He's Tough But Fair

Today Daily Liberal sportswriter Dallas Sheeringham, continuing the series leading up to the announcement of the Daily Liberal Sportsman of the Year Award, presents Dubbo's top Rugby Union player Dick Browne.

Dubbo's Dick Browne is one of the fairest men playing Rugby Union in Western NSW and yet he is one of the best.

Browne has squashed the old idea of a Rugby Union forward racing madly up and down the field assaulting any opponent within reach.

He plays the game hard, but his play is purposeful and full of method.

This year was perhaps his best in Rugby Union.

He was a certainty for the Central West side to tour South Australia, but had to declare himself unavailable.

However, he was selected as captain of the Central West side for local matches - a popular decision among his fellow players.

He was also selected in one of the country representative sides to meet city which put him on the doorstep to selection in the Australian team for South Africa.

Browne began his senior Rugby Union Career in the code's toughest ground - Sydney.

As an 18-year-old youngster, the robust second rower broke into Manly's second grade side.

He played with the side for three years and then was transferred to Orange for his employment.

Browne played with Orange Emus for three years and gained his first representation in the Central West side.

Since then he has never been out of the Central West side - a great tribute to his footballing ability.

During the summer Browne keeps in shape by playing cricket and water polo.

He plays both these sports with the Rugby Union Club.

However, it is on the Rugby field his greatness shows through.

In the rucks he is always striving to give team members an extra inch of advantage.

In the lineouts he makes the most of every advantage and he is always one of the first to the loose ball.

His worth to the Dubbo pack is incalculable.

Browne is a sales representative in Dubbo for an oil firm.

Standing five feet 11 inches high and weighing fifteen and a half stone he has the ideal build for a Rugby forward.

But Browne is also well known in surfing circles.

Before he left Manly, he was classed as one of the top surfboat oarsmen in the business.

In 1959 he won his first Australian surfing title and was a member of the NSW champion side in 1960 and 1961.

At 27, Browne said he would keep on in Rugby Union and described the Dubbo side as a major threat in the Central West competition in 1970.

His one big aim during the 1970 season will be to score a try.

Browne said he had never scored a try in country football - "never even looked like getting one".

However, this year he was runner-up in the Dubbo Best and Fairest Award, an award in which he has been prominent during the years and which he won in 1967.

Besides leading the Central West side this season and being on the verge of representative selection. Dick Browne has gained the respect of both opponents and team-mates alike, a tribute which makes him one of the contenders for the "Daily Liberal" Sportsman of the Year award.