Inaugural Raiders coach Don Furner snr dead at 87

The inaugural coach of the Canberra Raiders, Don Furner, has died at 87, the club said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

“Furner’s wealth of experience as a coach in country football, together with his unmatched ability to spot raw talent, were invaluable in the Raiders’ testing early years,” the club said. “He remained unperturbed, steadily putting together a squad that surprised the League world when it almost made the semi-finals in only its third year. His recruitment of Mal Meninga in late 1985, which then attracted so much talent to the club, was a masterstroke.”

Furner played for Queensland and Australia before retiring to coach.

More to come.