Jack Jeffries dead: One half of iconic Tommy Raudonikis slap vision has died aged 68

Jack Jeffries, the Wests Magpies player filmed exchanging brutal blows with Tommy Raudonikis before a game, has died aged 68.

Jack Jeffries (R) exchanges brutal blows with Tommy Raudonikis. Photo: Contributed

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Former Western Suburbs hooker Jack Jeffries, a member of the notorious Magpies side which would slap each other’s faces pre-game, has died aged 68.

Heritage number 743, Jeffries played 69 club games for Wests between 1979 and 1981, 61 in first grade.

Jeffries played a prominent role in a famous 1979 60 Minutes report showing Wests players aggressively slapping the faces of teammates and then fighting them to psych themselves up before games.

The 60 Minutes vision showed Jeffries and Wests legend Tommy Raudonikis exchanging blows to each other’s faces in the Lidcombe Oval dressing room, all in front of a fired-up head coach Roy Masters.

@nrl

Tommy Raudonikis enjoyed being slapped before he played 😳 #fyp#foryou#foryoupage

♬ original sound - NRL

Jack Jeffries (L) during his playing days with Wests. Picture: Warwick Lawson

Champion Magpie Les Boyd was face slapping next to Jeffries and Raudonikis.

Players, including Jeffries, would run out with blood coming from their noses.

On their social media platforms, Wests said the club was “saddened” at Jeffries’ death.

Former Wests and Australian fullback Garry Jack posted: “RIP Jack, one of the best.”

A fan posted, saying Jeffries was “one of my favourites at the Magpies. All class.”

Jeffries also played seven first grade games for St George in 1978.

A member of the all-conquering 1972 Australian Schoolboys side, Jeffries died on Friday in Culburra on the NSW south coast.

Originally published as Jack Jeffries dead: One half of iconic Tommy Raudonikis slap vision has died aged 68