Tim Pickup
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Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 6 October 1948||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 7 June 2021 | (aged 72)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 71 kg (11 st 3 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Five-eighth, Halfback, Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] |
Timothy Alexander Pickup (6 October 1948 – 7 June 2021)[2] was an Australian Rugby League footballer for the North Sydney Bears, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, New South Wales and Australian national side in the 1970s, playing his first Test for Australia only 14 games after his NSWRL first grade debut. He played Rugby Union for the Manly Rugby Club as a teenage prodigy for three seasons in the late 1960s. In retirement Pickup was involved in boxing at famed Newtown PCYC and was Jeff Harding's manager when he won the WBC World Light-Heavyweight title in 1989. He was the foundation CEO of the Adelaide Rams franchise of the Australian Super League in 1995. In 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to Australian sport. Pickup was named in the North Sydney Bears Team of the Century in 2006 and was a finalist for both the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 70th Anniversary team as well as Manly Rugby Union's Team of the Century.
Early years
Tim Pickup was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia as the second of three sons to Harrie and Mary Pickup, between brothers Paul and Chris. His father Harrie was a lower-grade player for St. George and Eastern Suburbs, and his brother, Tim's uncle, Laurie was an outstanding 1st grade Rugby League player with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters (player #258).
Laurie Pickup is on record as the 3rd youngest ever captain of the Tri-colors whose career was cut short when killed on duty at age 26 during World War II.
Enfield Federals
Tim Pickup was a Western Suburbs Rugby League junior who played his formative years with the Enfield Federals J.R.L.F.C. from 1959 to 1965. Dormant since the 1930's, the Federals were revived by a local consortium including Tim's father Harrie Pickup and friends in 1959. Harrie was club President from 1959-1965.
The Federals became a juggernaut and Pickup's teammates included six future Sydney first-graders, including Michael McClean – Manly, North Sydney and Wests (son of former Western Suburbs captain Peter McClean), Neville Hornery – Canterbury and Wests, Geoff Nielsen – Canterbury and Easts, John Clark – Wests and Parramatta, as well as Rod Smith and Australian horse-racing identity, Frank Tagg – both Wests. Legendary Balmain, NSW and Australian Rugby League trainer/conditioner, and noted hard man Les Hobbs was also a key member of this team.
The Enfield Federals were such a dominant side they went undefeated for seven years, and ironically lost their one and only game, the 1965 Grand Final which was Pickup's last ever match for the club. During the Federals reign they quickly ran out of opponents, having to play up an age group to get a game and eventually had to shift to other Junior Leagues (Balmain, Newtown) to be accommodated. The Federals were such a force that twelve out of the starting thirteen line-up represented Western Suburbs RLFC in the 1963 (u15) S.G Ball/Oatley Shield and 1965 (u17) Jersey Flegg Shield and won both competitions undefeated, with Tim Pickup as five-eighth and captain.
In 2019 The Enfield Federals named their Team of the Century with Tim Pickup as the the Halfback and Captain
In 1965, Western Suburbs RLFC called upon Pickup and teammate Neville Hornery to play in the 3rd grade open-age semi-finals. Harrie Pickup deemed his son to be too young for this promotion at only 16 years of age, yet Neville not only accepted the challenge, he excelled and so began his chequered career. Hornery never realised his immense potential and after five short seasons he misbehaved his way out of a couple of clubs, leaving all who saw him play to wonder what might have been.
Pickup did his schooling at St. Patrick's Strathfield, and graduated from Christian Brothers Lewisham in 1965. He was offered a high school scholarship to storied Rugby Union nursery, St. Joseph's Hunter's Hill but declined for at that time was not a fan of the game.
At the end of 1965 Harrie Pickup decided to move his family to the Northern Beaches, as all three brothers had discovered surfing and were regulars on the Peninsula. The Pickups settled in Curl Curl. mi
Manly Rugby Union
Pickup's Rugby League career stalled when his family relocated as the Western Suburbs RLFC did not grant a transfer/release for Tim to further his career with any club other than Wests, and especially not to Manly-Warringah.
