Dane O’Hara became a folk hero at Hull FC as part of a black and whites side that achieved great success in the early 1980s, and he looks back on his time at the club with great pride.
ONCE in a while a player will come along that will exceed expectations and forge themselves into rugby league folklore.
Former New Zealand international and Hull FC hero Dane O’Hara certainly fits that criteria. The prolific try scorer played an astonishing 570 rugby league matches in a career that spanned both sides of the globe.
Whilst the enigmatic winger may have a been a late bloomer, the Glenora Bears junior certainly made up for it, becoming a living legend in New Zealand rugby league circles.
Today, Kiwi number 528, enjoys life back in New Zealand after 17 years in first team rugby league and reminisces about the good times he had playing a game that forged friendships for life and in which he was seen as one of the most dangerous finishers in the game.
“I was born in Grey Lynn in Auckland which is an inner-city suburb not far from the city.
“Like any kid growing up in New Zealand, you played some sort of sport although I didn’t come from a rugby league background as such, I was more into athletics and anything that involved speed or strength such as hurdles and Judo.
“I was always fairly quick on my feet and used my speed to win numerous athletics championships and thought that this was the type of sport that I was going to do in keeping fit.
“Then by chance, a friend of mine who played rugby league for the Bay Roskill Vikings said that I should come and try rugby league instead, so I did. After 80 minutes of what I call pure fun, I was hooked on the pace of the game and never looked back.
“It was the beginning of my love affair with rugby league.”
Whilst O’Hara cut his teeth with the Vikings, the speedster would soon sign with the powerful Glenora Bears who boasted the likes of Jarrod McCracken, Duane Mann and Bill Sorenson to mention but a few.
“Back in those days for Glenora, the Auckland competition was tough.
“It turned boys into men and you just knew that every week was going to be a torrid encounter.
“I was then fortunate enough to make the Auckland representative side for a few years and in 1977 was selected for the Kiwis to play Australia in the World Cup opener at Carlaw Park.
“Performing the Haka in front of my home crowd for the Kiwis was absolutely spine tingling.”
Whilst O’Hara enjoyed the fruits of international rugby league, he was also gaining the attention of cashed up Sydney clubs.
It didn’t take long for the cheque books to open up in the hope of enticing the highly rated winger into signing a long-term contract.
“People often ask me why I never signed for a Sydney club early on in my career, however I wanted to wait until the 1980 Kiwi tour of England was finished before making up my mind where I wanted to go.
“The North Sydney Bears offered me good money to sign with them, but I turned them down and that’s when the English clubs came calling.
“For some reason the English crowds appealed to me, especially when we played at Hull FC on that 1980 Kiwi tour.
“The black and white army were some of the most fanatical supporters I have ever witnessed and I loved the way they engaged with the players.
“The Boulevard was where I wanted to play and nowhere else.”
Having played in over 300 games for the Airlie Birds and crossing the tryline on 116 occasions, it was no wonder that the Kiwi was a firm fan favourite during his 11 seasons in East Yorkshire.
“When I first arrived in Hull, the club looked after me from the get-go. Not only did the club make us feel welcome, but the players were also fantastic and the supporters treated us Kiwi imports like rock stars.
“You couldn’t walk down to the shops or go out for dinner without a fan wanting an autograph, but I happily obliged because they were really the ones paying our wages and I never once heard them get upset if we lost.”
You simply could not ask the legendary winger about his Challenge Cup appearances without mentioning the 1985 final which the Kiwi regards as the best ever cup final in history.
“We used to get vocal crowds back home in Auckland at Carlaw Park, but those Cup finals I played in were something else.
“In the ’85 Cup Final, I was severely concussed in the first half and had to come off which was disappointing, but my head was just spinning after copping a nasty head knock.
“We were unlucky to lose the ’85 final against Wigan and people say it is the greatest Cup final of all time and looking back on it now, I tend to agree.
“I wound down my career with Doncaster who offered me a three-year deal, but I wanted to take my twin girls back to New Zealand as I was missing home and had achieved everything I wanted to as a player.
“Sadly, it was my time to bid a fond farewell to rugby league.
“I played with some great Kiwi players in Mark Graham, Hugh McGahan, James Leuluai and Fred Ah Koi, but some of my Hull teammates were world class as well.
“Players such as Lee Crooks, Garry Schofield and David Topliss and not to mention the late great Hull FC coach Arthur Bunting, who was way ahead of his time in terms of player management.
“Either way, my time in rugby league has blessed me with many great friendships and I was privileged to play all around the world.
“As the old saying goes, home is where the heart is, but I can safely say that the city of Hull and the Hull FC club, will always have a special place in my heart.”
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 499 (August 2024)
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