Territory Rugby lost one of its inspirational best with the passing of Colin ‘Snogga’ Snowden

THE NT Rugby Union community lost one of its legends on March 20 with the passing of Colin ‘Snogga’ Snowden at the age of 52.

The late Colin ‘Snogga’ Snowden was a legend of Territory rugby.

THE NT Rugby Union community lost one of its legends on March 20 with the passing of Colin ‘Snogga’ Snowden at the age of 52.

Snowden was a stalwart of NT rugby coming from Penrith, NSW in 1989 and linking up with the Palmerston Crocs where he would play over 200 games.

The hooker would captain the side to their first A-grade premiership in 1991 and later help Swampdogs to their only A-grade premiership as well.

But most famous of all was his captaincy of the NT XV that beat a touring Scotland side by a single point (17-16) in 1992.

Long-time friend and former Crocs teammate Craig Leach credited the hooker as one of the toughest competitors he had ever met.

“He was one of the hardest players I had ever played alongside, just an uncompromising tough leader, that always led from the front,” Leach told the NT News.

“He was inspirational, a lot of people looked up to him and anyone would follow him into battle. He just had that massive influence and many of those players had him as both a coach and a teammate.

“He had previously survived a bout of cancer and was struck by lightning working as a firefighter, I thought nothing could get this bloke, that’s how tough he was.”

Snogga had a massive influence on the juniors coaching across the NT from Palmerston to East Arnhem.

His work as a coach was so renowned that in 2016 the NTRU renamed an award in his honour, the Colin Snowden Junior Coach of the Year award.

President of the NT Rugby Referees Association Robbie Taylor was five when Snowden invited him and his brothers to play rugby, a moment Taylor calls one of the most pivotal in his life.

“He was my idol and my mentor, I have hung off his side since he first encouraged me to join in with rugby when I was five,” Taylor said.

“I have played alongside him, played for him and coached both club and rep rugby alongside him, he is the one person I look up to when it comes to both life and rugby.”

He is survived by his wife Alison and children Jye, Koby and Mahlia.