Vale Mackay league legend and former North Queensland Cowboy Craig Menkins

Craig Menkins was a giant of rugby league in Mackay. His loving wife Kacey and the Wests president reflect on a life taken far too soon. SPECIAL TRIBUTE

Craig Menkins will be dearly missed by the Mackay community.

Craig Menkins was a giant of rugby league in Mackay but it’s the way he helped the people around him which will be his greatest legacy.

From coaching Moranbah to three premierships in nine years, or breaking a 36-year premiership drought with Wests, Menkins was a tall figure not only in size but in community standing.

His loving wife Kacey Menkins, and Wests president Robert Downey, have reflected on his life following his death after a long fight with brain cancer.

“He was just a community-minded person,” remembers Kacey.

“He did the Santa run in Marian for kids. He would do that of a Christmas Eve, go around and give lollies, he just loved seeing people happy and giving to people.”

“He was just wanting to make people better people.”

Kacey recalls tales of Craig loaning out his car if his players needed it, or helping them find jobs after football so they could continue to provide for their families, and even one instance of helping a player fly overseas to visit sick family.

“If one of the footy players were ever in trouble he would help them out,” she said.

Ever a forward-thinker, Craig deployed initiatives like recruiting players from New Zealand – most of whom still live in the Mackay area – not just with rugby league in mind, but with the goal of helping them improve their lives.

“They were that grateful, there was probably about 20 (New Zealanders) that did the haka for him at his 50th, that was really moving,” recalls Kacey.

Craig Menkins (left) will go down in Wests folklore for delivering their premiership since 1982.

“Once he became friends with someone he never let go and always stayed in contact.”

The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys paid tribute to their No 27 Craig Menkins, as a member of the inaugural 1995 squad, who played four games for the Cowboys in the club’s maiden season.

“After a short stint in France, Menkins moved back to North Queensland following his playing retirement and remained heavily involved in the rugby league community, coaching both Moranbah and Wests Mackay to premierships,’’ the Cowboys said.

“Menkins was also a regular to Cowboys Old Boys Day, with his most recent appearance coming just last year.”

‘LOYAL, RESPECTFUL AND LOVING’

As a family man, the father of one and stepdad to three others, Craig was “very loyal, respectful, and loving.”

“Very family and friends oriented … he just wanted the best for us,” Kacey said.

“Not long before he passed we holidayed in New York because he wanted the kids to experience something with him that they would never experience with anyone else.

“He sort of put aside everything he was battling just to give the best to his loved ones.”

Craig ran for the council in 2020.

One of his many successes – and arguably one of his best – was achieving drought-breaking Mackay and District Rugby League premiership success with Wests Tigers in 2018.

It wasn’t only a remarkable accomplishment, but a testament to his drive as a person.

“He was very passionate about football, very loyal to the community,” Kacey said.

“A strong-willed person, he had goals and he always ended up achieving them … It wasn’t just about him though, it was about doing it for a community as a whole.

“He never wanted recognition for himself … always wanting to give.”

‘AN ABSOLUTE FORCE OF NATURE’

Downey shared a similar sentiment.

“He was a man who when he set his mind to something he would definitely get the desired outcome,” Downey said.

“Craig just brought a new level of professionalism and love of rugby league to the club, not only the rugby league team but the whole community in the Pioneer Valley.

“The first year he coached our club we made the grand final but we lost … And he came over to me extremely upset, close to tears, and apologised for not winning the grand final and told us he would get the next one.

“Lo and behold the next year he got us our first grand final in 36 years. He was an absolute force of nature mate, if he wanted something, or he thought it was the best way to do something, he would make sure it happened that way.”

Menkins didn’t just build rugby league clubs, he built communities. Photo: Contributed

Menkins would lead Wests to another premiership in 2020, capping off a run of four consecutive grand final appearances, and making him a five-time premiership coach across Wests and Moranbah.

But, as it so often did, his influence reached far beyond the realms of the field.

“He was really big on building the community around rugby league, implemented things like our school visit program where we went to the primary schools out in the Pioneer Valley, took the players out there and engaged the kids in rugby league,” Downey said.

“He brought that level of professionalism you need in the current climate to the club, built a real team environment that our players really thrived on.”

Vale Craig Menkins.