Norm Hewitt
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Paying tribute to Norm Hewitt
To mark sad news that Norm Hewitt has died we speak to his close friend and biographer Michael Laws who has permission from Norm's family to speak about his passing.
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@nzzp said in Norm Hewitt:
sad to hear that, he can't be that old. In a different era he wouldn't have sat behind Fitzy for most of a decade.
56 years young. Sad news
My favourite is that Baabaa’s try
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@Canes4life said in Norm Hewitt:
Former All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt has died after a battle motor neurone disease.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350344474/former-all-blacks-hooker-norm-hewitt-has-died
My greatest memory of big Norm was when he broke his arm in the final against Canterbury in 2000 but battled through, helping the Lions secure a famous victory.
RIP Norm.
My sister went down to this game (with a rugby mad friend). Said it was one of the best games she had seen. And some Wellington supporters couldn't watch at the end
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He had a long wait on the bench for his first cap because Fitzpatrick played almost every game. A great character. His book is honest and funny. One of the first Hurricanes. Sad to hear to that he had difficult times in later years and that he has passed away.
RIP
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@ACT-Crusader loved the wall.
Norm had personality - makes you realise how much professionalism has changed footy these days
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@nzzp said in Norm Hewitt:
@ACT-Crusader loved the wall.
Norm had personality - makes you realise how much professionalism has changed footy these days
I loved how he absolutely didn’t mince words in the slightest and called the administrators ‘fishheads’ and some other fellow All Blacks a lot worse.
His book is on the shelf, I might have to give it another read.
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@MN5 said in Norm Hewitt:
@nzzp said in Norm Hewitt:
@ACT-Crusader loved the wall.
Norm had personality - makes you realise how much professionalism has changed footy these days
I loved how he absolutely didn’t mince words in the slightest and called the administrators ‘fishheads’ and some other fellow All Blacks a lot worse.
His book is on the shelf, I might have to give it another read.
Spent a day with Norm during my younger years doing some promotion work for his book, he was a lovely guy - had a huge amount of time for all the kids at each school we visited.
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Way too young. And another MND death too.
Condolences to his family.
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Far too young
RIP -
His book was a very entertaining read, one bit in particular where he blamed (in part) HB not winning their final against Southland due to the local girls finding out which hotel they were staying at and shagging a number of their players senseless that night so they had no energy the next day.
If true I can't help but admire those Southlands girls dedication to help their team win
Felt sorry for Norm being stuck behind fitzy for so long and then when fitzy finally retired norm got replaced fairly quickly by someone else (who's name I forget). He spent so much time in the wings and very little in the spotlight.
Far too young and a great character and personality. RIP.
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@Windows97 Yep I had his book, unfortunately almost wished I hadn't read it to be honest, as I perhaps thought a lot less of him after reading book than before. Perhap more proof that players/young men can turn their lives around.
But regardless liked him as a rugby player, and incrediby sad I think that he has passed away much too young.
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Norms book was great because most Rugby books are boring as fuck because they’re so safe and non controversial.
Another top memory is the one that @Canes4life mentioned. Ruth Dyson had a go at him for playing with a broken arm and being a ‘bad role model’ and then she got done for drink driving ! Brilliant stuff
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@MN5 Mate just probably with his book, I personally got annoyed that he was a victim too often in it, it was unfair he last captaincy of HB because he was pissed and tried to get into wrong room of motel etc. Perhaps ot was Laws as author who pissed me off. I could accept he was a drug dealer, bully etc he turned himself around (and we didn't have net in those days so he wasn't judged like players are now), just the impression the book made him sound like a victim annoyed me is all. As I said that just may of been Laws the author'.
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@Windows97 said in Norm Hewitt:
when fitzy finally retired norm got replaced fairly quickly by someone else (who's name I forget)
Oliver?
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I have some new respect for Mains after reading this
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@Dan54 said in Norm Hewitt:
@MN5 Mate just probably with his book, I personally got annoyed that he was a victim too often in it, it was unfair he last captaincy of HB because he was pissed and tried to get into wrong room of motel etc. Perhaps ot was Laws as author who pissed me off. I could accept he was a drug dealer, bully etc he turned himself around (and we didn't have net in those days so he wasn't judged like players are now), just the impression the book made him sound like a victim annoyed me is all. As I said that just may of been Laws the author'.
Fair enough.
I might have another read over the weekend and see.
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