With few options left to continue his Rugby League career Pickup tagged along with a work mate to the Manly Rugby Union Club and never having played the sport, quickly rose through the grades in the pre-season and was named starting 1st grade stand-off as a 17-year-old in the first game of the 1966 season, against reigning Premiers Randwick. Pickup played three straight years at five-eighth/stand-off uninterrupted, never missing the 1st grade starting line-up through form or injury, never playing a single lower grade match. Manly was competitive during the entirety of Pickup's tenure, his last ever game for the club being the 1968 Grand Final which they lost to Sydney University, 23–6. A Manly teammate of Pickup's was future dual-international Steve Knight, who was also a teenager at the time.
Frustrated with a lack of progress on the representative scene, Pickup felt he was a victim of his Rugby League heritage and stubbornly severed his ties and set off to England on a working holiday, and did not return to Australia until 1972. Pickup was one of five finalists nominated for the position of five-eighth in Manly Marlins team of the century in 2008.[3]
England
While working in England Pickup was spotted playing touch football in a London park and was recommended for a trial with legendary club, St. Helens RLFC. He bolted up north for the opportunity and was signed after a couple of lower grade games. With a glut of talent already on their books, Tim was 'loaned' out to 1st division battlers, Blackpool Borough where he played fullback and was teammates with the legendary Billy Boston, in the twilight of his career, and Allan Bishop, the tenacious younger brother of the great Tommy Bishop. In 1969 Tim was deported to his last port of call, the US, for overstaying his visa.
During this period Tim was stuck in New York and would hitch a ride to the Woodstock music festival with fellow residents of the homeless hostel he was staying at. A lifelong boxing fanatic, Pickup also tracked down his boyhood hero Sugar Ray Robinson and would follow him and his entourage on their daily run through Central Park. He was accosted by Robinson's minders when they were alerted to his pattern of following their group. Tim talked his way out of a beating when he identified himself as a true fan and made Sugar Ray laugh. He then trained as part of the group until his visa was cleared and was able to return to England.
In 1971 Tim married his Australian wife and former AMP colleague, Jan, with Allan Bishop as his Best Man. Jan flew over to join him after his passport was full of stamps due to regular jaunts to the Europe and the Middle East before his deportation. Pickup would be named Blackpool's player of the year for the consecutive 1970 and 1971 seasons, but again got itchy feet when unable to get a recall to St. Helens' first team. His stellar play for Blackpool Borough didn't go unnoticed and he began to generate massive interest in his native Australia and decided to return.
North Sydney Bears
When Tim Pickup returned to Sydney he resumed his career in finance with with AMP, and with multiple clubs vying for his services, he resumed his career in Rugby League with the North Sydney (#691). Pickup's explained that Norths were the team that had suffered the longest drought between premierships, and he wanted to make a difference. His impact was felt immediately. Although Norths fortunes improved, they never made the final five, playoff series and hovered around the middle of the ladder during Tim's short time as a Bear, when coached by the great Noel Kelly from 1972 to 1974. Their best finish was 6th, worst was 9th in the 12 team NSWRL competition.
Personally Tim achieved instant success at representative level in 1972 and played for Australia after only 14 games for the Bears. Pickup was chosen for City Seconds then played 2 games for New South Wales (NSW #664), he made the Australian team (#462) alongside Norths teammate George Ambrum. Tim played two Tests against New Zealand in 1972 partnering Tommy Raudonikis in the halves, with Bob Fulton in the centres, a combination which was regularly used by selectors over the next four seasons. Tim Pickup was the only North Sydney player chosen in the 26 man squad when he toured with the 1973 Kangaroos, captain-coached by 'immortal' Graeme Langlands. Pickup played in 4 Tests, including the 21-12 First Test loss to Great Britain at Wembley and 12 tour matches. He generally played at five-eighth, though he was selected at halfback in the 2nd Test against France. The 13th Kangaroo Tour was a huge success as the Australians retained the Ashes with a 2-1 series win over Great Britain, a 2-0 series win vs France, where 'Ímmortal' Arthur Beetson became the first indigenous Australian to captain an Australian team in any sport, and had an overall 17 wins from 19 games. The only other loss was against St. Helens. Tim's last Test match as a North Sydney Bear was against the touring Great Britain side in 1974 series. He was named the Bears player of the year for the 1973 and 1974 seasons.
