Mel Cooke
New Zealand rugby league footballer, coach and administrator
About Mel Cooke
Lived 1934 – 2013 (aged 79). Mel Cooke was a New Zealand rugby league player.
Melville Lance Cooke (30 May 1934 – 5 September 2013) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand twenty-three times between 1959 and 1964.
Cooke played in 23 games for New Zealand, including at the 1960 World Cup. He played in eighteen consecutive tests between 1960 and 1964. Cooke was the captain for the last three seasons before accepting a player-coach position in Canberra in 1965.
Coaching career Cooke took up a player-coach position with Monaro in 1965. While there he captained the side against the 1966 British Lions and was selected for New South Wales Country.
In 2009 Cooke was named in the NZRL's team of the century.
Cooke died in September 2013, aged 79.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Mel Cooke?
New Zealand rugby league footballer, coach and administrator
When was Mel Cooke born?
Mel Cooke was born on 30 May 1934 in Christchurch.
When did Mel Cooke die?
Mel Cooke died on 10 September 2013.
What was Mel Cooke's occupation?
Mel Cooke was a rugby league player.
What nationality was Mel Cooke?
Mel Cooke was New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mel Cooke. https://biography.guide/mel-cooke/
MLA: "Mel Cooke." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mel-cooke/.
Chicago: "Mel Cooke." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mel-cooke/.
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