Des McGovern
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name =
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| fullname = Des V. McGovern
| birth_date = 13 February 1928
| birth_place = Toowoomba, Queensland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|2|8|1928|2|13|df=y}}
| death_place = Toowoomba, Queensland
| height =
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| position = {{Rlp|WG}}
| club1 = All Whites
| year1start = 19??
| year1end = ??
| appearances1 = 69
| tries1 = 15
| goals1 =
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| club2 = Newtown (Toowoomba)
| year2start = 19??
| year2end = ??
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| updated =
| teamA = Toowoomba
| yearAstart = 19??
| yearAend = ??
| appearancesA =
| triesA = 27
| goalsA =
| fieldgoalsA =
| pointsA =
| teamB = Queensland
| yearBstart = 1949
| yearBend = 56
| appearancesB = 16
| triesB = 12
| goalsB = 0
| fieldgoalsB = 0
| pointsB = 36
| teamC = Australia
| yearCstart = 1952
| yearCend = 56
| appearancesC = 7
| triesC = 1
| goalsC = 0
| fieldgoalsC = 0
| pointsC = 3
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| coachteam1 = Toowoomba
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}}
Des V. McGovern (1928 - 2013) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. A Queensland state and Australia national representative winger, he played his club football in Toowoomba, where he later become a successful coach and well-known radio match commentator.
Biography
Des McGovern was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 13 February 1928. He was a student at Brisbane's Nudgee College.{{cite book|last1=Barnett|first1=Murray|title=For the Love of the Game|date=2015|publisher=Boolarong Press|location=Australia|page=53|isbn=9781925236088|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_XG_BwAAQBAJ}}
=Playing career=
McGovern started playing rugby league football in Ipswich before moving to Toowoomba in 1947. He was first selected to represent Queensland in 1949.{{cite web|title=Qld Rep Players|url=http://www.qrl.com.au/about/qld-rep-players.html|website=qrl.com.au|publisher=Queensland Rugby League|accessdate=9 June 2016}} During the 1950s McGovern was a member of the Toowoomba Bulimba Cup teams, coached by Duncan Thompson. During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand McGovern was selected to play on the wing for Queensland in their match against the touring Frenchmen, which ended in a 22-all draw. In 1952 he first gained selection for the Australia national rugby league team, becoming Kangaroo No. 296.{{cite web|last=australianrugbyleague.com.au|title=Players Register|url=http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php|work=Kangaroos|publisher=ARL|accessdate=27 December 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927000601/http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php|archivedate=27 September 2011}} McGovern was selected as a winger for the 1952–53 Kangaroo tour. On the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour, he was selected to play in all three Test matches against Great Britain.{{cite web|title=Vale Des McGovern|url=https://www.menofleague.com/mol/news/in-memoriam/69-vale-des-mcgovern|website=menofleague.com|publisher=Men of League|accessdate=5 June 2016}} McGovern retired having scored the most tries in the history of the Bulimba Cup with 27.
=Post-playing=
Following his playing days, McGovern became a successful coach in Queensland country regions and Toowoomba, where he coached the Clydesdales. He also worked as a rugby league writer for the Downs Star and The Chronicle. McGovern went on to become one of the Darling Downs region's best known radio sporting voices during a 36-year working partnership with broadcaster Pat O'Shea. The pair began their long association calling Toowoomba rugby league matches on radio station 4AK before moving to 4GR, 4WK and finally 102.7FM.{{cite news|last1=McCullough|first1=Glen|title=Sporting community mourns death of league legend|url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/sporting-community-mourns-death-league-legend/1748219/|accessdate=5 June 2016|work=The Chronicle|publisher=APN News & Media|date=8 February 2013}} From 1985 to 1987 McGovern was the president of Toowoomba's All Whites club.{{cite web|title=HISTORY OF ALL WHITES RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB|url=http://www.brothers.org.au/files/History-of-All-Whites-Brothers.pdf|website=brothers.org.au|publisher=Brothers Toowoomba Rugby League Club|accessdate=25 September 2016}} His son, Des McGovern, Jr. also played rugby league for the club. In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, McGovern was named on the wing of the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.{{cite news|last=Leslie|first=Cameron|title=Rugby League Team of the Century named|url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2008/08/21/team-of-greats-shows-depthof-south-west/|accessdate=8 January 2012|newspaper=The Chronicle|date=21 August 2008}} McGovern retired from full-time commentary at the end of the 2010 season, aged 82. McGovern died on 8 February 2013 in St Andrew's Hospital, Toowoomba, five days short of his 85th birthday.{{cite news|last1=Farmer|first1=Kevin|title=Large crowd bids farewell to Toowoomba rugby league legend|url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/large-crowd-bids-farewell-toowoomba-rugby-league-l/1754451/|accessdate=5 June 2016|work=The Chronicle|publisher=APN News & Media|date=13 February 2013}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGovern, Des}}
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Queensland rugby league team players
Category:Rugby league players from Toowoomba
Category:Toowoomba Clydesdales players