John Dorge also known as the "towering chicken farmer",[1] a 6'10" (209 cm) tall centre, started his NBL career in 1985 playing for the Brian Kerle coached Brisbane Bullets.
Among Dorge's teammates were the likes of Olympians Larry Sengstock and Danny Morseu, Leroy Loggins who would go on to be regarded as the best import player in NBL history, Cal Bruton, Ronnie "The Rat" Radliff and Robert Sibley.
[2] After signing with new team the South East Melbourne Magic from 1992, John Dorge started to play to the potential many thought he had but had only shown glimpses of and he became one of the dominant big men in the NBL.
The Brian Goorjian coached Magic, who boasted players such as Robert Rose, Tony Ronaldson, Bruce Bolden, Andrew Parkinson, Scott Ninnis and Andrej Lemanis, defeated the Melbourne Tigers in three games to win their first and Dorge's third NBL championship.
[3] Dorge made his Australian Boomers debut in 1987 in a home test series against the Soviet Union where he was matched up against Russia's giant 7'3" (221 cm) Vladimir Tkachenko.