- Bob Hagan was a Canterbury Bulldogs player, coach and CEO
- Legend has passed away on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland
The rugby league world is in mourning following the death of Bob Hagan, who remarkably excelled first as a player, then coach and eventually CEO at the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Hagan was 85. There has been no confirmation about the cause of his death at the time of writing.
An ex-Queensland, NSW and Australian player, Hagan passed away on the Sunshine Coast.
He was also the inaugural president of the Gold Coast Giants, who entered the ARL competition in 1988.
Hagan was the older brother of Michael Hagan, who won a premiership in 1988 while playing with the Bulldogs – before repeating the feat as a coach with the Andrew Johns-inspired Newcastle Knights in 2001.
Bob Hagan arrived at Belmore in 1967 and played in a grand final against South Sydney that same year, with the Rabbitohs winning an arm wrestle 12-10 at the SCG.
The rugby league world is in mourning after the death of Bob Hagan, who remarkably excelled as a player, then coach and eventually CEO at the Canterbury Bulldogs
An ex-Queensland, NSW and Australian player, Hagan (pictured right) passed away on the Sunshine Coast (pictured right, in 2002)
The utility back eventually chalked up 45 games in first grade for Canterbury, before turning his attention to coaching.
He was eventually appointed Canterbury’s CEO in 1996, staying in the role for seven seasons.
‘Bob holds the unique distinction as the only person in club history to have been a first-grade player, first-grade head coach and CEO,’ a club statement read on Wednesday.
‘The Bulldogs wish to pay their respects to Bob. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.’
