The South Sydney family and Rugby League is mourning the death of former South Sydney and Parramatta great Brian Hambly who passed away suddenly, aged 71.

AAP reported Hambly was a tough second rower who played 18 Tests for Australia and was named among the 100 greatest Rugby League players of all time as part of the NRL's Centenary celebrations this year.

The man nicknamed "Grumpy" came up through the Rabbitohs' junior ranks before making his first grade debut for the club as a teenager in 1956.

Hambly spent three years with the Rabbitohs, playing 33 matches, before taking on the captain-coach role at Wagga Wagga Magpies prior to the start of the 1959 season.

From there he won Country selection, going on to represent NSW and Australia that same year.

In 1961 Hambly signed with the Eels, his arrival coinciding with a turnaround in fortunes for the club as it qualified for the finals each year between 1962 and 1965.

Hambly finished with 105 games for the club over seven seasons, including a stint as captain-coach in 1967, and also played the bulk of his Tests for Australia while with Parramatta.

After a season as captain-coach of Lithgow Workers in 1968 Hambly retired from football, carving out a post-football career as a publican.