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Full name | Des V. McGovern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 13 February 1928 Toowoomba, Queensland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 8 February 2013 84) Toowoomba, Queensland | (aged||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] |
Des V. McGovern (1928 - 2013) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. A Queensland state and Australia national representative winger, he played his club football in Toowoomba, where he later become a successful coach and well-known radio match commentator. [1]
Des McGovern was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 13 February 1928. He was a student at Brisbane's Nudgee College. [2]
McGovern started playing rugby league football in Ipswich before moving to Toowoomba in 1947. He was first selected to represent Queensland in 1949. [3] During the 1950s McGovern was a member of the Toowoomba Bulimba Cup teams, coached by Duncan Thompson. During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand McGovern was selected to play on the wing for Queensland in their match against the touring Frenchmen, which ended in a 22-all draw. In 1952 he first gained selection for the Australia national rugby league team, becoming Kangaroo No. 296. [4] McGovern was selected as a winger for the 1952–53 Kangaroo tour. On the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour, he was selected to play in all three Test matches against Great Britain. [5] McGovern retired having scored the most tries in the history of the Bulimba Cup with 27.
Following his playing days, McGovern became a successful coach in Queensland country regions and Toowoomba, where he coached the Clydesdales. He also worked as a rugby league writer for the Downs Star and The Chronicle . McGovern went on to become one of the Darling Downs region's best known radio sporting voices during a 36-year working partnership with broadcaster Pat O'Shea. The pair began their long association calling Toowoomba rugby league matches on radio station 4AK before moving to 4GR, 4WK and finally 102.7FM. [6] From 1985 to 1987 McGovern was the president of Toowoomba's All Whites club. [7] His son, Des McGovern, Jr. also played rugby league for the club. In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, McGovern was named on the wing of the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century. [8] McGovern retired from full-time commentary at the end of the 2010 season, aged 82. McGovern died on 8 February 2013 in St Andrew's Hospital, Toowoomba, five days short of his 85th birthday. [9]
Jason Smith is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative five-eighth or lock forward, he played club football in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels, Canberra Raiders and the North Queensland Cowboys, and in England for Hull F.C.. At his peak he was regarded as one of the game's greatest players.
Elton Rasmussen (1936–1978) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a second-row with the St. George Dragons during the second half of their 11-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1959 to 1962 and from 1967 to 1968.
Herbert Walt Steinohrt was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s as a front row forward for the Australian national team. He played in 9 Tests between 1928 and 1932 as captain on 3 occasions. He has been widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards in rugby league history, being named in the "Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century", Australian rugby league's 100 greatest players and Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century. Steinohrt was terrific on and off the field, he never lost his temper and was a smart tactician who never played the same game twice. The Valleys Roosters in the Toowoomba Rugby League Competition home ground is named Herb Stenohrt Oval in his honour.
Brian Patrick Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
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Peter "Mick" Madsen was an Australian rugby league footballer. He was a front-row forward for the Australian national team. He played in nine Tests between 1929 and 1936 as captain on one occasion and has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. He was known as a player who possessed freak strength and courage.
Duncan Hall was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, singled out as having been amongst the greatest of the 20th century. He played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards and represented Queensland and Australia. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. Away from football Hall worked as a hotelier and bookmaker, and in his later years worked at the Broncos Leagues Club. His son Duncan Hall, Jr. played 15 rugby union tests for the Wallabies
Duncan Fulton Thompson MBE was an Australian veteran of both WWI and WWII and a rugby league footballer, coach and administrator. He was wounded on active service in WWI and has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century, and is regarded as the father of modern coaching. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1960 New Year Honours "for services to the community in the field of Sport."
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Ken McCaffery was an Australian professional rugby league footballer, commentator and administrator. As a player, he was an Australian national and Queensland state representative back. He played his club football in Sydney, Toowoomba and Brisbane. After playing, McCaffery became a radio and television commentator for the game and later an administrator for the North Sydney Bears.
Greg Platz is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s. A Queensland and Australian international representative back row forward, he played club football for his local club, Allora Clifton Wattles. He played rep football for Toowoomba and for Qld Country. He is the brother of fellow Kangaroo Lew Platz. In 1977 he captain-coached Wattles. He captained the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the late '70s. He played a lone international against New Zealand in Brisbane in 1978. He later coached the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the 1980s.
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Ian Doyle (1932–1999), also known by the nickname of "Ripper", was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and coached in the 1960s. A Queensland state and Australia national representative lock, he played in the Toowoomba Rugby League for the All Whites club. His older brother, Joe Doyle, previously played rugby league for Australia also.
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