Former NFL and Newtown Jets rugby league star Manfred Moore dies

Manfred Moore, who holds a special place in rugby league history as the first American to play in Australia, has died.

Moore, aged 69, passed away in January but news of his death only arrived Down Under today.

A former Super Bowl winner with the Oakland Raiders, he was persuaded to try his hand at league in 1977 by Newtown boss and media entrepreneur John Singleton.

Moore scored with his first touch in league, but struggled after that, playing just a handful of games before returning to the US, where he finished his career with the Minnesota Vikings.

"Looking back he was probably the wrong type of player to recruit to league," then Jets coach Paul Brighton recalled.

"But you've got to remember it was 1977, we were kind of flying blind signing him.

"He gave it his all and you couldn't fault him for effort."

Moore suffered a cut to his head in his debut and legend has it he told the Jets trainer: "Get me to a plastic surgeon".

The trainer laughed, put tape around his head and said, "Get back out there". And Moore did, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

After football, he became a minister of the church and returned to Australia in the 2000s for a Newtown Jets reunion.

As a journalist with Rugby League Week, I took him back to Henson Park, the Jets' home ground, and tears streamed down his face as we walked on the turf together.

"It was a wonderful experience and I loved every moment of it," he told me at the time.