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Tommy Raudonikis Sadly Passes Away After Long Battle With Cancer

Tommy Raudonikis Sadly Passes Away After Long Battle With Cancer

The NRL Hall of Famer will be remembered as one of the game's greats.

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Rugby league legend and Aussie icon Tommy Raudonikis has sadly passed away after losing his long battle with cancer.

He was 70 years of age.

It's understood the NRL Hall of Famer was suffering from testicular cancer following multiple heart surgeries.

He was later diagnosed with throat cancer too.

Raudonikis is revered by rugby league fans and widely regarded as a pioneer of the sport in this country.

Tommy Raudonikis.
NRL

The talented halfback played a whopping 238 first grade games during his decorated rugby league career, representing the Western Suburbs Magpies between 1969 and 1979 before joining the Newtown Jets in 1980.

He also donned the iconic New South Wales Blues jersey 24 times for State of Origin and also represented Australia at Test level on 29 occasions.

What makes this feat even more impressive was the fact he was the first ever New South Wales captain in 1980.

I mean, that alone is stuff of legend.

And despite hanging up the boots in 1982, Raudonikis' time in rugby league was far from done.

He went on to coach his former side Western Suburbs as well as the Ipswich Jets and local Brisbane sides Brothers and Norths.

The popular figure also coached New South Wales for two series during the late '90s.

Oh, and who could forget the legendary "cattle dog" call during the 1997 State of Origin series?

Iconic.

Touching tributes came flooding in after news of Raudonikis' death with fans, players and other members of the NRL community taking to social media to pay their respects.


Featured Image Credit: NRL

Topics: nrl news, Rugby League, nrl, Cancer, Australia,