Don Furner
Australian rugby league footballer and coach (1932–2020)
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| Born | (1932-12-26)26 December 1932 Condobolin, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 24 February 2020(2020-02-24) (aged 87) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Rugby League Project [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Don Furner (26 December 1932 – 24 February 2020) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. As a player, he represented Queensland on nine occasions and also toured with the 1956–57 Kangaroos.[1]
He began his coaching career as a player-coach with Junee in 1964. In that year, the team won their first Group 9 grand final as well as the Maher Cup. In 1965 he began coaching the Queanbeyan Blues, guiding that club to three successive Group 8 premierships (1965–67) and a further two Grand Finals (1968–69). He coached the Eastern Suburbs Roosters (1970–72), whom he took to the 1972 NSWRFL season's premiership final. He returned to the Queanbeyan Blues from 1973 to 1981, his team reaching the Grand Final in each of those nine seasons, including six premierships and a Clayton Cup win in 1974.[2] Furner then became the first coach of the newly formed Canberra Raiders.[3] Furner also coached the Canberra club to the 1987 NSWRL season's Grand Final.[4] He later joined Parramatta for the 1985 NSWRL season.[3] He was appointed the Australian national coach from 1986 to 1988. He coached the NSW Country team and two now-defunct Group 20 clubs, Narrandera Lizards in 1998 and Yanco Wamoon Hawks in 2005. He took the latter to the 2005 group 20 grand final, which they lost to West Wyalong.
His sons are David Furner who used to be a player and coach of the Canberra Raiders and Don Furner, Jr. who became the Canberra Raiders' CEO. Furner died on 24 February 2020, aged 87.[5]
References
- ^ Sean Fagan (2006). "Kangaroo Tour: 1956–1957". rl1908.com. Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "Queanbeyan Blues win league cup". The Canberra Times. Canberra. 14 October 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 28 March 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Lester, Gary, ed. (1984). Rugby League: Action '85. Sydney: Fairfax Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 0-909558-83-3.
- ^ ACT Sport Hall of Fame inductees Archived 1 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine at actsport.com.au
- ^ "Vale Don Furner Senior". 25 February 2020.
External links
- Queensland Representatives at qrl.com.au
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Noel Cleal 1996−2000 | Coach Fiji 2000–2005 | Succeeded by Arthur Kitinas 2006−2007 |
| Preceded by Terry Fearnley 1985 | Coach Australia 1986–1988 | Succeeded by Bob Fulton 1989-1998 |
| New creation | Coach Canberra Raiders 1982–1986 | Succeeded by Himself as co-coaches and Wayne Bennett |
| Preceded by Louis Neumann 1969 | Coach Eastern Suburbs 1970–1972 | Succeeded by Tony Paskins 1973 |
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1986 Kangaroo Tour squad
- Wally Lewis (c)
- Peter Sterling (vc)
- Greg Alexander
- Gary Belcher
- Martin Bella
- Noel Cleal
- Phil Daley
- Les Davidson
- Greg Dowling
- Paul Dunn
- Ben Elias
- Steve Folkes
- Des Hasler
- Garry Jack
- Brett Kenny
- Les Kiss
- Terry Lamb
- Paul Langmack
- Bob Lindner
- Mal Meninga
- Gene Miles
- Chris Mortimer
- Bryan Niebling
- Michael O'Connor
- Steve Roach
- Dale Shearer
- Royce Simmons
- Paul Sironen
Coach: Don Furner
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