Tommy Raudonikis memorial service to be held at SCG

The NRL is set to make an announcement on a memorial service for rugby league legend Tommy Raudonikis, to be held at the SCG.

A memorial service will be held for league legend Tommy Raudonikis at the SCG, with the NRL expected to make the announcement as soon as Wednesday.

After talks with the NRL, Mr Raudonikis’s wife Trish agreed on Tuesday to accept the offer of a memorial service.

The event could be held on Monday, but the date was still being finalised last night.

Sports Minister Geoff Lee has already agreed to waive the venue costs. 

A memorial service will be held at the SCG for NRL legend Tommy Raudonikis. Picture: Jerad Williams

NRL ceo Andrew Abdo said on Tuesday the NRL had been working with the SCG and Mr Raudonikis’s family “to think of a way in which we can pay tribute to his life and his contribution to rugby league”.

“I never got the privilege of seeing him play live, but I’ve watched a lot of footage, I’ve watched him on The Footy Show...he was a larger than life character and he’s obviously much loved by fans.”

It comes as Labor Member for Kogarah Chris Minns said Mr Raudonikis’s family should have been offered a state funeral. 

“State Funerals should be offered to people who’d never ask for one, wouldn’t expect one and who had probably never attended one,” he said. 

“It’s not a mark of nobility, or wealth or even knowing the ‘right’ people – State Funerals should be offered because the people decide they want to honour someone’s life.”

NRL legend Tommy Raudonikis with his wife Trish. Picture: Jerad Williams

Tommy Raudonikis and Trish at the Magic Millions Summer Carnival on the Gold Coast.

Writing in today’s Telegraph, Mr Minns said it was obvious from the pages of newspapers and calls to radio stations “the people of NSW want to honour the life of one of the great characters of our time - Tommy Raudonikis”.

“Before making a final decision on a State Funeral the New South Wales Government should ask itself how unlikely it would be for a young bloke with immigrant parents growing up in a refugee camp in Cowra to captain his state, coach the same team 15 years later, captain his country and become one of the most influential voices in the sport most people in NSW watch.”

He noted that last week the Government offered a state funeral to the family of fashion designer Carla Zampatti. 

“It was a good decision. The daughter of immigrants, she battled to start a successful company and left a lasting impression on her industry,” Mr Minns said.

“Surely a State Funeral for Zampatti and Raudonikis, different in nearly every way except for their success and their immigrant heritage, would be bookends representing the success of modern Australia.”

Officials were scrambling earlier this week over how to give Mr Raudonikis a respectful send off after the NSW Government definitively ruled out a state funeral.