Don Adams obituary: Toby and Trent Edmonds farewell their pop

Top Queensland trainers Toby and Trent Edmonds have farewelled their dad and pop Don ‘Bandy’ Adams, a Kangaroos representative and NSW rugby league star.

Don ‘Bandy’ Adams and Keith Holman.

Trainers Toby and Trent Edmonds will be saddling up their runners this weekend in the memory of former Kangaroo Don ‘Bandy’ Adams, who passed away in his hometown of Scone this week.

Adams, 86, was Toby’s father and Trent’s grandfather.

Trent paid tribute to his ‘Pop’, saying he loved two things – “family and football.”

“He raised seven kids, he did a pretty good job,” he said.

“He would watch the races from a distance on the TV. He was proud of his family.

“He just loved the country. I think he went to Sydney for a little bit, but never played in the New South Wales Rugby League as it was at the time.

Father and son team Toby and Trent Edmonds. Picture: Luke Marsden

“He’s one of the few that were picked for Australia from his country base and from what he was doing in the bush.”

A fleet-footed winger, Adams played five times for Australia in 1956 and scored five tries. These included a Man of the Match performance against Great Britain at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He was forever loyal to his country roots and was picked to play for Australia while still part of the Maitland Pickers team that won three consecutive local titles from 1956.

He learned of his selection for Australia via radio, when his name was the second read out after the legendary Clive Churchill.

Don ‘Bandy’ Adams.

Later Adams had a successful playing and coaching career in Scone.

“He was very quick and he played with some bloody good players,” Trent said.

“The Cleal brothers (Les and Noel) played under him at Scone and Noel went on to play for Australia.

“They named the grandstand after him at the football oval in Scone, the Bandy Adams Grandstand, it was pretty special.”

Edmonds said talented three-year-old Ruuca is the stable’s best chance to win a race in honour of Adams at Eagle Farm tomorrow as he makes his return from a successful trip to Melbourne last spring.

“He trialled good. We gave him a quiet trial early and let him scoot up to the line,” Edmonds said.

“With no blinkers on, it was as good as we could have hoped for.

“The track was testing, so we were kind to him early and let him hit the line.

“The blinkers go on for race day and barrier three is handy.”

Tardis is also resuming, but needs luck from a wide gate.

“Tardis is flying, but drawn bad and generally she takes a run,” he said.

“She has trialled really good twice, so we will ride her for luck and hope she can get over the top of them if they over-do it up front.”

A service for Adams will be held on Tuesday, March 10 at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Scone, from 11am.