John Dorahy
Encyclopedia
John Dorahy is an Australia
n former professional rugby league
footballer and coach. He played in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League premiership
and also represented for NSW Country
, New South Wales Origin and Australia. Dorahy later played and coached in the English Rugby Football League Championship. He began his playing career at fullback and in later years moved into the centres. As coach of Wigan, he is one of a select few to have a guided a his club to the league Championship and Challenge Cup 'double'.
in 1971, Dorahy won the Illawarra competition in '71 and '72 and was selected to represent for NSW Country in '72 and '73 before moving to England. With his cousin, Tony, Dorahy had a year playing league in England with the Leigh
club before returning to Australia and a contract with Western Suburbs Magpies
in 1974. In 102 games with Wests from 1974 to 1979, Dorahy earned a reputation for his kick and chase and solid defence. He obtained his nickname Joe Cool due to his calm attitude under pressure.
In 1980, Dorahy moved to Manly
but was only able to play 26 matches over the two seasons due to knee and neck injuries.
In 1982, a combined team from the South Coast
was admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
competition. Dorahy returned to Wollongong to captain the new team, the Illawarra Steelers
, in its debut year. Over his four seasons with the club, Dorahy scored 463 points (taking the club record for most goals in a season with 76 1983), but despite a promising season for the club in 1984
under young coach Brian Smith
, off the field financial realities of the times hit hard, with players seeking employment outside the Steel city and the Steelers finished with the wooden spoon
in the 1985 competition
.
Dorahy returned to England at the end of the 1983 NSWRL season and played during the northern winter for Hull Kingston Rovers
. He was a member of the Rugby Football League Championship premiership winning side, defeating Castleford
18–10 in the final at Headingley Stadium
. The Harry Sunderland
Trophy was awarded to Dorahy as Man of the Match.
Leaving Illawarra at the conclusion of their disappointing 1985 season, Dorahy spent a further two seasons with Hull Kingston Rovers. In 1987, at an age when most players would be considering retirement, he returned to Australia and took up the fullback position at Norths
, playing his first game with them in round 10.
In 1989, Dorahy was on the move again, taking up a position as captain-coach of Halifax
during the 1989–1990 season. It was his last season as a professional player and the beginning of his career in coaching.
Dorahy did play again in 2004, as part of the Rugby League Sevens tournament's Men of League team, alongside other retirees including Brett Kenny
, "Mary" McGregor, Allan Langer
and Russell Fairfax
in an exhibition match.
in 1978 but injury kept him out of the Kangaroo tour later in the year.
In 1979, Dorahy was selected as a centre for two New South Wales matches, one against the touring Great Britain
team. Dorahy landed four goals on that occasion but the Blues lost by 19–17 after leading 12–1 at half-time.
When Country Origin fullback, Garry Jack
, was suspended and pulled from the team in 1988, John Dorahy was called up to replace him. Dorahy's original Country selection had been in 1972, a span of sixteen years between games. Dorahy (along with Ricky Walford
, 1990, and Chris Hicks, 2001) holds the record for points scored in a City vs Country Origin match, with fourteen points scored in the 1988 game.
In June 1993, Dorahy took on his first head coach role after accepting the position at Wigan
, succeeding John Monie
. Despite supervising Wigan through to the Challenge Cup
and the Rugby Football League Championship, Dorahy was dismissed in May 1994, only days after the club's return from Wembley
. In a statement by the club, Dorahy was said to have been sacked for "gross misconduct". While describing his sacking as "diabolical", Dorahy admitted there were signs of unrest with rumours of his lack of popularity amongst the players and the appointment of Dean Bell, the club captain, to a coaching assistant's role the previous month.
Dorahy's stint at Warrington
in 1996–1997 was less successful, as far as match results were concerned, than at Wigan, with Warrington sitting on the bottom of the Super League
ladder. Dorahy resigned in March 1997, before the end of the season.
In Australia, Dorahy was an assistant coach at the Newcastle Knights
from 1991–1993 under David Waite
and at the Western Reds from 1995–1996 under Peter Mulholland
. In December 2005, Dorahy was appointed coach of the Western Suburbs Magpies
premier league team.
announced the Team of Steel as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations in 2006 with Dorahy as captain and fullback. While he didn't make the final team, Dorahy was nominated for a position at centre in the Wests Tigers
(combined Western Suburbs Magpies
and Balmain Tigers
teams) Team of the Century in 2007.
