Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Nickname(s)
- Cracker
- Born
- Monday, 24th April, 1944
- Died
- Wednesday, 13th September, 2023 (Aged 79 years and 142 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- The Ashes
- 1966, 1967/1968
- Test Series
- Australia vs New Zealand 1967
- Interstate Series
- 1969, 1970
Biography
Toowoomba three-quarter, the son of Queensland RU Test winger John 'Cracker' McDonald, partnered Graeme Langlands in the centres against Great Britain in the First Test in 1966. A professional runner, McDonald's immediate career was threatened by an ankle injury suffered in that match but he returned to play in two Tests against NZ the following year. After scoring 18pts (2t, 6g) in the Second Test of 1967’s Trans Tasman series McDonald's value on the 1967-68 Kangaroo tour was measured by his five Tests appearances and his position as second highest scorer on tour. McDonald came to Manly in 1969 and, after playing for his adopted state, toured NZ as Australian vice-captain. The towering centre/winger played in all three Tests against Great Britain in 1970 and went on to captain Manly from the flank in the club's grand final loss to Souths that year. He returned to Queensland after three seasons with the Sea Eagles to captain-coach Toowoomba and was elected president of the club after his retirement. McDonald coached the Queensland State team in the late 1970s and was coach of the Maroons’ first State of Origin team in 1980. By the end of the decade he had progressed to the position of President of the QRL and in 1998, joined the NRL Executive Committee and was named Chairman of the QRL and ARL Board of Directors.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | |||||||||||||||
Competition | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Ashes | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | - | 10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Australia | - | 16 | 7 | 9 | - | 39 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Toowoomba | - | 2 | - | 8 | - | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Queensland Firsts | - | 1 | - | 3 | - | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | List | |||
Test Series | 3 | 13 | 5 | 9 | - | 28 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 46.15% | List | ||||
Interstate Series | 2 | 12 | 3 | 1 | - | 11 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.67% | List | ||||
City vs Country Firsts | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | - | 62 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 98 | 41 | 20 | 1 | 66.13% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Finals | - | 6 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 16.67% | List | ||||
Preseason Cup | - | 13 | 6 | 0 | - | 18 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 53.85% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
Australia | 1966-70 | 13 | 5 | 9 | - | 33 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 46.15% | List | ||||
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Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
QLD Firsts | 1965-68 | 10 | 3 | 3 | - | 15 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 20.00% | List | ||||
South QLD Firsts | 1966 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Toowoomba | 1967-68 | 2 | - | 8 | - | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
NSW Firsts | 1969-70 | 4 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.00% | List | ||||
NSW City Firsts | 1969-70 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
NSW City Seconds | 1971 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
Overall | 1965-1971 | 20 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 33 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 40.00% | List | ||||
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NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
Manly | NSWRFL 1969 | 19 | 10 | - | - | 30 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 57.89% | List | ||||
Manly | NSWRFL 1970 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 41 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 63.64% | List | ||||
Manly | NSWRFL 1971 | 21 | 9 | - | - | 27 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 76.19% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
Manly | 1969-71 | 62 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 98 | 41 | 20 | 1 | 66.13% | List |
Contributions:
Shawn Dollin, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Max Turner, Paul Carter, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates
Your Say
28/02/2011
John McDonald played 66 games for Manly from 1969-1971 - not sure how many each year - but I don't think he missed many games if any in that three year period.
Also he only kicked TWO goals for Manly and had a total points tally of 96 points from the three years - hope this helps!
Cheers
10/07/2012
no mention of john was a famous professional runner
held world record for 400 metres bendigo 47 sec
from scratch mark had to go around all runners not run in lanes ran all distance from 75 yards to 880 yards
14/09/2023
I believe I played against John McDonald as a school boy. NSW v QLD in 1956. We played 3 TESTS. I remember 1 TEST at DAVIES PARK.
John ran through me and ran 60 mtrs to score.
He made me look silly and I copped it from our coach. I never forgot JOHN McDONALD. I am very sorry to hear of his passing.
I am a passionate MANLY supporter as my nephew GEOFF TOOVEY is also one of MANLY’S
greats.
Thank you.
Ken RUMMANS.
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