Mal Cochrane facts for kids

Mal Cochrane (born 3 April 1961) is a famous former professional rugby league player from Australia. He is an Indigenous Australian who played in the 1980s and 1990s. Mal was best known for playing as a hooker for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the top Australian rugby league competition.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out: Junior Rugby League

When Mal Cochrane was at school, he was a talented athlete. He played not only rugby league but also hockey and cricket. He was so good that he represented his state in all three sports at schoolboy level!

In 1979, Mal was chosen to be the captain of the Australian Schoolboys team. They went on a tour to England and France. During this tour, he scored twelve tries and kicked seven goals. He was even named the best forward of the tour. Mal played in different positions like hooker, lock (lock), and prop (prop). He was also very fast, sometimes even playing on the wing.

Becoming a Senior Player

After his successful schoolboy tour, Mal Cochrane decided to join the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. This was the team of his childhood hero, Bob Fulton. Bob Fulton later became Manly's coach in 1983.

Mal worked hard in the younger teams before making his big debut. He played behind experienced players like Max Krilich and Ray Brown. Mal played his first top-grade game for Manly in 1983. It was in Round 16 against the Illawarra Steelers. He came off the bench and helped his team win 34–6.

In 1986, Mal Cochrane had an amazing year. He won the Rothmans Medal, which was a very important award for the best player in the competition. He also won the Dally M Hooker of the Year award. Many people thought he should have been picked for the 1986 Kangaroo tour, which was a tour for the best Australian players. That year, he also played for the City Seconds team.

Mal played in one Grand Final with Manly. This was in 1987 against the Canberra Raiders. It was the last Grand Final played at the famous Sydney Cricket Ground. Manly won the game 18–8, becoming champions! After this big win, Mal traveled with Manly to England. They played against the English champions, Wigan, in the 1987 World Club Challenge. Wigan won that game 8–2. In 1987, Mal won the Dally M Hooker of the Year award again. He also played his second representative game for Country Origin.

Towards the end of his career, Mal faced some injuries. These injuries meant he played fewer games in his last three seasons. He retired from top-grade rugby league at the end of the 1990 NSWRL season. Mal Cochrane played a total of 118 games for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He scored 19 tries and kicked 167 goals, earning a total of 410 points. After leaving the top league, he played for the Young Cherrypickers team for a year.

Life After Playing Rugby League

After finishing his playing career, Mal Cochrane continued to be involved in rugby league. In 1996, he coached the Australian Aboriginal rugby league team during their tour of Great Britain.

Mal also worked as a policeman for ten years. Now, he works for the Public Service Association of New South Wales. In this role, he helps Indigenous Australian people in their workplaces. He is also a member of the National Rugby League Judiciary, which helps make decisions about rules and player conduct in the sport.

Awards and Honors

Mal Cochrane made history in 1986 by becoming the first hooker to win the Rothmans Medal. This award was given to the best player in the league each year. He also won the Dally M Hooker of the Year award in both 1986 and 1987.

In 1987, Mal played as hooker for the Country Origin team. This was a special game where players from country areas played against players from the city.

In August 2008, Mal Cochrane received a great honor. He was named as the hooker in the Indigenous Team of the Century. This team celebrates the best Indigenous Australian rugby league players from the past 100 years.