Mr John McDonald AM

On 8 July 1980 rugby league changed forever. It was the birth of State of Origin and those now famous words ‘state against state, mate against mate’. Thirty thousand at Lang Park saw the mighty Maroons beat the Blues 20-10.

And while it was a night best remembered for the passion of Queensland captain Arthur Beetson, the man calling the shots for the home side was coach John McDonald.

He was a man for the big occasion. In fact, he was a man for all occasions. A champion player, coach and game-changing administrator. And all beginning in Toowoomba.

A blisteringly quick winger/centre, ‘Cracker’ McDonald represented Queensland nine times and won Australian Test selection from the Downs before moving to the ‘big smoke’ in Sydney. There he captained Manly in a grand final, represented his adopted State, was a member of the 1967-68 Kangaroos that toured Great Britain and France, and was vice-captain of the national team in New Zealand.

He played a total of 13 Tests.

But as he’ll tell you, there’s no place like home. And no better place than Queensland. After coaching the Maroons through the late ‘70s and into the Origin era, he graduated to administration. He was a highly influential Chairman of the Queensland Rugby League for 20 years from 1992 and a similarly successful Chairman of the Australian Rugby League.

In 1998 he was named Queensland Sports Administrator of the Year after playing a critical role in negotiating the end of the Super League war that had torn the game apart.