Frustrated at his club's policy towards player retention and its lack of ambition in recruiting star-quality players, Pickup decided it was time to move on and signed a massive (for the day) five-year contract to captain Canterbury-Bankstown, (#406) who were known as the Berries at that time.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Tim Pickup took two teammates with him from the Bears and together their impact at Belmore was immediate. Promising young centre/second-rower Keith Harris developed though never realised his enormous potential, and Dave Cooper's contribution should never be underestimated by Canterbury fans.
Cooper at that stage had just retired and the former Norths, Balmain and Cronulla forward turned his passion for fitness into the role of trainer/conditioner. His tough training regime set the tone for Canterbury's team, giving them a physical and mental edge and a template that has been replicated by future Bulldogs squads right up until the present day. Dave Cooper's massive influence on the club was recognised when he was awarded life membership in 2010.
Pickup's tenure with the Belmore club [4] started with a bang in 1975. As captain he led the team to a barnstorming start to the season, and after the club's loss in the 1974 NSWRFL season's grand final to Eastern Suburbs the Belmore faithful were feeling that they had found the missing piece to the elusive premiership puzzle. Tim was first choice five-eighth for all representative games for City, State and for Australia, but that momentum came crashing to a halt when he severely injured his knee in a World Cup match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in June of that season. Canterbury were in 2nd place at that time and eventually were knocked out in the major semi-final and Pickup did not play again that year. He also missed the entire 1976 season recovering from complications of the same injury.[5]
Pickup returned in 1977 to captain the newly named Bulldogs, but his speed was zapped due to his knee injury and after being dropped to 2nd grade for the first time in his career, in either code, he spent the rest of his days as a professional alternating between 1st and reserve grade. Although devastated at the demotion, Pickup had a significant influence on the next generation of pups who graduated to be Bulldog superstars over the next decade. Players such as Chris Anderson, Steve Folkes, George Peponis, Greg Brentnall and the Mortimer brothers, Steve, Peter and Chris, all served their apprenticeships alongside Pickup during their formative years. Steve Mortimer states as much in his biography "Top Dog", devoting a chapter to the issue, with the title 'Toughened by Tim (Pickup) Tom (Raudonikis) and Terry (Lamb).'
Pickup was named KB Man of the Round in May 1978 and captained the Bulldogs 1st grade side for the final time that season. He played a single 1st grade game in 1979, finishing his career at Belmore as captain of the 2nd grade side in a Grand Final loss to Parramatta. He was named Clubman of the Year in 1979.
Post Rugby League career
Tim Pickup worked for AMP from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s as a financial planner. He also owned a successful chain of donut shops in three Sydney locations, Chatswood, Birkenhead Point and Hurstville. He also managed boxer Jeff 'Hitman' Harding when he won the WBC Light-Heavyweight world title in 1989. Tim was a voracious traveler, spending several months at a time in South America (mid 80's), Africa, Asia and Europe (late 90's), Middle East(immediately post 9/11) and Cuba (mid 2000's) and Africa again (late 2000's).
Tim was a fitness devotee who was fascinated by mental toughness in the athletic arena. He was obsessed with Olympic competition or any elite sports and their athletes such as Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe in tennis, Alain Prost vs Ayrton Senna in F1, Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard in Boxing, Jack Nicklaus in golf. He especially appreciated rivalry of middle distance runners such as Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovetts and Steve Cram.
Tim along with former teammate Dave Cooper were avid competitors in the Sydney Sunday Fun Run Circuit every winter, including the 16km Great Nosh Run, 14km Harbour Bridge to Breakers(Manly), 12km Narrabeen to Manly, 11km Sutherland to Surf, and the Bay Run, the 7km Iron Cove Bridge Circuit to taper off culminating with the 14km City to Surf in the second week of August. Pickup and Cooper began running during their football careers to enhance their fitness, when their teams schedules allowed and ran the trails of Lane Cove National Park during summer. Tim ran 15 City to Surfs, his best time was a sub 49 minute run in the early 1980's.
