starting 2002 in his former profession as a teacher of mathematics, he was made head coach of the North Queensland Cowboys to replace the sacked Murray Hurst in April. After three seasons of steady improvement, the Cowboys made the NRL finals for the first time in 2004 and finished one game short of the grand final. They improved on their efforts in the following season, reaching the 2005 NRL Grand Final, the Cowboys' first, which they lost to the Wests Tigers by 30 to 16. Murray coached City to victory in the annual contest against Country Origin in 2002, 2003 and 2005. In 2006, Murray was named coach of the Illawarra Steelers’ "Team of Steel", celebrating the club’s 25th anniversary. Murray was appointed coach of the New South Wales rugby league team for the 2006 State of Origin series; despite winning the first game, the Blues lost the series to Queensland by two games to one. In 2006, the Cowboys missed the finals and finished in ninth position. Murray was re-appointed as New South Wales coach in 2007, with the full support of the North Queensland Cowboys board. Once again, however, New South Wales lost the series by two games to one. In August 2007, Murray announced that he would step down as coach of New South Wales. On 19 May 2008, Murray resigned as coach of the North Queensland Cowboys. Later career In 2010, Murray was appointed as the head coach of the Australia women's national rugby league team, the Australian Jillaroos. The Jillaroos would go on to win the World Cup against New Zealand in 2013, with the team dedicating their win to Murray. He was appointed the Newcastle Knights’ High Performance Unit Director of Coaching for the 2012 season. On 30 November 2012, Murray was appointed head coach of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls. Murray stood down as the Seagulls coach due to ill health. Death In March 2013, Murray was comatose for a week following a heart attack. Murray had another heart attack in July 2013, and was subsequently hospitalised at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba, Brisbane. On 28 July, he was taken off life support and died later that day, aged 58. Sources References 1955 births 2013 deaths Australia women's national rugby league team coaches Australian rugby league coaches Fiji national rugby league team coaches Hunter Mariners people Illawarra Steelers coaches Leeds Rhinos coaches New