Murray Hurst, celebrated coach, attends Norths Chargers’ centenary celebrations

Murray Hurst relives his fondest memories at Rockhampton rugby league club’s centenary celebrations at the weekend.

Murray Hurst says his time at Rockhampton rugby league club Norths was the most enjoyable he ever had as a coach.

That’s a big call from a man who in his celebrated career was head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys, was assistant to Wayne Bennett with the Queensland State of Origin team and coached Tonga in the 2000 World Cup.

He won 13 Queensland Rugby League A-grade premierships, coached against 14 countries and finished with a success rate of 88 per cent as a coach at state, national and international level.

In photos: Norths Chargers’ centenary celebration weekend

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But Hurst maintains it was his tenure at Norths that he treasures.

He got to relive those special memories at the club’s centenary celebrations at the weekend.

Hurst also got to catch up face-to-face for the first time in 40 years with Rockhampton’s Wayne Sear who was best man at his wedding.

“That was great,” Hurst said of the reunion with Sear.

“It was like we hadn’t missed a beat, and that’s the thing – if you’re mates, you’re mates, you don’t have to be in each other’s pockets all the time.

“It was a great weekend and I thought it was extremely well organised.

“People look different because the years pass and they change us all but it was nice to catch up with everyone.”

A talented centre, Hurst played with Norths for about 10 years in the ’70s and early ’80s, winning an A-grade premiership in 1980.

Murray Hurst at a press conference during his team as head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys. Photo: Stewart Mclean

After coaching Brisbane Brothers in 1991, he returned to Rockhampton and to Norths in a coaching role in 1992, going on to mastermind seven A-grade premierships.

“My whole time coaching at Norths was the most enjoyable I’ve ever had and I’ve done a hell of a lot of coaching,” Hurst said.

“Having Robert Lorraway, Peter Hunt and Darryl Horstman at the club allowed me to focus on coaching and nothing else.

“I think it was because of the people there, they appreciated each other and they all wanted to improve their game.

“It’s good to have good people and more often than not, you can make them into good players.

Wayne Sear and Murray Hurst catch up at the Norths’ centenary celebrations in Rockhampton at the weekend.

“I put a lot of time into coaching; I didn’t ever plan to be a coach, it’s just something I was asked to do.

“As a player, I got to Queensland Country level, but I always thought I knew more about the game than I could show on the field.”

Hurst first moved to Rockhampton from his hometown of Surat for a job at pastoral company Dalgety’s and that is when his association with Norths started.

“I was asked to come and play for Norths and I just seemed to fit in there,” he said.

“My brother Hilton was playing for Brothers at that time but I was happy at Norths, so we played against each other.”

Hurst said the game had given him so much.

“That’s the good thing about rugby league, you don’t find anything but lifelong friends and that’s why it’s such a great game and it’s a great social mix,” he said.

Originally published as Murray Hurst, celebrated coach, attends Norths Chargers’ centenary celebrations