As Tim's troubled knee deteriorated he continued to run relentlessly timed 600m laps of Manly First Grade Cricket Clubs' training ground, Graham Reserve. He continued this ritual daily into his mid 60's. For many years Pickup would combine his Manly laps with further self inflicted punishment on his rowing machine, introduced to him by former Bulldogs Conditioner, Cooper. They would be forever competing over times given via the phone. For a period there they both discovered bicycle road races. At this time Pickup would join forces with former teammate Steve Folkes, and Folkes' former Bulldogs teammate Billy Johnstone to collectively do a leg each of a few triathlons. Folkes would swim, Pickup would bike and Johnstone would run.
Tim Pickup's training partners would play a large part in the Bulldogs most successful period in team history. Dave Cooper was Canterbury's trainer from 1975-1992, during the tenure of First Grade Coaches Malcolm Clift 1975-1977, and Ted Glossop 1978-1983, Warren Ryan 1984-1987, Phil Gould 1988-1989, and Pickup's former Bulldogs, NSW and Australian teammate, Chris Anderson 1990-1992. This was the Bulldogs Golden Age! Upon retirement as a player, Steve Folkes took over as Conditioner from Cooper from 1992-1995 with Chris Anderson still as First Grade Coach and Billy Johnstone would rejoin the club as Conditioner in 1994. Folkes would move into Coaching the Reserve Grade side from 1995-1997, ultimately succeeding Anderson as the Bulldogs First Grade Coach in 1998, when he left to coach the Melbourne Storm during their maiden season in 1998. Anderson would win Melbourne's maiden premiership in 1999. Folkes would coach 11 First Grade seasons at the Bulldogs, he was fired during the 2008 campaign having won the clubs most recent title in 2004. Billy Johnstone would succeed Folkes as Head Trainer and Conditioner in 1995 when Folkes moved into coaching and would maintain that position until 2001. Johnstone then moved to the North Queensland Cowboys as Conditioner from 2002-2006, then the Gold Coast Titans from 2007-2008, before returning to the Cowboys for the 2009-2011 seasons.
Upon Tim Pickup's retirement as a player from the Bulldogs at the end of the 1979 season, with the urging of Bulldog patriarch Peter "Bullfrog" Moore, Pickup made a seamless transition to Director of the Football Club. He served in this capacity until the end of the 1995 season, and again from 2002-2004. Scouting was also one of his duties, his most notable discovery being Australian representative David Gillespie. Tim was awarded Life Membership at Canterbury-Bankstown in 1985 for his 10 years of continuous service with the team, from player to Front Office.
After a 1995 detour to Super League as CEO of the now defunct Adelaide Rams, Pickup, fueled by a Rupert Murdoch 'golden handshake,' never worked another day and went on safari. Tim spent entire year of 1997 marauding the African Continent, he even made a habit of watching his favourite middle distance runner, mens 10 000 metre Olympic Champion Haile Gebrselassie prepare and train in his native Ethiopia. After being rescued returning to Sydney and learned to speak Russian at Tafe before spending the second half of 1998 in Russia and Mongolia.
Upon his return in 1999, Tim resumed his relationship with the Bulldogs as a member of their Ambassadors Club, a role that he maintained well into the mid 2010's, until his health declined and he moved into a retirement home. During this period he would rejoin their Board in an official capacity after their 2002 Salary Cap Scandal and would stand down after the club won their last title in 2004. Pickup's connection to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs lasted nearly 50 years until his death in 2021, the comradery with teammates and coaches gave him immense satisfaction and lifelong friendships.
Super League
When Peter Moore decided to stand down from his post as chief executive of Canterbury in the mid-1990s, he offered the CEO position to Tim Pickup, who in turn declined for personal reasons. With the advent of Super League the following year in 1995, Moore campaigned heavily for Pickup to become Foundation CEO of the ill-fated Adelaide Rams Franchise, a position he accepted and held for under a year. Pickup was present for the entire Super League court proceedings as chief of the Rams. He moved on from that position into retirement after the ARL injunction prevented Super League from kicking off in the 1996 season. After traveling to Africa for a year in 1997, Tim spent 1998 in Russia and Mongolia before returning to Australia and the Bulldogs in 1999, in a official capacity as a Director in 2002.
