The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have paid tribute to one of the club’s foundation directors, Max Short, who passed away at his Townsville home today, aged 89.
Max, a successful Townsville businessman, is credited with helping to secure the Cowboys’ eventual entry into the-then Australian Rugby League competition in 1995, when he and his brother Merv put up a significant portion of the $500,000 required as a deposit.
Aside from being on the football club board for eight years, Mr Short was an original committee member of the Cowboys Leagues Club, and was involved in its establishment at its present-day site in Flinders Street.
Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini paid tribute to Mr Short’s contribution in getting the Cowboys into the national competition.
“It was because of the efforts of Max and others like him that we finally saw the Cowboys granted entry into the ARL, and those contributions will never be forgotten,” Mr Lancini said.
“This club was built from the ground up, by North Queenslanders, for North Queenslanders, and while news of Max’s passing is very sad, we should pause to reflect on the significant contribution he and his family have made to the Cowboys.”
A third-generation Townsvillean, Max is survived by wife Phoebe, brother Merv and sister-in-law Wendy.
