A Northcote Tigers player, Hadfield was an Auckland representative.
He was part of the Northcote club during the Auckland Rugby League's district era and so played for Northern Districts - an amalgamation of the Northcote and North Shore clubs.
[3] Hadfield first made the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1956.
[4] He finished his career with a then-record 15 tries for the Kiwis, five more than the previous record.
[8][9][10] Hadfield died in the Auckland suburb of Birkenhead on 16 May 2018, aged 83.