Brad Mackay

Talented St George junior at lock, centre or five-eighth made a memorable Test debut for Australia against France in 1990. Mackay's versatility first earned him a place as a reserve for NSW in 1989, and following two further State of Origin matches in 1990, he was called into the Australian team for the one-off Test against France in Parkes when Brad Clyde withdrew. Mackay scored three tries in the match and followed with another try in the Test against NZ that year. On the 1990 Kangaroo Tour he was called into the Test side following Australia’s First Test loss at Wembley and the tall, rangy lock was a highly consistent performer in the remaining Tests on tour. Plagued by injury during the next two seasons Mackay had to be content with coming off the interchange bench during the St George's 1992 grand final loss to Brisbane. He fared better the following year, playing in St George’s run-on team (as a lock) in the 14-6 loss to Brisbane in the grand final. Despite being among NSW's form players that year Mackay could not break into the Australian team for the short tour of NZ. In 1994 Mackay was dropped to the reserve bench to make way for Brad Clyde in NSW's second State-of-Origin team and paid a high price for St George's lacklustre season when he failed to make his second Kangaroo Tour. Earlier that year he revealed that he had signed a contract to lead the W’Reds in their debut season and his form subsequently suffered during the year. Mackay showed great leadership during the Reds' erratic start to the 1995 season but signed with I’warra following the club’s decision to join Super League. The 1999 season found him back where it all started following I’warra’s merger with St George. Chosen on the interchange bench in the 1999 grand final Mackay took the field in the Dragons’ last-minute loss to Melbourne before seeing out the final chapter of his career with English club Bradford. Incredibly, in 2000, he was ruled out of the English Super League grand final when he took ill on the bus on his way to the match (Bradford ultimately lost to Wigan).