The Canberra Raiders are in mourning following the death of founding father Les McIntyre on Saturday.

McIntyre, a key figure behind the entry of the Raiders into the New South Wales rugby league in 1982, died after a lengthy illness battle in his home in Queanbeyan.

He was 93.

Aside from his work with the Raiders, where he was the inaugural chairman and a life member, McIntyre formed the Queanbeyan Leagues Club in 1963 and helped establish the Canberra District Rugby League.

His son John is the current Raiders chairman.

"Les was a hugely influential figure for Canberra," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.

"He is one of those people who helped broaden the game's outlook to include new areas and who would ultimately see his club as the first to take the Premiership out of Sydney."

Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr said McIntyre's love for the game had brought benefits throughout the sport.

"He could be a tough old school negotiator but he helped build a powerful leagues club network that strengthened the game enormously in the area and gave us some of rugby league's biggest names," Carr said.

McIntyre is survived by his wife Elsie and son John as well as five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

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