John McDonald (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
John McDonald is an Australian former rugby league
footballer, coach and administrator. A tall three-quarter, he played club football in Queensland for Toowoomba, representing his home state 10 times and also gaining selection for the Australian test team. 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 Souths in the 1970 NSWRFL season.
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.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer, coach and administrator. A tall three-quarter, he played club football in Queensland for Toowoomba, representing his home state 10 times and also gaining selection for the Australian test team. In 1969 McDonald moved south, playing in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the Manly-Warringah club
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
. 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 Souths in the 1970 NSWRFL season.
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
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
team in 1980. By the end of the decade, he had progressed to the position of President of the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
(QRL) and in 1998, joined the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
Executive Committee and was named Chairman of the QRL and Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
Board of Directors. That year he was also named "Sport Administrator of the Year" at the Queensland Sport Awards.