Rugby league great and much-loved larrikin Paul Langmack has died at the age of 61.
Radio presenter Mark Levy announced the former footballer’s death on Sydney station 2GB on Thursday morning.
Langmack is understood to have suffered a heart attack while using a sauna at Breakfast Point Country Club after completing his regular gym session. He could not be revived.
“He was such a larger-than-life character. I used to joke and say, ‘Paul, you give a Panadol a headache,’” Levy said.
“But whenever he saw you, he would make a beeline to come over, have a laugh and spend some time with you.”
Levy said he had been sitting with Langmack at the airport earlier this year when he noticed the former player carrying a black book.
Rugby league icon Paul Langmack has died aged 61, prompting an outpouring of tributes
Langmack was a popular and gifted member of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs squad
Langmack had experienced health issues but was working to improve his fitness before his sudden death
“I asked him, ‘What’s that? Is it your diary for everything you’ve got coming up?’”
“He said, ‘No. That’s my black book’ — all the tips he used to send to everyone.”
Former NRL player Darryl Brohman, who played alongside Langmack, also paid tribute to his former teammate.
“Apparently he was in a sauna and just dropped dead. It was terrible news,” Brohman said.
“He was a wonderful player. I only spent two years with him at the Bulldogs, and he was considerably younger than me.”
“He was incredibly talented. From a football perspective, he probably never received the recognition he deserved. He had a very intelligent football mind and probably should have represented Australia.”
“I think he went on a Kangaroo tour, but I don’t believe he played in a Test.”
Brohman said Langmack often shared entertaining stories about Tommy Raudonikis, who coached him at Western Suburbs.
“He just loved life. He really did,” Brohman said.
“He had a couple of issues away from football, but who hasn’t? We’ve all had things going on in our lives.”
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The talented lock was a key part of Canterbury’s formidable ‘Dogs of War’ forward pack
After retiring as a player, Langmack moved into coaching and guided South Sydney in 2003 and 2004
Friends and former teammates remembered Langmack for his football intelligence, humour and zest for life
“He was an outstanding footballer, a great friend and an extremely loyal person. He was a great Bulldog, and the club will be devastated by this,” Brohman said.
Craig Laundy, of Bulldogs major sponsor Laundy Hotels, also remembered Langmack in a statement to 2GB.
“Paul was a great long-term friend of the Laundy family, dating back to his first days at Belmore in the early 1980s,” Laundy said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family, with special thoughts for his sister, Di Langmack, who has herself played an integral role in rebuilding the Dogs over the past five years. This is an absolute tragedy. Vale, Paul Langmack.”
Langmack played more than 300 first-grade matches for Canterbury, Western Suburbs and the Sydney Roosters between 1983 and 1999. He won premierships with the Bulldogs in 1984, 1985 and 1988.
The skilful lock represented New South Wales on four occasions and toured with the Australian Kangaroos in 1986, although he did not appear in a Test.
Following his playing career, Langmack turned to coaching and was in charge of South Sydney in 2003 and 2004.
As a central figure in the Bulldogs’ feared ‘Dogs of War’ pack, he earned a reputation for toughness, versatility and relentless defence.
Langmack made his first-grade debut at just 17, after sleeping outside the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1981 to obtain a grand final ticket.
Three years later, he helped Canterbury defeat Parramatta in the 1984 decider, before playing a part in further premiership triumphs in 1985 and 1988.
His colourful career was filled with memorable stories, including one team-bus trip during which he said Terry Lamb drank vodka-and-orange premixes and placed bets on horses while Phil Gould drove.
Langmack recalled that Lamb needed assistance getting to bed, but recovered in time to inspire Canterbury to a 23-12 win the next day.
During his time at Western Suburbs, Langmack played under Raudonikis, whose unorthodox motivational tactics included taking a raw ox heart into a team meeting.
Langmack remembered the heart being passed around as Raudonikis challenged his players to show more courage, with blood splattering across their shirts and jerseys.
Another unforgettable moment came after Canterbury’s 1988 premiership, when Langmack and David Gillespie joined Sydney band The Cockroaches on stage to perform ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’.
Several members of The Cockroaches later helped create The Wiggles, giving Langmack’s premiership celebrations an unexpected link to the famous children’s entertainment group.