Q: What was it like playing for Hull KR in the 1983-84 season?
John Dorahy: From my perspective, it was terrific. It was a quality team full of quality players, great coach and a wonderful board led by Colin Hutton. My move couldn't have come at a better time for me.
Mike Smith: It was a progression from earlier seasons and gradually built up to be a decent side. Then we had the influx of the overseas lads and they really put the icing on the cake. It was a tremendous side.
Gary Prohm: One of the biggest things for me was the fans. I was amazed by the singing they did and they always wanted to be a part of us. They were very knowledgable, knowing who we were and where we had come from and what you had done in your career.
Q: How did your time at Rovers compare to the rest of your career?
Mark Broadhurst: It was amazing. We played touch at training and Roger Millward let us play our own game. The pommie guys had great ball skills and that suited my game. It wasn't all about the bash up the middle. I had an amazing time playing with these great players in front of great fans. Our wives were made really welcome as well so it all worked out well for everyone.
Gordon Smith: It was a totally different experience to anything I had been used to back home. The fans are unbelievable over here with the noise they made. I was used to the amateur game in New Zealand so the crowds were much smaller but the atmosphere in England was something I had only experienced when we toured England in 1980.
Gary Prohm: It was the best time of my career. It's only when you look back on how it all unfolded you see how special it was. What I liked about it best was the success and also playing with the likes of John Dorahy, Mike Smith and the others. It was a team of internationals.
John Dorahy: The comparison was almost incomparable. The thing that stood out was such a successful period in the club's history. The first derby is probably the one thing that stands out most because there were 15,000 watching in the stands, but it felt like there were 100,000. The singing and chanting of both sets of fans trying to out-sing each other still lives in my memory. It was one of the most fantastic times in my life.
Q: What does Rovers mean to you now?
Mark Broadhurst: When we got that side together, it was the best time of my life as far as rugby went. The club made it good for the wives too by putting a coach on for the wives so they were happy, which meant the players were happy. It was hard to believe how easy we gelled together without even trying. The game has changed a lot since we played but I have such great memories. We played in a great era which has long gone.
Gordon Smith: Coming back has been surreal. The fans are still as great as they were and it's like we haven't been away. They stop us in the street and ask us questions about that season. They still want photos of us after all these years which is fantastic. It's also humbling to see what they feel about us after all these years. I had six seasons at Rovers and they were the best I ever had.
Gary Prohm: Rovers still means a lot to me. We've all come back here and the wives have felt as though they have never been away either. It's amazing because the wives all enjoyed their time in England. It means a lot for me to see the fans today because the fans are what this game is all about. I played some of my best football of my career here. To come back and sign the odd autograph has been great. I've loved it.
John Dorahy: Coming back to Hull KR is always a very meaningful visit. The club will always be the best club for me. The changes that have occurred have made the club better. I'm sure every supporter would love to be back in that era with the success we had. The supporters made it feel as though it was last week that we were playing for Hull KR. When we went to Castleford on the coach with the fans, they love being a part of the club. It was a very professional club, well run, well coached and well loved by everyone.
Q: What's your fondest memory of the 1983-84 season?
John Dorahy: I'll say three things. I was able to connect with my young family in a way I wasn't able to back in Australia because I was an amateur back there. I was a professional at Rovers and was able to drop my kids off at school and pick them up before going to training. Secondly, the opportunity to come back and enjoy rugby league again was great. Mark and I played together at Illawarra the season before and it wasn't a great season. It was great being in a winning culture again.
Gary Prohm: On a personal note, when I scored my 100th try, the fans gave me a standing ovation. That probably meant more to me than a lot of other things. I couldn't believe that. I was actually taken aback by that. I had to take a breath and step back. That was a great moment for me.
Gordon Smith: The whole year was a highlight for me, but the moment that stands out is lifting the Championship trophy at Leigh. Week in, week out, we came out on top. I think we threw our jerseys away after that game. It was a good bus trip home that night.
Mike Smith: It was for the fans who had followed us greatly home and away. Roger didn't have a jersey on, but I took his tank top off and threw it in the crowd. It cost me a few bob, but it was worth it. The Championship was a fantastic achievement, but to have that success and put it all together again in the Premiership final, it was a fantastic game against Castleford at Headingley.
Mark Broadhurst: Winning the Championship at Leigh with the boys and seeing the fans celebrate was fantastic. To win the Championship after not winning it for a long time was satisfying. The fans who go to those away games are the special ones.
John Dorahy: I should give one answer, not three. The Premiership final was the highlight for me, not withstanding the fact I was the first overseas player to win the Harry Sunderland award. Coming from Australia, winning the Premiership was always the biggest trophy to win.
Q: How do the Hull derbies compare?
John Dorahy: I've not seen many recently. The derby said it all about Hull itself and the clubs and their supporters. It meant everything to everyone. The players went out and gave it their all. I didn't want to let my mates down.
Gary Prohm: I was thrown into a derby straight away. I got off the plane and drove from London to Hull. When I got here, I was thrown a jersey and played. It's amazing to see the whole town talk about the game and hear the banter between the two sets of fans in the week leading up to the game. It's a big day and a very special day too. A lot more goes into it than the other games.