Salary cap scandal
In the wake of Canterbury's 2002 Salary Cap scandal, Tim Pickup was recruited by then CEO Steve Mortimer to a place on his hand-picked Board. He was one of a host of former Bulldogs players such as Clive Gartner, George Peponis and Terry Lamb among others, assembled to restore pride in the jersey after the former regime nearly crippled the club. Unprecedented NRL penalties included a record fine ($500K) and deduction of competition points (37) that sent the team from first to last and claim the wooden spoon, on the back of 17 straight victories. Pickup stayed on until the club got back on its feet, even through the Coffs Harbour scandal that followed two years later.
Unhappy with the unfair dismissal of former teammate Garry Hughes in that incident's aftermath, Pickup strongly disagreed with the scapegoat sacking of Hughes and left quietly, along with Gartner after the Bulldogs won the 2004 NRL Premiership the same season.
Boxing
Tim Pickup was heavily involved with Johnny Lewis and the Newtown Police Boys PCYC during Australian boxing's golden age, from the early 80's. He used to take a gruelling forty-minute circuit class twice a week that was patronised by future boxing World Champions Jeff Fenech, Jeff Harding and Joe Bugner, as well as 1st grade Rugby League players Steve Mortimer, Billy Johnstone, Pat Jarvis and Geordie Peats among others.
Pickup became Jeff 'Hitman' Harding's manager after the boxer was selected in the Australian team for the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. All members needed to raise $5,000 to get on the plane, so Pickup appealed to Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs boss Peter Moore, who signed off on the request. Grateful for the assistance, Harding walked into the ring for the gold medal bout wearing a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs jersey, minus the required Australian tracksuit. Harding lost the bout and had to settle for a silver medal, and was told in no uncertain terms by officials that he had better turn professional as he had just fought his last fight as amateur, as far as they were concerned. They felt Harding had disrespected the Australian team by wearing the Bulldogs jersey.
With Johnny Lewis as his trainer, Harding approached Pickup to be his manager as a professional fighter following the assistance that he provided in getting the boxer to Edinburgh. Tim originally declined but was eventually talked into it by his good friend Lewis. Harding scaled the ranks quickly, for his style was much more suited to the professional ranks as opposed to the amateur criteria. Harding quickly went into world title calculations after leaving behind him a trail of battered foes. He was undefeated when he was called upon as a last minute replacement to fight WBC Light-Heavyweight champion Dennis Andries in Atlantic City, USA in 1989.
After initially declining the WBC invitation due to inexperience, Lewis and Pickup reconsidered fearing they may never get another opportunity for their young pugilist. What ensued was that of a fairy tale, Harding came from behind on points to win in the most dramatic of fashions, knocking Andries down three times in the 12th and final round before the referee stopped the contest, showing mercy to the former champion.
Harding v Andries 1 was named the World Boxing Council's Fight of the Year, 1989. Jeff Harding was given the award by Mike Tyson at the 1990 WBC convention.
The Ring magazine "The Bible of Boxing" listed the fight as no.58 in their 100 Greatest Title Fights of All-Time.
Tim Pickup ranks Harding's win as his absolute sporting highlight, eclipsing his own personal achievements. He managed Harding for the best part of a decade, that saw the 'Hitman' fight for the world title on eight occasions. (Harding won it twice, defended it four times and lost it twice. He fought Andries in three title fights for two wins and a loss.)
Honours
Pickup was awarded the Australian Sporting Medal in 2000 for services to Australian sport. In August 2006 Pickup was named at five-eighth in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century. Pickup was originally named in the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 70th Anniversary Team in 2004, (named one of the club's 20 greatest players, on the bench-not the starting line-up) but was omitted due to a technicality, when it was revealed he had only played 47 1st grade games and was three games short of the 50 game minimum. Pickup was nominated as one of the final four five-eighths/stand-offs for Manly Rugby Union's Team of the Century in 2005. Tim was named Halfback and Captain of the Enfield Federals team of the Century in 2019.
Pickup was also named halfback on Roy Slaven and H.G. Nelson's 'All-time Mustachioed Rugby League Team' on their nationally syndicated program 'This Sporting Life' on radio station Triple J in 1998.
