Tributes are flowing for inaugural Queensland Origin coach, former Manly captain and long serving QRL, ARL and NRL administrator, John McDonald, after he passed away on Wednesday.
McDonald, who played 62 matches for the Sea Eagles and made 10 appearances for Queensland and four for NSW, as well as 13 Tests for Australia, was aged 79.
However, McDonald made an even greater contribution off the field, coaching the Maroons to victory in the first State of Origin in 1980 and serving as QRL chairman for 20 years.
He was the first Queensland to become chairman of the ARL and was a member of the NRL partnership committee in 1998 after the game came together following the Super League war.
McDonald played his junior rugby league with Valleys Toowoomba and the club paid tribute to him after his passing for his role in securing their home ground in 1969.
A professional runner, McDonald went 'close to the world professional record for 440 yards'. He won a Gilgandra Gift and also won the 880 yards at the Bendigo Gift in 1966.
After joining Manly in 1969, McDonald made his first grade debut against Wests in round one that year.
A towering winger or centre, McDonald went on to play 62 games for the Sea Eagles, scoring 30 tries. He also kicked three goals and a field goal for 98 points from 1969 to 1971.
Nick-named 'Cracker', McDonald captained Manly in the 23-12 loss to South Sydney in the 1970 NSWRL Grand Final. He was club captain that year.
On the representative front, McDonald represented Queensland 10 times from 1965-to-1968 and NSW four times during his stint with Manly.
McDonald also played 13 Tests for Australia as well as 15 tour matches for the Kangaroos from 1966-to-1970.
He was vice-captain on the 1969 tour to New Zealand in a side which was led by John Sattler and featured the likes of Graham Langlands, Ron Coote, Bob McCarthy, Les Johns and Dennis Ward.
After coaching Toowoomba from 1973-to-78, McDonald coached Queensland from 1978-to-1980, including the inaugural State of Origin match in 1980.
Australian Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga who played under McDonald in the Maroons first State of Origin team said his messages have continued to inspire representative camps today.
“His achievements both on and off the field stands him among the greats of our game and his influence on the game is enormous and he will be surely missed," Meninga told the media on Thursday.
“He was my first ever rep coach and we had a lot of fun and it’s very important that whatever you do is fun, you’ve got to enjoy it.
“His advice to me, as an ex-centre, when I was only about 20 years old at the time was to go out and enjoy yourself and make sure you don’t let this day down and that’s the message that continues today.”
McDonald was a long-serving president of the Toowoomba Rugby League and also held posts as QRL Chairman and ARL Chairman.
He was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame in 2016.
“John was quite simply a remarkable individual who touched the lives of so many people around him,” QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher said in a statement.
“His achievements within the game are unrivalled. Not only did he play and coach at elite level, but he dedicated many years to rugby league administration, from the grassroots to the international game.
“The QRL expresses its deepest sympathy to his family, friends and all in the rugby league community, who are deeply saddened by his passing.”
Former Maroons centre and long serving team-manager Chris Close paid tribute to McDonald on Facebook.
"Cracker' McDonald was a great bloke, great rugby league player and the very first Queensland State of Origin coach. He will be very sadly missed by his beautiful family and all those that knew him. RIP John [Cracker] McDonald".
McDonald attended school in Toowoomba, where a classmate was Ross Livermore, who went on to become QRL managing director.
“The McDonald / Livermore partnership was arguably the most successful in Queensland sports administrative history,” said QRL History Committee chairman and former The Courier-Mail journalist Steve Ricketts.
“No other former international, in the history of the code, has made such an enormous administrative contribution.”
Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) Chairman Peter V’landys AM today also paid tribute to McDonald in a statement on Wednesday.
“John McDonald was one of the greatest leaders ever to grace the game of Rugby League,” Mr V’landys said.
“Few individuals have had an impact on the game of Rugby League in Australia to the magnitude of John ‘Cracker’ McDonald.
"He was also one of the games absolute gentlemen and he will be remembered for many decades to come for his immense contribution to grassroots and elite Rugby League."
A devoted family man, McDonald and his wife Joan raised six children.
Source: David Middleton, League Information Services.