Gordon Smith: The first derby I played was at the end of the 1982 season and we lost at the Boulevard. I didn't want to experience that feeling again. From then on, I gave everything I had to give because I knew how much it meant to the fans. I felt I had let our fans down when we lost a derby. Just as it is now, the team in form didn't always win. We were underdogs for a lot of them, but we won our fair share.
Mike Smith: Derbies still mean a lot to players now. You couldn't have got Mick Weyman off the pitch in the last derby because he was soaking it all in. When we played it was exactly the same.
Mark Broadhurst: The good thing for me was having four international team-mates on the other side. We all got on really well, and we met up after the games for a few drinks. I wanted to make sure I was the one celebrating.
Q: How does it feel to be back?
John Dorahy: I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to come back. Catching up with the lads has been brilliant.
Gary Prohm: Hopefully, we'll be all back for another reunion. I'd just like to say thank you to all the fans who have supported me at the time. I always gave my all and I thank you for having me.
REUNION: The players at Burstwick Golf Club.'Colin Hutton pieced together the jigsaw'
ROVERS were already a formidable team before the 1983/84 season, but the arrival of the four overseas players were the final piece of the jigsaw.
Ask John Dorahy, Gary Prohm, Gordon Smith and Mark Broadhurst how all they all ended up at Hull KR, and Rovers chairman at the time Colin Hutton was the link.
Hutton did all he could to make Rovers the best team in the land and with the help of those four stars, he accomplished his goal.
Dorahy, who had already experienced life in England with a season at Leigh in 1973, admits his transfer came about after hinting he would like to go back.
"Colin was in Australia to catch up with Allan Fitzgibbon and Bobby Smithies who played at Rovers in 1973," Dorahy said.
"Illawarra were playing St George and after the match I spoke with Colin and Allan.
"I mentioned how I'd love to go back to England one day if it was ever possible because there was a ban in place at that time.
"From that the opportunity came about."
Kiwi Gordon Smith got his chance when the Robins needed a replacement for Paul Harkin, who picked up an injury.
Smith met Hutton in 1982 and that was the start of his six-year love affair with Hull KR.
"We were touring Australia with New Zealand in 1982 and Colin was at one of the games," Smith said.
"I indicated I was interested in coming over to England to play.
"I think Paul Harkin picked up an injury and I got a phone call from Colin in October 1982.
"Within a couple of weeks I was on a plane to come here and I spent six years here."
Smith was instrumental in his international team-mate Mark Broadhurst making the switch.
After a disappointing season with Illawarra, the prop was ready for a new challenge and Rovers came knocking.
He recalled: "I was talking to Gordon after a test series against the Aussies and he told me how good it was over in England.
"We had a pretty average season at Illawarra the season before. I was looking for a change so Gordon spoke to Colin and that was that."
Prohm was signed after Hutton spoke to Graham Lowe about the versatile player making a name for himself down under.
"Colin read an article by Graham in one of the papers and found out a little bit about me. All of a sudden I got a phone call at work and it went from there," Prohm added.
Hutton admits that one trip to Australia couldn't have gone any better, saying: "I went to watch Australia ahead of their games with Great Britain, but I ended up with four great servants for Hull KR."
'Seeing the smile on Roger Millward's face made journey worthwhile'
FORMER Hull KR star Mike Smith admits it was a pleasure to see Roger Millward's face light up when he saw the overseas stars of 1983-84 in Hull last weekend.
Organisers of the 30th anniversary dinner didn't tell Millward, who continues to battle against cancer, to make it a surprise for the legend of the game.
Smith said it was worth it to see the delight on the face of the coach when the four attended the 30th Championship and Premiership anniversary dinner at the KC Lightstream Stadium on Saturday night.
"When we arranged the dinner, Roger didn't know these guys were coming over," Smith told the Mail.
"As far as he was concerned it was just a reunion for the local players. We kept it as quiet as we could.
"It was great seeing him walk in the room and realise they had flown over specially for the dinner.
"With his health we didn't want it to be an issue because we know what Roger is like, but it was fantastic to see his little face light up."
As for the overseas stars, being coached by Millward was itself an honour and a privilege.
Gary Prohm said the success of that team in the 1983-84 season was down to Roger's willingness to let the players play with freedom, which was unheard of Down Under.
"Roger was a different type of coach. He was relaxed and his humour came across well," Prohm said.
"Because he got involved in training and showed us his skills, he told us we could do that too.
"We could do things we weren't able to do in Sydney or possibly New Zealand. What Roger brought from a player to the coaching role was his professional attitude.
"He showed that when he was at Cronulla, he showed that professionalism.
"It was easy for us to blend into the team because he made it so easy."
Gordon Smith said he was pleased to see his former coach in good spirits despite his health issues.
"It was a bit of a shock to see him because I haven't seen him since 1994," Smith said.
"It was pleasing to see he hasn't lost his sense of humour.
"It was good to see him in good spirits at Castleford on Sunday and joking with people."
