{"id":337214,"date":"2023-09-14T16:28:26","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T06:28:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=337214"},"modified":"2023-09-14T16:28:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T06:28:26","slug":"council-tribute-to-league-great","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/09\/14\/council-tribute-to-league-great\/","title":{"rendered":"Council Tribute To League Great"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Toowoomba Mayor Geoff McDonald with his wife Lisa and parents Joan and John “Cracker” McDonald (Photo: TRC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 14, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

Toowoomba Regional Council has paid tribute to Queensland rugby league great John McDonald AM who died in Toowoomba on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Mr McDonald – father of Mayor Geoff McDonald – coached the Maroons to their historic win in the inaugural State of Origin match at Lang Park in 1980.<\/p>\n

He played for Valleys Toowoomba, Manly-Warringah, Queensland and 13 Tests for Australia.<\/p>\n

Mr McDonald captained the Sea Eagles in the famous 1970 NSWRL Grand Final which South Sydney won 23-12 (remembered by fans as the game in which Rabbitohs’ captain John Sattler broke his jaw).<\/p>\n

After his playing career ended, Mr McDonald turned to coaching and then League administration.<\/p>\n

He was chairman of the Queensland Rugby League from 1992-2012 and served as deputy director of the Australian Rugby League.<\/p>\n

He was awarded Life Membership of the QRL in 2007.<\/p>\n

TRC Deputy Mayor Rebecca Vonhoff extended her sympathies on behalf of Council to the McDonald family.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe at Council and across the community are deeply saddened to hear of Mr McDonald\u2019s passing and acknowledge his extraordinary service to our region,\u201d Cr Vonhoff said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people talk about Mr McDonald, they use the words fair, determined, gritty and warm. Mr McDonald lived a big life and left nothing on the field.<\/p>\n

\u201c(He) was a highly respected Toowoomba businessman through his family\u2019s long-held printing businesses McDonald and Rosbrook, and later Cracker Print and Paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond his own business interests, he was a well-regarded community member who served as the chairman of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland, responsible for staging the Toowoomba Royal Show and associated events.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Mr McDonald achieved remarkable success across Australia and internationally, he never forgot his roots or his family back in Toowoomba.\u201d<\/p>\n