Peter Sterling

Australian rugby Hall of Famer, Peter Sterling is a sports commentator with a revered reputation as a former player. Joining the Parramatta Eels in 1978, he was a star halfback that later took home the 1980 Tooth Cup superstar award. Sterling, nicknamed ‘Sterlo’, participated in Parramatta’s first Sydney Premiership in 1981 the same year they also won their first grand final.

Sterlo played in the undefeated 1982 Kangaroo Tour and another in 1986. He was named ‘Player of the year’ by Rugby League Week magazine three times and was honored with the Rothmans medal twice. Throughout the mid-80s he earned a number of achievements including two Dally M medals, four Dally M Halfback of The Year awards, bestowed into the Order of Australia, the Clive Churchill Medal, and a Golden Boot Award. In 1989, Sterlo published his autobiography Sterlo! The Story of a Champion under Lester-Townsend Publishing and later earned the Ken Stephen Memorial Award.

Retiring in 1992 just after being rated number 11 in Rugby League Week’s ‘Top 100 Players’, he became a commentator for media outlets such as Nine Network, Sports Sunday, Western Sydney radio station 2WS, and Channel 9. In 1993, The Sunday Footy Show asked Sterling to be the host alongside Paul Vautin as his cohost until its end season in 2015. He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal and later inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame in 2008.