The Australian rugby league community is mourning the death of former Kangaroos representative Tim Pickup, who has died at the age of 72.
He played for North Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from 1972-79 and wore the green and gold on 11 occasions while also representing NSW six times.
In a tribute posted by the Bulldogs on Tuesday, the club said Pickup was "on a working holiday in England when he was spotted playing touch football in a London park by a scout, and was signed by St Helens".
He was then loaned to Blackpool Borough where he was player of the year as a fullback for the 1970 and 1971 seasons.
He returned to Australia in 1972 and signed with North Sydney and played 54 games for the Bears over three seasons, voted their player of the year in 1973 and 1974.
A member of the 1973 Kangaroo touring team, Pickup played at five-eighth in 11 Tests with Immortal Bob Fulton - who died recently - at centre.
The Bears also posted a tribute on their website: "We send our condolences to the Pickup family in this sad time and remember the great man that he was. A funeral service will be held on the 16th June in Manly Vale."
Pickup spent five seasons at Canterbury before retiring at the end of 1979, captaining the club 23 times and playing in the halves alongside Steve Mortimer in the 1978 finals series.
He was a mentor to the next generation of Bulldogs superstars, such as Steve Folkes and the Mortimer brothers, Steve, Peter and Chris. He retired as reserve grade captain in 1979 after leading the team to the grand final against Parramatta.
In retirement he served on the Canterbury-Bankstown Football Club board, was the foundation CEO of Super League Club, Adelaide Rams, and was manager of world boxing champion Jeff Harding from 1987-1994.
In 1985 he was awarded life membership of the Canterbury-Bankstown Football Club and was also inducted into the Bankstown Sporting Hall of Fame and awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to Australian sport.
He was selected in 2006 in the North Sydney Bears Team of the Century, alongside legends including Ken Irvine, Harold Horder, Mark Graham and Gary Larson.
