An attempt to hold a touching minute’s silence in honour of the late Olympian Ron Clarke was overshadowed by disrespectful State of Origin fans at the MCG Wednesday night, who cheered and jeered during the sombre tribute.

The crowd stands for a minutes silence for running legend Ron Clarke. Photo: Getty

Social media ignited as disgusted fans posted about the handful of people who couldn’t keep their mouths shut, to honour the great Mr Clarke before the rugby league thriller.

The Australian legend died on Wednesday morning after a short illness, aged 78. Mr Clarke was a 17-time world-record holder and famously lit the flame at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, held at the same ground as Wednesday night’s epic Origin encounter.

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Shouts of “Queenslander” and “Gallen’s a w***er” were heard throughout the 60 seconds.

One fan responding by yelling out “show some respect” which caused the noise-makers’ volume to elevate the noise even more.

Some angery fans suggested the “bogans” yelling out during the moment of silence should have been evicted from the ground.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was appalled with the behaviour which tarnished the “city, state and nation”.

“It’s the law of averages, ” Mr Andrews told the Today Show.

“You get 91-and-a-half thousand people in any space you’re always going to get a few idiots – and that’s exactly what they were, completely disrespectful idiots who don’t do our city, our state, or indeed our nation any credit at all.

“Ron Clarke was a great Australian, a great Victorian, and as I said yesterday it was a life well lived.

“I think everyone close to Ron needs to focus, I hope they’d focus, on the fact that the vast majority of those 91-and-a-half thousand, perhaps more than 91 thousand of them were respectfully paying tribute to a life well lived.”

A 90,000 strong crowd gathered at the MCG to watch NSW defy the odds defeat Queensland 26-18 to even the series 1-1.

An origin game at the MCG would likely be the least typical of any #RugbyLeague crowd Victorians blaming RL fans 4 the jeers , that’s rich.

— Sandy Lanceley (@sandylanceley) June 17, 2015

Rugby fans have always been disrespectful so it doesn’t surprise me what happened during the minute silence #Origin #StateofOrigin — Alex Kocovski (@alekoisawesome) June 17, 2015

Rugby league fans being disgusting as usual during the minute silence for one of the greatest athletes in Australian history. #Origin

— James Vincent (@AgkJames) June 17, 2015

Embarrassing from #nrl fans, worst minute silence I’ve seen. Truly living up to their bogan reputation #Origin #disgrace — Tom Smirk (@smooka20) June 17, 2015

To those who made noise during that minute’s silence, pull your heads in! #origin

— Rugby League Week (@LeagueWeek) June 17, 2015

Mugs @MCG who tarnished Ron Clarke minute’s silence should be utterly ashamed of themselves. — Chris Warren (@ChrisWarreNRL) June 17, 2015

That was disgusting. Muppets yelling during that moment’s silence should be evicted. #Origin

— John Dean (@JohnDean_) June 17, 2015