Off Season Thread - Happy Dragon stories..

[Bring back John Fifita]

Hey folks,

While this season hasn't been what we all wanted, and we debate the how's, why's, what's etc of the situation - we are all undoubtedly bound together by are absolute desire to see our team up there with the best of them again. We want to be happy with our team, our Dragons.

And while these debates will go on in the Dragons forums (that's what forums are all about) how about we talk about some great stories of the team we support.

If it's a particular game, meeting your favourite player(s), seeing a player do something amazing (such as a Nathan Blacklock somersault), a dragons shrine you've got at your place, memorabilia, or simply a story that puts a big smile on your face - let's hear it.

Happy Dragons are the best Dragons.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

As for mine... I'll talk about my first experience with the Dragons.

How I became a dragons fan..

I was a pup in 1979 and remember the neighbours kids and their cousins singing and dancing in our cul-de-sac .... "Saint George won the comp - doo-dah, doo-dah..." My folks weren't footy people but my neighbours were. They were a big family but split down the middle of those who were Souths & those who were Dragons. I actually was given a Souths jersey as a hand-me-down by them... which I wore around with pride..

The mother though was staunch St George. To the point she'd redone the kitchen of the family home in purely red n white decor. On sundays through the season you'd be in the street playing, but hearing her yelling at the wireless as a Dragons game was being called.... Just the way here emotions went beserk during a game had my liking the dragons more..

But the deal was sealed when she took me to my first game of footy at Kogarah. Early 80's vs Norths. We'd gotten a seat in the (then) tiny grandstand and it was a packed ground.

I don't remember much of the game but the things that were memorable to me were..

- The Red & White everywhere. And on the hill especially.
- The wave of noise and cheering when something was happening on the field.
- The band playing "when the saints go marching in"
- Cheerleaders!
- An old lady sitting near us who had a bears scarf and was absolutely rabid all game. She must have been 70 or even older. The emotions of her, and others just gave me a huge sense of what following a football team meant.

I was hooked. Dragons for life. It could have been Souths instead though...

 

[baggygreen man]

My love for the Dragons was born at boarding school. I was a lonely boy so to support the best rugby league club helped lift my spirits. I also liked the Red V jumper. During the hols when I was about 10 I told my big brother I wanted to start a Dragons scrap book and wanted some big name players signatures to hit it off. So he suggested we go and ask the big man of St George Norm 'Sticks' Provan who owned a electrical store in the Saints area..in Kogarah I think it was. So one day I and my brother marched into Provans store me with the scrap book under my arm and walked up to the tall man who was serving a customer. Now I was a squirt at that age and I barely came up to Sticks waist..he was giant sized but that was not going to stop me. Please Mr Provan will you sign my scrap book. To my surprise he accepted and with a big smile.. said.. well young fella who is your favorite player. I replied Johnny Raper.. but I like you too Mr Provan. He smiled again and with his huge hand he ruffled my hair. I was extra lucky that day as Billy Smith happened to be in the shop too. So I also got his moniker. A few days later I got Chooks and Monty Porters. My scrap book was up and running. You know I kept this precious piece of Dragon memorabilia for decades until it was lost in a house move.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

While I have been a Dragons fan since 63 and saw them play a few times over the years, I didn’t meet any of the legendary players until about 15 years ago. At that time I was living on a small island off the mainland and the local Leagues club invited Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier over to speak at a fund-raiser and meal. Cost a small fortune but was a great night. They both signed a replica 1960s Penfolds jersey which was put up for auction. I paid an outrageous amount for it, but went home happy with my purchase (my wife wasn't quite as happy as I was). The following year they invited Changa Langlands over for the same deal. One of the Hughes boys from the Dogs came over with him as his minder - he would ask leading questions and Changa would tell the associated story. By this time I thought I was practically related to the Dragon's players and cracked what I thought was a pretty funny comment. Changa gave me the death stare and I thought to myself that I was glad this man wasn't about to tackle me! Anyway, I had taken the jersey I bought from the previous year and Changa signed it under the other 2. I didn't even put in a bid on that year's jersey! I had the jersey professionally framed and mounted it in the theatre room where I used to watch the games on Fox. When we moved back to the mainland a couple of years ago, I was informed that the unit we were moving into didn't have enough wall space for my beloved jersey, so I sold it to the Leagues club and it remains mounted on the wall over there. My avatar is a photo of that jersey.

