Not many players have the ability to play just 38 games for a club but still become a legend.
Cliff Watson was one such player.
Watson, a member of Cronulla’s team of the half century and veteran of the 1973 grand final, died on Wednesday morning after a long battle with oesophageal cancer. He was 78.
Watson arrived at the Sharks in 1971 and played three seasons in the black, white and blue, providing the brawn to fellow England international and Cronulla captain-coach Tommy Bishop’s brain.
He memorably played with torn rib cartilages in the vicious 1973 grand final against Manly where he starred despite the obvious pain. But while he was revered as Cronulla’s enforcer and one of the toughest props to have played the game, Watson was also known as a gentle giant off the field.
Watson was a unanimous choice as one of the front-rowers in Cronulla’s team of the half century announced at the start of 2017, such was his influence and impact on the field in his short time at the club.
As well as his three seasons at Cronulla, Watson played 30 internationals for Great Britain and was also named in English club St Helens’ hall of fame and inducted in the club’s greatest 17 in 2010.
Watson won every major honour in English rugby league with Saints, including an incredible 1965-66 season where St Helens won four trophies – League Leaders, Lancashire League, Championship and Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup final was played against bitter rivals Wigan, in front of Wembley’s first crowd of more than 100,000 people.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg paid tribute to Watson.
“Cliff’s time at the Sharks was relatively short compared to the rest of his career but his impact and influence on the club is revered to this day,” he said.
“He led from the front to take the club to its first grand final in 1973.
“He was one of the greatest front-rowers for Great Britain ever and left an incredible mark on Cronulla as well as the game in Australia.”
At the end of his career Watson took up permanent residence in the shire and lived at Miranda at the time of his death.
Cronulla will honour Watson’s memory when they host Parramatta at Shark Park on Saturday night with a minute’s silence before kick-off, while the NRL team will wear arm bands.
