John McDonald (rugby league)

John McDonald
AM
Personal information
Born(1944-04-24)24 April 1944
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died13 September 2023(2023-09-13) (aged 79)
Playing information
PositionCentre, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1960–68 Valleys (Toowoomba)
1969–71 Manly-Warringah 66 30 2 1 96
Total 66 30 2 1 96
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1965–68 Queensland 9 2 0 0 6
1969–70 New South Wales 3 0 1 0 2
1966–70 Australia 13 5 9 0 33
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Toowoomba
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1979–80 Queensland
Source: [1]

John McDonald AM (24 April 1944 – 13 September 2023) was an Australian rugby league footballer, coach and administrator.[2]

Career

A tall three-quarter back, he played club football in Toowoomba, representing Queensland ten times and also gaining selection for the Australian test team.[3] In 1969, McDonald moved south, playing in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the Manly-Warringah club. After playing for his adopted state, he toured New Zealand as Australian vice-captain. He went on to captain Manly from the flank in the club's grand final loss to South Sydney in the 1970 NSWRFL season.[4]

McDonald returned to Queensland after three seasons with the Sea Eagles to captain-coach Toowoomba and was elected president of the club after his retirement. He also coached Queensland in the late 1970s and was coach of the Maroons' first State of Origin team in 1980. By the end of the decade, he had progressed to the position of President of the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and, in 1998, joined the National Rugby League Executive Committee and was named Chairman of the QRL and Australian Rugby League Board of Directors. That year, he was also named "Sport Administrator of the Year" at the Queensland Sport Awards.[5]

McDonald was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6] In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, McDonald was named at centre in the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.[7] 2016 saw him inducted into Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.[8]

Personal life and death

His son Geoff McDonald is currently serving as Mayor of the Toowoomba Region. McDonald died on 13 September 2023, at the age of 79.[8]

References

  1. ^ John McDonald at rugbyleagueproject.com
  2. ^ Press Release (22 January 2007). "John McDonald anointed as a QRL Life Member". QRL. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ^ Queensland Representative Players Archived 1 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine at qrl.com.au
  4. ^ John McDonald at yesterdayshero.com.au Archived 22 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Queensland Sport Awards Winners 1995-2008" (PDF). qsport.org.au. QSport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  6. ^ "Mr John Norman McDonald". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  7. ^ "South West names Formidable Team". South West Division. SportingPulse. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  8. ^ a b Vale: John McDonald - Sea Eagle #193
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Barry Muir
1974–1978
 Coach

Queensland
1979–1980 		Succeeded by
Arthur Beetson
1981–1984