It’s been 15 years to the day since the founder and first Chairman of FOGS, Dick “Tosser” Turner passed away aged 75.
Along with another Queensland great, Arthur Beetson, Turner embodied the spirit of what it meant to pull on a Maroon Origin jumper and play with pride and passion.
Like Tina Turner, — no relation of course — would say – Tosser was “Simply the Best.”
He not only played a leading role in the birth of State of Origin along with the late Queensland Rugby League chairman, Senator Ron McAuliffe, but was also a long-time manager of some of Queensland’s greatest Origin sides between 1982 and 1996.
After he stood down as Queensland team manager, he helped establish FOGS Queensland — a not-for-profit organisation that supports several charities — headed by the ARTIE Academy which encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attend school and assists in Closing the Gap in educational outcomes.
Just before his death, Turner scribbled down his thoughts about what it meant to him and what it should mean to future players to represent Queensland.
He dictated his words to his devoted wife, Jan, who then faxed them to the team’s manager at the time, Jim Banaghan.
His “Do it for the Gipper” letter was then read out to the players at a team dinner two nights before the game by an emotional Steve Walters who had tears rolling down his cheeks.
With Greg Inglis turning in an inspiring performance, Queensland won the game 30-0 but Turner passed away before his beloved Maroons took the series with a 16-10 win in the deciding third game at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium in his honour.
Tosser was many things to Queensland.
But he is mostly remembered for being a terrific bloke and a thorough gentleman.
He rubbed shoulders with footballers, fans, and Prime Ministers alike.
“Tosser’s loss will be greatly felt across rugby league in Queensland and I believe across the entire National Rugby League community,” the then PM of the day Kevin Rudd said of his passing.
Beetson said: “he was State of Origin football as far as I am concerned. He made us feel comfortable from the time we started until our last game and he remained that way until the end.”
Everyone loved being in Turner’s company.
He cared deeply about all the players, making sure their every need was met and that they wanted to play for Queensland.
Turner’s stories are legendary, from his love of sailing, his dusty driving, and his craving for lollies ice cream.
“Tosser loved this time of year; he was there virtually from the beginning,” said former Queensland player and ex-Queensland manager, Chris Close, a very close personal friend to Turner.
“His legacy is not so much what he did as a team manager but more from those early years when he engendered what it should mean to players selected to represent every Queensland man, woman, and child.
“You just know he’d be up there now annoying the hell out of Arthur.
“He’d be teasing him and cajoling him and doing everything he could just to annoy him.
“He’d probably be eating a big bowl of ice cream because Jan isn’t there to stop him.
“And Arthur, well Arthur, he’d just be eating.”