John William “Dallas” Donnelly

HERITAGE No: 708

WESTS LIFE MEMBER No: 79

BIRTH: 3 September 1954

Gunnedah, NSW

DEATH: 22 February 1986 Byron Bay, NSW

DEATH: 22 February 1986

Byron Bay, NSW

OCCUPATION: Carpenter, 1977

RESIDENCE: Barber St Gunnedah. NSW. 1972; Richmond Ave Auburn, NSW, 1977

GAME HISTORY

Gunnedah High School RL 1969, 1970
Gunnedah RL 1972, 1973
Northern Division RL U/18’s 1972
Northern Division RL 1972, 1973, 1974
NSW Country RL v Southern Queensland RL 1973
Northern Division RL v Great Britain RL 1974
Northern Division RL (Amco Cup) 1974
NSW Country RL Tour to New Zealand 1974
NSW Country RL Firsts v NSW City RL Firsts 1973, 1974
NSW RL Firsts v Queensland RL Firsts 1973, 1975, 1976
Wests RL 3rd Grade 1984
Wests RL 2nd Grade 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
Wests RL First Grade 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
Wests RL Pre-season 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1978, 1980, 1981
Wests RL AMCO Cup 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978
Wests RL Tooth Cup 1980
Wests RL KB Cup 1982, 1983
Australia RL v Wales RL (World Cup) 1975
Australia RL v France RL (World Cup) 1975
Australia RL v England RL (World Cup) 1975
Australia RL v New Zealand RL 1978
NSW City RL Seconds v NSW Country RL Seconds 1975
NSW City RL Firsts v NSW Country RL Firsts 1976
Combined Sydney RL New Zealand Tour 1976
Southend Invicta RL 1984-85 (England)
Southend Invicta RL 1985 (England Challenge Cup)
Sheffield Eagles RL 1985-86 (England)
Byron Bay RL 1986 (Appointed Captain/Coach)
Country Rugby League Player of the Year 1973
Wests RL Team of the 1970’s (Front Row)
Wests RL Team of the Century 2004
Wests RL Life Member No. 79

John

John Donnelly was born in the north-west NSW town of Gunnedah. He was the son of William “Rocky” and Gloria Donnelly. The Donnelly family was well-known in rugby league circles with many of the extended family achieving representative honours. However, it was John that rose above them all from a very early age.

The career of John Donnelly remains central to the heart of the Wests club. Under coach Roy Masters in the late 1970’s, Donnelly’s on and off-field larrikinism took him to cult status. His career gradually wound down in the early 1980’s as he battled injuries and increasing weight problems.

John was with Wests for a decade through the good times as well as the years that Wests struggled. He was as comfortable taking it up to the “Silvertails” as he was running the chocolate wheel at a Wests fund raiser.

He could have departed Wests at any time to take up a better offer like many of his contemporaries did. However he remained loyal to Wests which is one of the reasons why he has been so loved and revered by Wests supporters over the decades.

John spent a season in England before returning to Australia to take up a captain-coach position with the Byron Bay Rugby League Club. It was here during the pre-season that John had an epileptic fit while surfing and tragically drowned. He was only thirty one years old.

John “Dallas” Donnelly