Dorahy is the father of Dane Dorahy
who is also a former professional rugby league footballer.
Dorahy has been significantly involved in the poker machine and hotels industry. He has held positions from Sales Manager at Stargames to Business Development Director at Nanoptix and Aristocrat. He is currently Business Development Director at CashCode, a poker machine parts manufacturer.
at the March 2011 NSW State Election. He was unsuccessful. He also contested the September 2011 Wollongong Local Council election, where he was elected to represent Wollongong's northern ward (Ward 1).
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer and coach. He played in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
and also represented for NSW Country
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
, New South Wales Origin and Australia. Dorahy later played and coached in the English Rugby Football League Championship. He began his playing career at fullback and in later years moved into the centres. As coach of Wigan, he is one of a select few to have a guided a his club to the league Championship and Challenge Cup 'double'.
Playing career
Starting out as a fullback for Wests WollongongWestern Suburbs Red Devils
The Western Suburbs Red Devils are an Australian rugby league football team based in Figtree. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and compete in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership. The club play out of Figtree Oval, Figtree. Wests wear red and blue jerseys and have won 14 premierships...
in 1971, Dorahy won the Illawarra competition in '71 and '72 and was selected to represent for NSW Country in '72 and '73 before moving to England. With his cousin, Tony, Dorahy had a year playing league in England with the Leigh
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
club before returning to Australia and a contract with Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
in 1974. In 102 games with Wests from 1974 to 1979, Dorahy earned a reputation for his kick and chase and solid defence. He obtained his nickname Joe Cool due to his calm attitude under pressure.
In 1980, Dorahy moved to Manly
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
but was only able to play 26 matches over the two seasons due to knee and neck injuries.
In 1982, a combined team from the South Coast
South Coast, New South Wales
The South Coast refers to the narrow coastal belt from Sydney in the north to the border with Victoria in the south in the south-eastern part of the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is bordered to the west by the coastal escarpment of the Southern Tablelands, which is largely covered by a...
was admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
competition. Dorahy returned to Wollongong to captain the new team, the Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
, in its debut year. Over his four seasons with the club, Dorahy scored 463 points (taking the club record for most goals in a season with 76 1983), but despite a promising season for the club in 1984
New South Wales Rugby League season 1984
The 1984 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. With the departure of the Newtown Jets from the first grade competition at the close of the previous season, 1984 saw thirteen teams compete for the J J Giltinan...
under young coach Brian Smith
Brian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
, off the field financial realities of the times hit hard, with players seeking employment outside the Steel city and the Steelers finished with the wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
in the 1985 competition
New South Wales Rugby League season 1985
The 1985 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-eighth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen teams competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Canterbury-Bankstown and St....
.
Dorahy returned to England at the end of the 1983 NSWRL season and played during the northern winter for Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. He was a member of the Rugby Football League Championship premiership winning side, defeating Castleford
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
18–10 in the final at Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
. The Harry Sunderland
Harry Sunderland
Harry Sunderland was an Australian rugby league football administrator and journalist.Sunderland was born in Gympie, Queensland in 1889. From 1913 to 1922, Sunderland was the Queensland Rugby League's secretary. His administration is credited with the growth of the League in Queensland despite the...
Trophy was awarded to Dorahy as Man of the Match.
Leaving Illawarra at the conclusion of their disappointing 1985 season, Dorahy spent a further two seasons with Hull Kingston Rovers. In 1987, at an age when most players would be considering retirement, he returned to Australia and took up the fullback position at Norths
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, playing his first game with them in round 10.
In 1989, Dorahy was on the move again, taking up a position as captain-coach of Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
during the 1989–1990 season. It was his last season as a professional player and the beginning of his career in coaching.
Dorahy did play again in 2004, as part of the Rugby League Sevens tournament's Men of League team, alongside other retirees including Brett Kenny
Brett Kenny
Brett Kenny is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He was a five-eighth for the Australian national team, the New South Wales Blues representative side and the Parramatta Eels. He played in 17 Tests, made 17 State of Origin appearances and won 4...
