NRL
League legend Jack Gibson dies
May 09, 2008 07:45pm

JACK Gibson, rugby league's original supercoach, has passed away tonight - just hours before the Centenary Test.
Gibson was last month named the coach of Australian Rugby League's Team of the century. His wife Judy tonight informed the National Rugby League of his passing.

A statement was being prepared, NRL spokesman John Brady said.

Judy Gibson tonight issued a statement on behalf of the Gibson family, in which she said he had passed away surrounded by his family.

"We are dealing as well as we can and would ask that Jack’s many friends in their sadness that he is no longer with us, do not feel too sorry," the statement read.

"Jack would not want that; it was his own strong belief and appreciation that he had had a very fortunate life, and we know he would have wanted that to be the spirit of this time."


Her full statement read:

"Jack passed away comfortably today, at 6.32pm at the Garawarra Centre, Waterfall, surrounded by his family. We greatly appreciate the wonderful care he had received at Garrawarra, and also the caring and kind support afforded to us, the family. We are dealing as well as we can and would ask that Jack’s many friends in their sadness that he is no longer with us, do not feel too sorry. Jack would not want that; it was his own strong belief and appreciation that he had had a very fortunate life, and we know he would have wanted that to be the spirit of this time. "

League legend Jack Gibson dead at 79
Sat May 10 2008

The rugby league world is mourning the death of coach of the century Jack Gibson after a two-year battle with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

The 79-year-old's family said the five-time premiership-winning coach had passed away less two hours before kick-off in Friday night's Centenary Test between Australia and New Zealand at the SCG.

"Jack passed away comfortably today, at 6.32pm at the Garrawarra Centre, Waterfall, surrounded by his family," the legend's family said in a statement.

"We greatly appreciate the wonderful care he had received at Garrawarra, and also the caring and kind support afforded to us, the family.

"We are dealing as well as we can and would ask that Jack's many friends in their sadness that he is no longer with us, do not feel too sorry.

"Jack would not want that; it was his own strong belief and appreciation that he had had a very fortunate life, and we know he would have wanted that to be the spirit of this time."

The wily Gibson earned the nicknamed "Super coach" for revolutionising the role in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Named only last month as coach of the Team of the Century, Gibson won a total of five premierships, guiding Eastern Suburbs to back-to-back grand final triumphs in 1974-75 and then steering Parramatta to a rare hat-trick between 1981-83.

No team since Gibson's classy Eels have won three successive grand finals.

A former Easts, Newtown and Western Suburbs front-rower who played 162 first grade games, Gibson began coaching at the Roosters in 1967, taking the Bondi side that hadn't won a game the previous year to the semi-finals.

His premiership-winning Roosters and Eels teams are regarded as some of the most brilliant club sides ever assembled.

He also coached the NSW State of Origin team in 1989-90.

Apart from his premiership-winning ability, Gibson was also famous for his one-liners as a commentator, his charity work and the coaching techniques he sourced from professional American football clubs.

Parramatta great Peter Sterling, who played halfback for Gibson during the Eels' early `80s dynasty, on Friday night said he was "absolutely shattered" to learn of his former coach's death.

"I played under Jack Gibson for a number of years, won three premierships and I'm absolutely shattered," said the Nine Network commentator.

"I guess we knew this night was coming ... but it's very hard to digest.

"Jack, he loved his players, he cared about his players. And I think the great thing about being coached by Jack Gibson ... is he was more concerned about you off the field than he ever was on (the field).

"He made wonderful footballers, but he also made wonderful people and I thank Jack Gibson eternally for being a part of my life and I know I speak on behalf of every rugby league player and every rugby league supporter who was lucky enough to see Jack in action."

As well as Easts and Parramatta, Gibson also coached first grade football at St George, Newtown, Souths and Cronulla, never spending more than three years at a club at any one time.

"There is no superlative that does justice to his contribution to the game," Australian Rugby League chairman Colin Love said.

"We pass on our deepest sympathies to (wife) Judy and to the Gibson family."

NRL chief executive David Gallop said every player and coach in the game had benefitted from Gibson.

"Jack's philosophy was to build the club from the front office to the playing field and to develop men not just footballers," Gallop said.

"He wrote the book for the modern coach and he will be both celebrated and missed."

Jack Gibson's Playing and Coaching career

PLAYING CAREER
Club
Easts 1953-61 (132 games)
Newtown 1962 (11 games)
Wests 1963-65 (19 games)
Representative
NSW 1954 (1 game)

COACHING CAREER
Club
Easts 1967-68, 74-76
St George 1970-71
Newtown 1973
Souths 1978-79
Parramatta 1981-83
Cronulla 1985-87
Representative
NSW 1989-90

HONOURS
Five premierships as coach (Easts 1974-75, Parramatta 1981-83)
Named coach of rugby league's Team Of The Century, April 2008

Jack Gibson great coach and a top bloke. Condolences to his Family and Friends
RIP