HE is rarely mentioned when South Sydney legends are listed, but Dudley's John Dougherty left an indelible mark on arguably the greatest Rabbitoh of them all.
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"Clive Churchill once described John as one of the greatest players never to play for Australia," 83-year-old Dougherty's friend and tennis partner Kevin Leary said.
A former schoolmate of Churchill's at Hamilton Marist Brothers, Dougherty played alongside "The Little Master" at Souths between 1953 and 1956 and won three premierships.
Dougherty was their five-eighth in three straight deciders from 1953 to 1955, scoring a try and kicking four goals against St George in 1953 and scoring a try against Newtown in 1954.
Though injury prevented him from representing Australia, the retired high school social sciences teacher played for City and NSW in 1954.
"I'm still a Souths man through and through. I support the Knights, too, but when they're playing Souths, I'm a Souths fan," Dougherty said.
As for his first memories of Churchill, Dougherty said: "He was a few years ahead of me at school, but he always stood out as an exceptional person.
"He was so strong and fearless, and such an enterprising bloke."
Dougherty sat in the crowd of 83,333 at ANZ Stadium three weeks ago to see Souths end their 43-year drought by beating the Bulldogs 30-6.
"I was surprised when I watched the grand final how many people came out of the woodwork and spoke to me after it about how good a game it was and how pleased they were," he said.
"It was good to be there and I enjoy the game, but in my mind the modern style takes away a lot of the skill from the game, and the show that can be produced when they pass the ball around. We used to love to build up and create opportunities for the wingers to score tries.
"I like to see the ball moved across the field more, but the pattern these days is to pass the ball from dummy-half to somebody who barges it up."
A long time retired from league, Dougherty plays tennis twice a week at Whitebridge and golf when he can with some of his friends he has known since school.
IN most grades of cricket, the standard procedure for batsmen facing the last over of the day never varies.
Stonewall any ball on the stumps, and let anything else pass harmlessly through to the keeper.
But Toronto skipper Joey Price opted to finish with a bang against Merewether at Ron Hill Oval on Saturday.
When Merewether spinner Tim O’Neill was entrusted with delivering the final six deliveries, Price promptly blasted a massive six that landed in Stony Creek and was declared missing, presumed drowned.
A new Kookaburra, which cost up to $75, was summoned.
Next ball Price repeated the process, and only a conveniently located tree saved another six-stitcher disappearing into the drink.
It was a costly over in more ways than one. Put it down to the Price of exuberance.
THEY’RE a different breed, those Kiwis.
Wellington lived up to its cold and blustery reputation to give the Jets a winter blast in their 4-1 loss to the Phoenix at Westpac Stadium.
With the temperature hovering around 14 degrees, before factoring in the wind chill, you’d expect the Wellington faithful to be donning the jumpers.
While the Herald’s correspondent shivered in the press box with a jumper and a jacket, one Kiwi journalist was wearing board shorts and ‘‘jandals’’.
In the crowd plenty of fans were ripping off their shirts and swinging them above their heads bare-chested, as is the Phoenix tradition in the last 10 minutes.
THE atmosphere might have been flatter than a Sheffield Shield game at the SCG and the on-field action was at times boring enough to send the most passionate cricket tragic to sleep.
But Newcastle District Cricket Association chairman Paul Marjoribanks was among the small scattering of Aussie fans to brave the scorching desert heat of the Dubai Cricket Stadium last week for Australia’s Test match against Pakistan.
Marjoribanks’ son lives in the United Arab Emirates, and he took the opportunity to visit the Gulf to coincide with the cricket.
Going by the photo (right) Newcastle Cricket CEO Ivan Spyrdz tweeted of Marjoribanks on Saturday, the NDCA chairman did not need to book tickets before he touched down.
‘‘#Newcastle District Cricket Chair enjoying plenty of space at Dubai Cricket Stadium watching Aussies,’’ tweeted Spyrdz.
ECUADOREAN striker Edson Montaño has no plans to try surfing while he is in Newcastle to play for the Jets this A-League season.
‘‘He said he’s afraid and he’s freaking out about the sharks,’’ teammate and translator Marcos Flores said when Montaño was asked about one of Australia’s favourite summer pastimes at a media conference last week.
Told that the man-eating species of sharks were more frequent on Australia’s west coast, and that Newcastle beaches were safe, Montaño said through Flores he ‘‘respects all of the ocean’’.
Knight’s honour
KNIGHTS prop David Fa’alogo was named Samoan player of the year at the Rugby League International Federation awards lunch in Brisbane last week.
Former Knights chairman Peter Corcoran won the RLIF Spirit of Rugby League Award, in recognition for him introducing the modified games program to rugby league.
Past recipients of the award include former ARL chairman Ken Arthurson, English officials Maurice Oldroyd and David Oxley, Ron McGregor (New Zealand) and Paul Barriere (France).
NEWCASTLE born-and-bred basketballer Jenni Screen wants to keep her eye in before she heads to Europe by continuing her Women’s National Basketball League commentary gig.
Screen was well received in guest stints with the ABC last season and is keen to keep honing those skills this summer, and extending into the men’s National Basketball League as well.
The dual Olympic medallist is recovering from knee surgery but expects to pick up a contract to play in Europe when the international transfer window opens around Christmas.
A MAXIMUM field of 36 teams (144 players) is booked in for the second annual Mark Hughes Foundation charity golf day at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley on Friday, November 14, but there are still seats available for the sports lunch to follow at the 19th hole.
Organiser Kane Bradley said Hughes, Matt Gidley, Bill Peden and former jockey Allan Robinson would be among the guest speakers at the lunch. Bradley hoped to add a few more celebrity guests before kick-off.
Tickets are $50 each from Bradley (0423 525 335) or Rob Flanagan (0404 465 482).
A JAPANESE university baseball team extended their own record of futility on Sunday, losing their 86th straight game and finishing a fourth straight year winless.
The University of Tokyo were beaten 5-0 by Hosei at Tokyo’s Jingu Stadium to prolong a losing streak that dates back to October of 2010.
Players who started with the team in 2011 will graduate without a single win.
The University of Tokyo is Japan’s premier university and produces many of the country’s top politicians, lawyers and doctors.
But, unlike rivals in the Tokyo Big 6 Baseball League, it does not offer sports scholarships or scout high school players.
