Five-time grand final referee Greg ‘Hollywood’ Hartley reveals horror skin cancer ordeal

“Get your arse over here, now.” This was the urgent demand from a leading cancer surgeon that potentially saved the life of one of rugby league’s most iconic characters.

Former rugby league referee and commentator Greg 'Hollywood' Hartley at ‘Hartley’s Hideout’ following a horror cancer diagnosis. Picture: Toby Zerna

Get your arse over here, now.

These are the six words from a leading skin cancer surgeon which terrified former five-time grand final referee Greg ‘Hollywood’ Hartley.

Hartley, 82, had been receiving a facial and massage from daughter Melissa when she noticed a number of black spots on her father’s body.

He contacted his doctor and was referred immediately to associate professor Nicholas Ngui for scans.

Hartley said he was quickly contacted by Ngui, who allegedly said: ‘Get your arse over here, now.’

“The scan results were cancerous. It was frightening – it put the wind up me,” Hartley said. Undetected and unidentified, Hartley feared the melanomas could have “killed” him.

Regarded as the most colourful and theatrical referee in rugby league history, Hartley subsequently had four melanomas cut from the middle of his back and left shoulder while having lymph glands removed under both arms by Ngui.

He received a whopping 87 stitches, with one wound in his back measuring 20cm.

Iconic referee Greg Hartley.

Hartley was admitted to Sydney Adventist Hospital at Wahroonga last Thursday and released on Sunday. He continues to battle swelling around his neck and claims to look like the Hulk.

Hartley preferred not to share photos of his wounds.

“Melanoma kills a lot of people, particularly old people, because you don’t have the strength to fight it the way you could when you’re 25,” Hartley said. “I asked whether I was in any trouble. I was worried because I’ve been as healthy as a pig in s--- all my life.

“The surgeon said: ‘Get your arse over here, now – these have to come out immediately’. He sent me for a scan and said they had gone down to my lymph glands underneath both arms.

“I asked him: ‘Is that bad? He said: ‘It ain’t f---ing good.’ He (Ngui) said: ‘We’ll get ’em, mate, we’ll get ’em and as far as I know, he got them all. Melanomas can get into your glands and that’s what happened to me.

Greg Hartley and Peter Sterling clash.

“I didn’t know I had it until my daughter came down a month ago and was actually giving me a massage around my neck and a facial. She said: ‘Dad, you’ve got a couple of black spots on your shoulder and the middle of your back.’ I said they were probably moles but she didn’t think they were. So I went and saw the doctor on the Monday and he got in touch with the surgeon straight away. Old fellas like me living on their own can’t see their backs so I was just lucky my daughter saw them otherwise I would have kept going and it might have killed me. You just don’t know how bad it is until they start doing some panel beating. As far as I know, the doctor has got them all out.”

One of the greatest referees of all-time, Hartley controlled five NSWRL grand finals in 1978 (plus replay), ‘79, ’80 and 1981.

He will return to hospital for further scans on Friday.

“The thing that’s giving me the s---- is the amount of swelling around my neck and under my arms. I look like the Hulk,” Hartley said.

“I will see the doctor again on Friday for the last check to see whether he got it all. (The wounds) look pretty ordinary but it will be all good. It might take a couple of weeks for all the swelling to go down and then I’ll be as good as new.”

Greg Hartley with his dog Elly enjoying the quiet life on the Hawkesbury River. Picture: Toby Zerna

Hartley, the former 2GB and 2KY rugby league broadcaster, has been heartened by the amount of support he’s received from a concerned rugby league community through phone calls and social media.

Asked for his message to people heading into summer, Hartley said: “Stay out of the sun or get yourself a rash vest and wear plenty of sun cream. Back in my old days, you lay around the sun all day wearing coconut oil.

“We didn’t even think what the repercussions were. People didn’t mention melanomas 60 or 70 years ago did they?”

On Facebook, rugby league identities were quick to wish Hartley a speedy recovery.

Ex-grand final referee Mick Stone wrote: “You’re a tough rooster, Greg.”

And former Test winger Larry Corowa added: “Hope you’re doing well and recovering well, mate.”