Peter Frilingos

Peter Frilingos (1944–2004) was an Australian sports journalist and commentator of Greek descent, best known for his work as a rugby league writer.^[1] He started his career in journalism in February 1962 at the Sydney Daily Mirror, and within two years, wrote his first piece on rugby league.^[2]

Frilingos soon became one of the leading rugby league writers in Sydney. In 1996 he transferred to the Daily Telegraph.^[3] His reporting methods and integrity came under severe scrutiny during the Super League war. While Frilingos originally supported the ARL, he had begun openly endorsing Super League after a closed door meeting with News Limited management. This led to him being branded News Limited's "Chief Toady" by Media Watch.^[4]

In August 2019, Frilingos was inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame,^[5] and there is an award named after him in the National Rugby League's Dally M Medal, called the 'Peter Frilingos Memorial Award'.^[3]

At the time of his death, Frilingos was survived by his wife Maureen, son Matt, now a journalist nicknamed "Junior Chippy" after Peter,^[6] and daughters Anna, and Alison - a cellist in the Australian World Orchestra.^[1][7] Since 2016, Alison Frilingos has been a member of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, and she teaches cello at the Anton Stadler Musikschule in Bruck an der Leitha.^[8]