Arthur Beetson dead: Heart attack claims rugby league legend

ARTHUR Beetson, a rugby league icon and the godfather of the State of Origin, has died at 66.

The former Queensland legend and Eastern Suburbs forward suffered a heart attack while cycling.

R.I.P. Artie - leave your tributes for Beetson below

Police confirmed Beetson's death on the Gold Coast this morning.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh was quick to pay tribute.

"This morning Queensland has lost one of its legends and one of its favourite sons," she said.

"He was a knockabout bloke from country Queensland, he loved his leagues, he loved his Queensland and his loss will be felt from many."

Beetson, 66, was riding his bike at Paradise Point around 9.15am on Thursday when witnesses said he suffered severe chest pains and ambulance officers were called to treat him at the scene.

Beetson was Queensland's first State of Origin captain in 1980, and coached the Maroons to series wins from 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1989.

He was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2003.

In February 2008, Beetson was named in a list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908-2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.

Beetson went on to be named in the front-row in Australian rugby league's Team of the Century.

- with AAP

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