Death
Pickup died on 7 June 2021 after a long battle with dementia.[6]
References
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "PICKUP Timothy Alexander | Funeral Notices | Sydney".
- ^ "Tim Pickup". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ^ "Tim Pickup". Bulldogs History. thebulldogs.com.au. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ^ "Tim Pickup". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ^ "Rugby league great Tim Pickup dies age 72". Wide World of Sports.
Sources
- Bob Fulton's Rugby League By Peter Muszkat & Bob Fulton, Pot Still Press 1978
- Berries to Bulldogs : Fifty years of Canterbury-Bankstown R.L.F.C. By Gary Lester, Lester-Townsend Publishing 1985.
- Top Dog - The Steve Mortimer story By Norman Tasker, Hutchison Publishing 1988.
- Sterlo! The story of a Champion - Peter Sterling By Ian Heads, Lester-Townsend Publishing 1989.
- The Kangaroos - The saga of Rugby League's great tours By Ian Heads, Lester-Townsend Publishing 1990.
- Fatty and Chook: Laughing at League Paul Vautin and Johnny Raper tell football's funniest stories By Ian Heads, Lester-Townsend Publishing 1990.
- The Bulldogs Story - A history of the Canterbury-Bankstown Rugby League Club By Gary Lester, Playwright Publishing 1991.
- Jeff Fenech : I love youse all! By Terry Smith, Modern Publishing Group 1993.
- Straight between the posts: The legendary Frank Hyde and his stories By Ian Heads, Ironbark Pan MacMillan Publishing 1995.
- Super League : The inside story By Mike Colman, Pan Macmillan Publishing 1996
- Good as Gould – Phil Gould's stormy life in football. By Ray Chesterton, Ironbark Pan MacMillan Publishing 1996.
- Big Artie – The autobiography of Arthur Beetson. With Ian Heads, ABC Books 2004.
- 'Captaining the Kangaroos - Rugby League Test and World Cup Captains' By Alan Whitticker, New Holland Publishing 2004.
- 'Dogs at War – Triumph,Treachery,Truth' Graeme Hughes with Larry Writer, Allen & Unwin 2010.
- 'Johnny Lewis : The Biography – The story of Australia's King of Boxing' By Paul Kent, Allen & Unwin 2010.
- 'Macca : Bob McCarthy - My life in Rugby League' New Holland Publishing 2012.
- 'Mud Blood and Beer : Rugby League in the 1970s' By Alan Whitticker, New Holland Publishing 2014
- 'Dogs of War : 80 years of the Canterbury Bankstown Rugby League Club' By Gary Lester, Playwright Publishing 2016.
- 'The Great Grand Final Heist : A mysterious tale of Tigers, Rabbitohs and an unlikely coaching hero' By Ian Heads, Stoke Hill Press 2017.
- Men of League Foundation.'Tim Pickup OAM - A modest sporting legend' Story by Ken Vessey, November 2017
- https://menofleague.com/2017/11/29/tim-pickup-oam-modest-sporting-legend/
- 'Great Australian Sporting Tales' 65 Tales from on and off the field. "The Globetrotter" By Ian Heads & Norman Tasker,Pan MacMillan Publishing 2019.
- Sydney Morning Herald, Aus.'Federals set to nail down Pickup as all time fibro legend' By Roy Masters, February 26,2019.
- https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/federals-set-to-nail-down-pickup-as-an-all-time-fibro-legend-20190226-p510br.html
- St.Helens Star, UK. 'Australian Test Star Tim Pickup, one that got away from Saints' 15/5/2020
- https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/18450559.australian-test-star-tim-pickup-one-got-away-saints/
- The Ring magazine "The Bible of Boxing" – The 100 Greatest Title Fights of All-Time Holiday 1996 Issue. Sports & Entertainment Publishing,LLC
- BoxRec.com
External links
- 1948 births
- 2021 deaths
- North Sydney Bears players
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players
- Australia national rugby league team players
- New South Wales rugby league team players
- City New South Wales rugby league team players
- Sportsmen from New South Wales
- Rugby league players from Sydney
- Blackpool Borough players
- Australian rugby league administrators
- Rugby league five-eighths
- Rugby league halfbacks
- Rugby league fullbacks