August 28: McGrady gets police escort to win medal

On this day, a Hall of Famer from a champion family was born, Ewan McGrady created history by getting a police escort to the Rothman's Medal and the Kangaroos blood five new faces for the 2000 World Cup.

1954

John Dorahy was born in Wollongong. He started his first-grade career with Wests in 1974 before Manly poached him in 1980 along with a host of Magpies players.

The goal-kicking fullback returned home to captain Illawarra in the Steelers' entry into the NSWRL premiership two years later.

After four seasons with Illawarra, he spent 1986 with Hull KR before finishing his career with three years at North Sydney. Dorahy played two Tests for the Kangaroos in 1978.

Dorahy, who was known by the iconic nickname "Joe Cool", was still a force when he returned from his English stint to play for the Bears, earning Country Origin selection in 1988 before calling time on his Australian club career the following season before finally hanging up his boots following the 1989-90 English season with Halifax.

He went on to coach Wigan, winning the Challenge Cup, league and grand final treble in 1993-94.

1965

Hall of Famer Steve Walters was born in Ipswich. Steve Walters made his reputation at Canberra, where he played in three winning grand final sides. He played 228 first-grade games for the club between 1986 and 1996, and later played briefly for North Queensland and Newcastle. 

Unlucky in 1990 to miss selection on the Kangaroo tour, when his brothers Kevin and Kerrod were in the squad, it wasn't until the following year that Steve made his Test debut, against New Zealand, but from then to the end of the 1994 Kangaroo tour he was a fixture in the Australian line-up.

When Steve was injured during the Papua New Guinea tour of 1991, Kerrod replaced him. A year later, all three brothers were part of Australia's World Cup squad.

1991

Canterbury’s brilliant Ewan McGrady was named Rothmans Medallist for 1991 by NSW premier Nick Greiner. McGrady kept organisers and guests waiting for more than an hour before arriving at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel with a police escort.     

1994

2000     

Australian selectors name five newcomers in their 22-man World Cup squad, to be captained by Brad Fittler. The new caps are Trent Barrett, Jason Croker, Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Kennedy and Adam MacDougall.

2010    

Warrington claim successive Challenge Cup titles when they defeat Leeds 30-6 at London’s Wembley Stadium. Former Manly winger Chris Hicks scores a hat-trick of tries for Warrington.

2019

Penrith second-rower Isaah Yeo undergoes a shoulder reconstruction after aggravating an injury in his team’s loss to the Cowboys. Yeo was planning to delay surgery until the end of the season after first injuring the shoulder in late May.

This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.