The family of the late Bears president Jody Cooper have thanked the public for their "humbling" support following his sudden death last month.
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He was 63 years old.
In an email distributed by Tamworth City Old Boys, the Coopers said "the past few weeks have been the toughest our family has had to endure"
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"As our lives move forward, we do so with a hole that we will never be able to fill. Whilst there has been much sadness, the support that our family has received has been so humbling."
The family - Cooper's wife Vicki and their children James, the NIAS chief executive, and Georgia - said they "feel so proud to now witness first-hand the many lives that Jody touched throughout his time".
They said "it is comforting to think of the support we have and will continue to receive from so many wonderful people".
"There are too many people to contact individually but please accept our heartfelt thanks for your support through this difficult time.
"If you are comfortable to do so, we would love for you to share this message to those who Jody touched during his life."
In an article posted on their Facebook page, Group 4 interviewed a number of high-profile rugby league identities who knew Cooper well.
This is the article in full:
He was born April 27, 1957 and christened Graeme John Cooper but everyone knew him as Jody Cooper.
He grew to become one of Group 4 Rugby League's most valued and respected administrators before his sudden, recent and untimely death.
His North Tamworth Bears won a record sixth successive Group 4 first grade premiership in 2019 and topped it off by snaring a third Clayton Cup (the symbol of country rugby league supremacy) under his watch.
It all started innocently enough, the former mechanic and car salesman described as something of a "little bugger who used to create havoc in the neighbourhood".
He was nicknamed Jody Blodey by his next-door neighbour, and Jody stuck.
Jody became a stalwart player for firstly the Tamworth City Lions, then a great clubman for both the Tamworth City and then-merged West Lions (West Tamworth Robins and Tamworth City Lions) before joining the North Tamworth Bears.
"He ran a fairly tight ship," said North Tamworth premiership-winning and Clayton Cup-winning coach Brad McManus.
The Dancing Bear (McManus) recalled how the late North Tamworth Rugby League Football Club president ensured the Bears had become a sporting powerhouse.
Under captain-coach Scott Blanch, the side won its sixth-straight Group 4 first-grade premiership in 2019 and was hoping to add to that amazing run before the Covid-19 pandemic hit this year.
Jody was 63 years old when he passed.
A proud family man, he married talented hockey player Vicki McDonald in 1987 and they brought up a son, James (the NIAS chief executive officer), and a daughter, Georgia.
"He made the calls that had to be made, that's why the club is so successful," McManus said.
Cooper was a devout clubman, playing in the front-row for Tamworth City Lions and then retiring to a position on the club's committee. He was also team manager for various Lions sides before linking with the Bears in the last decade.
Former Tamworth City star Geoff Whitten said Cooper was a "great clubman and committeeman".
"When City and West Tamworth amalgamated (to form West Lions) he was a part of that too," Whitten said.
Tamworth City Old Boys secretary David Head remembers Jody as a "staunch and strong committeeman".
Mick Schmiedel, who captain-coached the Tamworth City Lions to a come-from-behind win over the Gunnedah Bulldogs in the 1994 grand final at Kitchener Park, also remembers Jody as a staunch clubman who helped his Lions to an emotional premiership.
"He was heavily involved in the club then," Schmiedel said.
"Not many people will know or remember he was also part of the very first meeting we had to form the Oxley Diggers and get them up and running.
"However he couldn't continue on with us. A year later and he was barracking for his son at Norths."
Jody was also a team manager for Tony La Chiusa at both the Tamworth City Lions and West Lions.
La Chiusa, who played his junior football for the Tamworth City Lions, became one of Group 4's most successful coaches when he took over West Lions.
"He managed my sides at both City and West Lions," La Chiusa said.
"We called him the old mother. He was always the level-headed one, the sensible one.
"When you needed to have a chat, he was always there for you and he had that quiet influence on people. He was a steadying influence on everybody."
Jody's football allegiance took another turn (across the river, so to speak) when his son returned to Tamworth and started playing for the North Tamworth Bears.
"He truly loved the North Tamworth Football club and all that the club stands for," James Cooper eulogised at his father's funeral.
"On many occasions he would tell me how Tamworth City was the best club and culture he had ever been involved with. He would also tell me that Norths is on par with City and he would remind me to enjoy it because good clubs are with you for life."
McManus agrees with that.
McManus captain-coached the Bears in 2013 and 14 before "retiring" from coaching and taking on the club presidency at Norths (he was reappointed Bears coach for the cancelled 2020 season).
"Jody took over from me as president the year after and I coached the Bears again," he said.
The Bears have won the past six Group 4 premierships - winning under McManus in 2014, Zac Russ in 2015, McManus in 2016 and 2017 and Scott Blanch the past two seasons.
McManus and Blanch also won the Clayton Cup (2014 and 2019) to go with the club's first Clayton Cup in 1980 under Peter Woolaston.
"He became a big part of the club," McManus said of Jody.
"(He) took over from me as president in 2016. (He) cracked down on the things that had to be cracked down on.
"He let you do the coaching. We had an agreement too: I'd worry about things inside the fence and he'd worry about the things outside the fence.
"He was easy to talk to. If I ever had a problem I'd just talk to him and he'd sort it out. He will be sadly missed."
Jody was also an active member of the Group 4 board and has helped guide Group 4 in recent years.
This year was going to be a big year for not only Norths but for Group 4 with the return of the Moree Boars and an eight-team first-grade competition, but then Covid struck.
Cooper was also instrumental in setting up what will be the inaugural WEG 9s in October.
Vale Graeme "Jody" Cooper. May you rest in a lion-hearted peace.