 

[baggygreen man]

deleted.

 

[baggygreen man]

deleted

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

While I have been a Dragons fan since 63 and saw them play a few times over the years, I didn’t meet any of the legendary players until about 15 years ago. At that time I was living on a small island off the mainland and the local Leagues club invited Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier over to speak at a fund-raiser and meal. Cost a small fortune but was a great night. They both signed a replica 1960s Penfolds jersey which was put up for auction. I paid an outrageous amount for it, but went home happy with my purchase (my wife wasn't quite as happy as I was). The following year they invited Changa Langlands over for the same deal. One of the Hughes boys from the Dogs came over with him as his minder - he would ask leading questions and Changa would tell the associated story. By this time I thought I was practically related to the Dragon's players and cracked what I thought was a pretty funny comment. Changa gave me the death stare and I thought to myself that I was glad this man wasn't about to tackle me! Anyway, I had taken the jersey I bought from the previous year and Changa signed it under the other 2. I didn't even put in a bid on that year's jersey! I had the jersey professionally framed and mounted it in the theatre room where I used to watch the games on Fox. When we moved back to the mainland a couple of years ago, I was informed that the unit we were moving into didn't have enough wall space for my beloved jersey, so I sold it to the Leagues club and it remains mounted on the wall over there. My avatar is a photo of that jersey.

Mate that’s an awesome story about that Jersey. When I’m next over in Sydney (who knows when that might be in Covid world) I wanted to see the Dragons museum and I’ll make a point of looking out for it.

Love your work there mate!

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

My love for the Dragons was born at boarding school. I was a lonely boy so to support the best rugby league club helped lift my spirits. I also liked the Red V jumper. During the hols when I was about 10 I told my big brother I wanted to start a Dragons scrap book and wanted some big name players signatures to hit it off. So he suggested we go and ask the big man of St George Norm 'Sticks' Provan who owned a electrical store in the Saints area..in Kogarah I think it was. So one day I and my brother marched into Provans store me with the scrap book under my arm and walked up to the tall man who was serving a customer. Now I was a squirt at that age and I barely came up to Sticks waist..he was giant sized but that was not going to stop me. Please Mr Provan will you sign my scrap book. To my surprise he accepted and with a big smile.. said.. well young fella who is your favorite player. I replied Johnny Raper.. but I like you too Mr Provan. He smiled again and with his huge hand he ruffled my hair. I was extra lucky that day as Billy Smith happened to be in the shop too. So I also got his moniker. A few days later I got Chooks and Monty Porters. My scrap book was up and running. You know I kept this precious piece of Dragon memorabilia for decades until it was lost in a house move.

Ahh bugger about losing it in the house move. But awesome memories no doubt!

 

[Trifili13]

I went to Bexley Primary School in the 70s and couldn't wait to play sport against Bald Face each year as Robert Stone was a teacher there.

 

[SBD82]

My ex was a Panthers fan. My mate a Dragons fan and his wife Panthers. They had a newborn baby.

We all went to WIN to watch Dragons v Panthers. All in our jerseys including the baby who was in a dragons jersey but in his mother’s arms who was in a Panthers jersey.

Happy Dragon stole the baby out of his mothers arms and wouldn’t give it back.

My mate and I were ok with it.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

Mate that’s an awesome story about that Jersey. When I’m next over in Sydney (who knows when that might be in Covid world) I wanted to see the Dragons museum and I’ll make a point of looking out for it.

Love your work there mate!

Thanks for comment @Bring back John Fifita , but the beloved jersey is on display in the Norfolk Island Leagues Club, where I lived for 15 years (on the island, not in the Leagues club, although i did visit the club regularly).

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Thanks for comment @Bring back John Fifita , but the beloved jersey is on display in the Norfolk Island Leagues Club, where I lived for 15 years (on the island, not in the Leagues club, although i did visit the club regularly).

Well there’s my excuse to visit Norfolk Island then mate!

When all this Covid blows over..