Ken Irvine was and still is thought to be one of the fastest players to have played rugby league. Apart from his involvement in rugby league he was known as an inspirational athlete as a Pro Runner/Coach with many wins in the 1960’s and 1970’s in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania including a close second position in 1964 in the famous Stanwell Gift. He also held many world records in the Masters category of runners. In 1990 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to veteran athletics and in 2010 was inducted into the Australian Masters Athletics Inc. “Hall of Fame”.

A son Greg shared his Father’s lightning speed and played 15 x 1st grade games with the Manly Warringah RL Club during 1987-1989 before playing in England with clubs including Rochdale, Halifax, Salford and Huddersfield where he was renowned for his try scoring ability.

Reg will be sadly missed by his loving Family and his many Mates in sport.

A funeral service will be held at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium, East Chapel on Wednesday 8 July 2015 at 2.30pm.

The Family would like as many of Reg’s friends as possible to attend and pay their respects to this great man.