Jonathan Docking Explained

Jonathan Docking
Fullname:Jonathan Docking
Birth Date:21 January 1964
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height:172cm (68inches)
Weight:75.5kg (166.4lb)
Club1:Cronulla-Sutherland
Year1start:1984
Year1end:91
Appearances1:161
Tries1:57
Goals1:0
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:228
Teama:NSW City
Yearastart:1987
Yearaend:89
Appearancesa:3
Triesa:1
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:4
Teamb:New South Wales
Yearbstart:1987
Yearbend:88
Appearancesb:2
Triesb:1
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:4
Retired:yes
Source:Rugby League Project

Jonathan Docking is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s.

Playing career

A Cronulla junior, Docking played for the Sharks for eight seasons between 1984 and 1991, debuting as a 20-year-old.[1] He played over 160 first grade games and scored 57 first grade tries during his career.

Docking played his junior career as a,[2] where he was given a scholarship to the Sharks as a schoolboy in 1982. However, Docking was soon shifted by Cronulla to the position where he would develop into one of the club's mainstays from the day he led Cronulla to a victory over three-time premiers Parramatta in his fourth appearance in first grade.[3] Docking was alongside Gary Belcher and Garry Jack the best broken-field runner in the Winfield Cup for most of his career,[4] with a highlight being his brilliant display against the Brisbane Broncos in a play-off for fifth in 1989.[5]

Docking was chosen to represent New South Wales in one match during each of the State of Origin series of 1987 and 1988. However, at the close of the 1991 season, Docking was told by the Sharks that his services were no longer required due to the club's financial problems,[6] and although he was only 28, no other Winfield Cup club sought Docking's services for 1992.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Archived copy . 2010-02-19 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080709090727/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/Jonathan_Docking.html . 9 July 2008 .
  2. Clarkson, Alan; 'Young Turks Blitz Bulldogs'; The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 July 1984, p. 68
  3. Fishman, Roland; 'Sharks Learn About Mind Over Matter'; Sydney Morning Herald, 11 June 1984, p. 33
  4. Middleton, David (editor); Rugby League 1989-90, p. 114
  5. Middleton (editor); Rugby League 1989-90, p. 96
  6. Weidler, Danny; 'Troubled Cronulla Dump Players', Sydney Morning Herald, 28 August 1991, p. 61