, "Mary" McGregor, Allan Langer
Allan Langer
Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...
and Russell Fairfax
Russell Fairfax
Russell Lance Fairfax was an Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach of the 1970s and 80s....
in an exhibition match.
Representative career
Dorahy was selected for the Australian national side for a two-test series against New ZealandNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
in 1978 but injury kept him out of the Kangaroo tour later in the year.
In 1979, Dorahy was selected as a centre for two New South Wales matches, one against the touring Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
team. Dorahy landed four goals on that occasion but the Blues lost by 19–17 after leading 12–1 at half-time.
When Country Origin fullback, Garry Jack
Garry Jack
Garry Jack is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative in the Australian national team and star player with the Balmain Tigers. Jack was a for the Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, under the captaincy of Wayne Pearce and the coaching of Warren Ryan...
, was suspended and pulled from the team in 1988, John Dorahy was called up to replace him. Dorahy's original Country selection had been in 1972, a span of sixteen years between games. Dorahy (along with Ricky Walford
Ricky Walford
Ricky Walford is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played for the Sydney Roosters, North Sydney Bears and the St. George Dragons...
, 1990, and Chris Hicks, 2001) holds the record for points scored in a City vs Country Origin match, with fourteen points scored in the 1988 game.
Coaching career
Dorahy has had two appointments as head coach at first-grade level, both in England and both ending after a relatively short term.In June 1993, Dorahy took on his first head coach role after accepting the position at Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
, succeeding John Monie
John Monie
John Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:...
. Despite supervising Wigan through to the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
and the Rugby Football League Championship, Dorahy was dismissed in May 1994, only days after the club's return from Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. In a statement by the club, Dorahy was said to have been sacked for "gross misconduct". While describing his sacking as "diabolical", Dorahy admitted there were signs of unrest with rumours of his lack of popularity amongst the players and the appointment of Dean Bell, the club captain, to a coaching assistant's role the previous month.
Dorahy's stint at Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in 1996–1997 was less successful, as far as match results were concerned, than at Wigan, with Warrington sitting on the bottom of the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
ladder. Dorahy resigned in March 1997, before the end of the season.
In Australia, Dorahy was an assistant coach at the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
from 1991–1993 under David Waite
David Waite
David Waite is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He has also coached Great Britain in the Rugby League Tri-Nations.Waite holds a British passport, courtesy of his father being born in Leicester....
and at the Western Reds from 1995–1996 under Peter Mulholland
Peter Mulholland
Peter Mulholland is an Australian former rugby league football coach and current recruitment manager of the NRL's Bulldogs RLFC. He coached ARL premiership expansion club Western Reds in their first two seasons before moving to France to take up the coaching position of Super League expansion team,...
. In December 2005, Dorahy was appointed coach of the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
premier league team.
Recognition
In 2004, Dorahy was nominated for the Wests Magpies Team of the Century, finishing with a position on the bench next to Tom Raudonikis. The Illawarra SteelersIllawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
announced the Team of Steel as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations in 2006 with Dorahy as captain and fullback. While he didn't make the final team, Dorahy was nominated for a position at centre in the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
(combined Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
and Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
teams) Team of the Century in 2007.
Dorahy is the father of Dane Dorahy
Dane Dorahy
Dane Dorahy is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who at club level has played for Western Suburbs Magpies, Rochdale Hornets, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and Halifax, playing at , , or , i.e. number 1, 6, or 7. He is the son of former international player and coach, John...
who is also a former professional rugby league footballer.
Business career
Dorahy has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Wests Illawarra Leagues Club since 2001. Dorahy has also been a director of Leagues Clubs Australia.Dorahy has been significantly involved in the poker machine and hotels industry. He has held positions from Sales Manager at Stargames to Business Development Director at Nanoptix and Aristocrat. He is currently Business Development Director at CashCode, a poker machine parts manufacturer.
Political career
On 31 October 2010, the NSW Liberal Party confirmed that Dorahy would be the Liberal Party candidate for the seat of KeiraElectoral district of Keira
Keira is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Ryan Park of the Australian Labor Party.-Members for Keira:-Election results:...
at the March 2011 NSW State Election. He was unsuccessful. He also contested the September 2011 Wollongong Local Council election, where he was elected to represent Wollongong's northern ward (Ward 1).