Don Furner

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]

Don Furner

Personal information
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
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1951–53 Souths (Toowoomba) Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 19??–?? Queensland 1956 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1965–69 Queanbeyan 1970–72 Eastern Suburbs 69 40 2 27 58 1973–81 Queanbeyan 1982–87 Canberra Raiders 153 59 3 91 39 Total 222 99 5 118 45 Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 1986–88 Australia 15 13 0 2 87 2000 Fiji 3 1 0 2 33
Source: Rugby League Project [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

1. Sean Fagan (2006). "Kangaroo Tour: 1956–1957". rl1908.com. Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
2. "Queanbeyan Blues win league cup". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 14 October 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
3. Lester, Gary, ed. (1984). Rugby League: Action '85. Sydney: Fairfax Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 0-909558-83-3.
4. ACT Sport Hall of Fame inductees 1 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine at actsport.com.au
5. "Vale Don Furner Senior". 25 February 2020.

External links

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 and Wayne Bennett as co-coaches
Preceded by Louis Neumann 1969	Coach   Eastern Suburbs 1970–1972	Succeeded by Tony Paskins 1973