By Greg Blood

List of notable Australian sportspeople that died in 2024. These people have contributed significantly to their sport and Australian sport in playing, coaching, administration or media roles.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) lost four members – Kevan Gosper, Neale Fraser, Andrew Plympton and Sir Donald Trescowthick

Administration

• Kevan Gosper AO, 91, Australian Olympic athlete, Australian Olympic Federation President, IOC member (SAHOF member)
• Andrew Plympton AM, 74, Sailing Australia President, St Kilda Foorball Club President, Australian Sports Commission Commissioner (SAHOF member)
• Sir Donald Trescowthick AC KBE (SAHOF member)

Athletics

• Ted Allsopp, 97, Australian Olympic race walker (1956, 1964)
• Diane Burge OAM, 81, Australian Olympoic athlete (1964, 1968), Triple Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist
• Jean Roberts, 81, Australian Olympic discus thrower (1968), athletics coach and AIS sport administrator
  Dave Stephens, 95, Australian Olympic athlete (1956)
• Peter Vassella, 83, Australian Olympic athlete (1964)

Australian Football

• Kevin Abley, 89, Glenelg SANFL player
• John Bingley, 82, St Kilda VFL premiership player
• Ross Booth, 72, VAFA player and VFA/VFL commentator
• Ron Branton, 90, Richmond VFL player, Richmond Hall of Fame
• John O’Neill, 88, Geelong VFL player
• Berkley Cox, 90, Carlton VFL player, Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
• Barry Davis, 80, Essendon & North Melbourne player, three-time premiership player.
• John Goold, 82, Carlton VFL player
• Dick Grimmond, 86, Richmond VFL player
• Tom Grljusich, 83, South Freemantle WAFL & Central Disdtrcits SANFL player
• Clyde Laidlaw, 90, Melbourne VFL player
• Don Marinko Jr., 91, East & West Perth WAFL player
• Hugh Mitchell, 89, Essendon VFL premiership player
• John O’Neill, 88, Geelong VFL player
• John Schultz, 85, Footscray VFL player, Australian Football Hall of Fame
• Bill Serong, 88, Collingwood & North Melbourne VFL player
• Ross Thornton, 67, Fitzroy VFL Player
• John Todd, Australian Football Hall of Fame player and coach
• Michael Turner, Geelong VFL player
• Dick Grimmond, 86, Richmond VFL player

Boxing

• Noel Hazard, 88, Australian Olympic boxer (1956)

Cricket

• Peter Allan, 87, QLD and Australian cricketer and sport administrator
• Jack Clarke, 70, Australian cricket administrator
• Neil Marks OAM, 85, NSW cricketer and cricket writer
• Frank Misson, 85, NSW and Australian cricketer
• Ian Redpath MBE,  83, Victorian and Australia cricket, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
• Lindsay Reeler, 63, Australian women’s cricketer
• Patricia Thomson, 86, Australian women’s cricketer

Cycling

• Ken Tucker, 89, Australian cycling coach to (Anna Meares, Kerrie Meares, Kenrick Tucker)

Fencing

• Patricia Norford, 92, Australian Olympic fencer (1952)
• Denise O’Brien, 87, Australian Olympic fencer (1956)
• Walburga (Val) Winter, 80, Australian Olympic fencer (1964)

Football

• Jimmy Armstrong, 81, Socceroo, inaugural Football Hall of Fame
• Ian Knop AM, Chair of Soccer Australia
• Stephen Laybutt, 46, Socceroos player
• Steve Maxwell, 59, Socceroos player
• Ron Lord, 94, Socceroos player
• Alan Westwater, 78, Socceroos player 

Gymnastics

• Kaye Breadsell, 82, Australian Olympic gymnast (1960)

Hang Gliding

• Bill Moyes, 92, Australian hang gliding pioneer.

Hockey

• Glen Jobson, 94, Australian Olymoic hockrey player
• Pat Nilan, 82, Australian Olympic hockey player – bronze (1964) and silver (1968)

Modern Pentathlon

• George (Terry) Nicoll, 91, Australian Olympic athlete (1956)

Motor Sport

• Anthony Gobert, 48, Australian motorcycle road racer
• Johnnie Walker, 79, Australian racing driver
• John Dodds, 80, Australian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer

Paralympians

• Mike Nugent, 77, Australian Paralympic gold medallist (1980, 1984) and wheelchair manufacturer
• Ian Trewhella AM, 79, Australian Paralympic archer, silver medallist (1980, 1984)

Rowing

• Dennis Hatcher, 71, Australian rower and sport administrator
• John Hudson, 83, Australian Olympic rower (1960)
• Kim Jelbart, 86, Australian Olympic rower  (1960)
• Garth Manton, 94, Australian Olympic rower,  bronze medalist (1956)
• Lionel Robberds, 84, Australian Olympic rower (1960)
• Brian Richardson, 77, Australian Olympic rower (1976, 1980) and national coach

Rugby League

• Bob Banks, 94, Queensland & Kangaroos player
• Keith Barnes AM , 89, Balmain & Kangaroos player, administrator, Hall of Fame
• Steve Blyth, 69, Western Suburbs & Newtown player
• Rees Duncan, 92, Manly, Western Suburbs and Kangaroos player
• John Elford, 76, Western Suburbs and Kangaroos player
• Terry Hill, 52, Manly & Kangaroos player
• Ron Lynch, 84, Parramatta, Penrith and Kangaroos.
• Geoff Robinson, 66, Canterbury Bankstown player
• Graham Willard, 83, Inaugural Jillaroos coach

Rugby Union

• Paul Darveniza, 78, Wallaby player
• Peter Crittle, 85, Wallaby player, coach and administrator.
• David Grimmond, 80, Wallaby player
• Mark Harding, 68, Wallaby player
• Ronnie May, 52, Wallaroo player
• Dick McGruther, 77, Rugby administrator
• Jim Roxburgh, 77, Wallaby player

Sailing

• Ronald Jenyns, 88, Australian Olympic sailor (1960, 1968)

Shooting

• Valerie Winter (nee Leverington), 87, Australian Olympic shooter (1988)

Skiing

• Bill Day, 90, Australian Olympic skier (1952, 1956, 1960)
• Marty Mayberry, 38, Paralympic silver medallist (2010)

Surfing

• Phyllis O’Donnell, 87, First women’s world surfing championship (1964)

Swimming

• Frank O’Neill, 97, Australian Olympic swimmer (1952)
• Jan Rees (nee Hogan), 79, Australian Olympic swimmer (1960)
• Neil Rogers, 70, Australian Olympic swimmer (1972, 1976)

Tennis

• Neale Fraser AO MBE, Won 19 Grand Slalm titles, Davis Cup Captain (SAHOF member)
• Brian Tobin AM , 93, Australian Hall of Fame tennis player and executive, President of the International Tennis Federation  (1991–1999)

Weightlifting

• Joseph Haydar, 85, Australian Olympic weightlifter (1964)

Sport Journalism

• Ian Heads, 81, Australian rugby league historian, journalist, (The Sydney Morning Herald, Rugby League Week) and author.
• David Morrow, 71, Australian sports commentator (ABC, 2GB)
• Sam Landsberger, 35, Australian sport journalist (Herald Sun, Fox Footy)

Horses

• Verry Elleegant, 8, Australian racehorse
• Lonhro, 25, Australian racehorse and sire, Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year (2004).
• Black Caviar, 17, Australian racehorse Australian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse, 
• Elvstroem, 24, Australian racehorse 

Previous articles

• Notable Australian Sporting Deaths 2025
• Notable Australian Sporting Deaths 2023