Rugby League has tonight mourned the passing of the game’s Coach of the Century, Jack Gibson.

The man who revolutionized the role of Rugby League coaches died at the Garawarra Centre, Waterfall surrounded by his family at 6.32 this evening. The 79 year old had endured a long wrestle with illness.

Jack was the original Super Coach winning five grand finals and reaching 11 semi final series from 16 attempts.

His Roosters teams in 1974-75 and the Parramatta sides of 1981-83 are regarded as some of the most brilliant club teams ever assembled. Each had its share of talent but each included selection gambles that set Jack apart from everyone in his era.

A no nonsense prop forward whose 154 games included Grand Finals with Eastern Suburbs and Western Suburbs, Jack represented NSW (1953-54), Sydney against Great Britain (1958) City Seconds (1954).

His playing career however would be overshadowed in 1967 as Jack entered a league of his own as a coach.

Ironically the Roosters had knocked back his application in 1966 and would fail to win a game that season.

Under Gibson in ’67 though they went straight to the semi-finals and backed up with another finals appearance the next year.

He took St George to the semi-finals in 1970 and 71, losing out to Souths in the 1971 Grand Final.

In 1973 he would take Newtown to the club’s only ever win in the club championship and the first grade semi-finals.

Three years was the longest he would spend anywhere before taking the time to look at the game from the outside.

He coached Souths to a pre-season title, staying there from 1978-79 before heading to Parramatta in 1981, where are after winning the clubs first premiership and his first of three there, he declared “ding dong the witch is dead”.

His career finished at his local club Cronulla in 1987, and while he once suggested that waiting for the sharks to win a premiership was like “leaving light on for Harold Holt” he improved the club greatly.

He was voted the coach of the Century at this year’s Centenary Ball.

“There is no superlative that does justice to his contribution to the game,” Australian Rugby League Chairman Mr Colin Love AM said today.

“We pass on our deepest sympathies to the Judy and to the Gibson family.”

NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said that every player and every coach in the game was a beneficiary of his career.

“Jack’s philosophy was to build the club from the front office to the playing field and to develop men not just footballers.

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