Bad boys in the Bay: We remember Home And Away’s most troublesome heartthrobs

The Braxtons

What’s the one thing that’s better than a Summer Bay bad boy? Three of them! The Braxtons, known as the River Boys to the locals, were inspired by the real-life Bra Boys.

Darryl “Brax” Braxton (Steve Peacocke), his brother Heath (Dan Ewing) and their half-brother Casey (Lincoln Younes) made up the trio. They dealt drugs and got in fights, but when they fell in love, they fell hard. And, fans fell hard for them.

Hunter King

Hunter (Scott Lee) got off to a terrible start in Summer Bay by breaking into the Summer Bay house only to be busted by Josh Barrett (Jackson Gallagher) and push him down the stairs. Ouch!

But, the troublesome teen’s worst crime is by no fault of his own: he’s the son of Charlotte King (Erika Heynatz).

Charlotte’s vengeful and vindictive nature wreaked havoc on Summer Bay until she was shot and killed by Josh during a confrontation on the pier.

Martin “Ash” Ashford

When Martin Ashford (George Mason), best known as Ash, arrived in Summer Bay looking for Brax, it was a clear sign he’d be the coastal town’s next bad boy.

Our suspicions were all but confirmed when it was revealed he’d recently spent five years in prison taking the blame for a robbery gone bad.

He may have not have gotten away with his stolen goods, but he managed to steal our hearts.

Dean Thompson

When the Braxtons left town, they made room for the next generation of River Boys.

Hell-bent on revenge over the death of pregnant Kat (Pia Miller) and his unborn baby, Ash recruited help from the local gang.

Enter the newest River Boy, Dean (Patrick O’Connor).

While he may be a little rough around the edges, Dean has proved he has a heart of gold and even found love with Ziggy (Sophie Dillman).

Aden Jefferies

Aden (Todd Lasance) was another bad boy with a sad past. In a confronting storyline, it was revealed that his grandfather had sexually abused him.

Aden’s troubled behaviour went beyond bullying and fights. He took his dad Larry (Paul Gleeson), Rachel (Amy Mathews) and Belle (Jessica Tovey) hostage, to stop Larry getting medical treatment. But, when Aden started dating Belle, fans saw 
a whole new side to him. “Adelle” became one of 
the show’s best couples.

Frank Morgan

Frank (Alex Papps) was the original Home And Away bad boy. He was also the original Home And Away heart-throb, despite that mullet. With a dad in jail and an alcoholic mum, he was headed for a life of crime.

That was, until foster parents Pippa (Debra Lawrance) and Tom (Roger Oakley) stepped in. Who didn’t love Frank when he agreed to marry a pregnant Roo, not realising the baby was another man’s?

Jack Wilson

Jack (Daniel Amalm) was one 
of Summer Bay’s troubled foster kids. 
He moved in with Pippa and Michael, and immediately began giving the other kids a hard time. Then, he landed himself in trouble by dating Selina (Tempany Deckert), Frankie (Lenka Kripac) and Sonia (Eve Matiuk) simultaneously.

After accidentally starting a bushfire, Jack tried to make amends. Fans felt for him when he struggled with his guilt after being unable to save Michael from drowning.

Liam Murphy

A bad boy with added glamour, Liam was a drug-addicted rock star. He was played by music show host Axle Whitehead, who said he based his portrayal on close friends.

Liam had a string of lovers in the bay, including Belle, Nicole (Tessa James) and Martha (Jodi Gordon). Things got 
a bit raunchy, at times! In fact, one of the 
episodes involving Liam and Martha was considered too hot for New Zealand TV.

Vinnie Patterson

After his dad lost his family’s money due to tax evasion, Vinnie (Ryan Kwanten) tried scheme after scheme to make a quick buck. When his estranged father returned years later, Vinnie ended up on the other end of a con and goes to prison.

He eventually went into witness protection after giving evidence on people he was in prison with before dying in a farming accident.

Tug O’Neale

The unfortunately named Tug (Tristan Bancks) was a teen who always caused trouble. As soon as he arrived 
in the Bay, he began bullying Damian (Matt Doran). He also framed Shane (Dieter Brummer) for burglary.

But, he did care for Sarah (Laura Vasquez), and saved her life when she had an asthma attack. Originally meant to be a guest character, Tug stayed on for two years.

Eric ‘Ric’ Dalby

There wasn’t much to like about Eric Dalby (Mark Furze) when he enrolled at Summer Bay High. Eric harassed Henry (Tobi Atkins) for enjoying dancing, and burned down the Surf Club kiosk.

However, viewers learnt Eric was a victim of violence at the hands of his father. Ric also dated Cassie (Sharni Vinson) and Matilda (Indiana Evans).

Scott Irwin

For a while, Scott (Heath Ledger) was the rebel of Summer Bay. He spent his time breaking hearts, trying to win over the favour of female characters and playing pranks – one of which ended up getting him expelled!