Sourced from The Advocate Coffs Coast
Full-time for Coffs league legend
Greg White | 14th January 2012
THE player-coach acknowledged as the architect of modern rugby league in Coffs Harbour has died.
Believed to be the oldest Kangaroo representative at the time of his death in Newcastle, 89-year-old Neville 'Ned' Andrews emerged from traumatic army experiences in New Guinea during World War II to become one of league's most colourful identities during a long career stretching almost four decades.
His final years were spent at Anglicare Scenic Lodge in Merewether where he passed away on January 2.
Only last year he was honoured by the Men Of League Foundation before the Trans-Tasman Test match and kept contact with the modern game through many friendships with Newcastle Knights players.
A talented five-eighth before moving into the back row, Ned played for NSW and Queensland as well as one Test for Australia against Great Britain in 1950.
He fondly recalled experiences in the legendary Foley Shield competition in North Queensland and was one of a handful of players named in both the senior and junior teams of the century for South Newcastle Lions.
But in the late-1950s and early 1960s, he ventured to the North Coast where he became not only the leading light of rugby league but the dominant sporting personality of the era.
In 2008, Ned returned in triumph to Coffs Harbour as guest of honour at the 50 Year reunion of players involved in the Group 2 premiership victory by the Diggers club in 1958.
Prop forward in that team, Rex Sare, recalled a run of success that set the platform for the decades ahead.
"We were all raw young blokes but Ned was a bit older and he knew all the tricks," he laughed.
"The highlight was winning the grand final against Bellingen and then backing up against Grafton All Blacks to win the overall championship.
"They were the days of Cup football and you were not only mates with the blokes who played beside you but those you played against as well and Ned was right there in the middle."
Joe Gauci was hooker and 'baby' of that 1958 team.
"Most of us had been together since we were kids but Ned came in and turned us into polished footballers," he said.
"The bonds remain until this day."