Ross McKinnon

A member of the champion Easts teams that dominated the code in the mid-1930s, Ross McKinnon came from Sydney Boys High to the University club as a five-eighth. In 1933 he represented NSW as an 18-year-old but missed most of the next season after being injured in a promotional match. At Easts he was Dave Brown's centre partner in a team that posted huge scores against their opponents. McKinnon made his Test debut against NZ in 1935 and went on to play 8 Tests, including four on the 1937-38 Kangaroo tour. Playing for NSW against England in 1936 he paved the way for an upset, 18-14 victory with a wonderful display of determined running but broke his collarbone and missed the Ashes series. At Easts he won premierships in 1935-37 but left the club to captain-coach Cessnock in 1939. After his retirement McKinnon became a highly respected coach at C’bury (1946-47) and Norths (1952-53 & 1959) but in 1962, at the age of 48, he died of coronary occlusion after an operation on a brain tumor. McKinnon was a well-respected figure among a wide social circle of friends and his death was sadly mourned.