NOT many doctors have played rugby against someone they have operated on, punched-on with the same player and enjoyed a beer with them in the sheds afterwards.
Michael Dan is unique. There is no other way to describe the 35-year-old Merewether back-rower and orthopaedic surgeon.
There are few fiercer competitors on the field or more caring characters off it.
Dan's hard-nosed, die-for-the-cause approach has become the stuff of legends at Townson Oval. So too are the stories of Dr Dan going above and beyond to provide medical care for teammates and opponents alike. Chris Ale (Hamilton), Carl Manu (University) and Merewerher teammate Eli McCulloch are among those to have benefited from his expertise.
"The funniest experience was Carl Manu," Dan said. "I operated on his forearm and he got back to playing, which was great. This year we had a little punch up and then enjoyed a beer in the sheds. That is pretty special. Whatever happens on the field stays on the field with me."
Dan will call full-time on his playing career after Saturday's grand final against Hamilton.
He, wife Tyler and son Will, 6, are moving to France where Dan will undertake a fellowship with a knee surgeon in Lyon.
A premiership in front of friends and family for the Greens would be the perfect end to a playing career that could have taken a different path bar a degenerative knee injury.
A schoolboy star, the driven back-rower was part of a St Josephs 1st XV that featured future Wallaby Kurtley Beale and five other Aussie representatives.
At 19, he signed with Western Force but it became clear that his knee could not withstand the rigours of professional rugby. A knee replacement is likely in the future.
Dan moved to Dublin, studied medicine and began coaching. He got his playing fix lining up alongside brother, Luke, for the Royal College of Surgeons in the Hospitals Cup, the oldest competition in the world.
"That is why I went into medicine and wanted to do orthopaedics." he said. "The joy that I get from rugby is the most I have experienced in my life. When I thought I couldn't do it any more, I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others live out there dreams."
On return to Newcastle in 2013, Dan coached the Greens' third-grade side, before stepping up to firsts in 2014. He played in his second year "to take the heat off" the young players who were being "bullied".
Growing up as one of four boys, Dan's competitive streaked was ingrained early.
"We competed at everything," he said. I don't do cheap shots, I don't head high people ... if there is any way I can physically or psychologically get over my opponent, I will do it for the betterment of my teammates," Dan said.
After three years in Sydney where he continued orthopaedic studies, Dan ventured home and couldn't resist the temptation for one last crack.
"Will is six now. I remember being a kid down at Townson Oval," he said. "Part of the joy of all this is the community spirit. I bring him down to training and every game. I wanted him to see dad play football."
"I am at my happiest on the rugby field," he said. "It's the one place in life where there is true flow, working together with your teammates. Life makes more sense to me on the football field. That feeling you have in the dressing room when you have won and are completely exhausted. I have never found a feeling to replace it. When I stopped playing it wasn't by choice.
Dan has been the perfect "foil" for coach Jamie Lind.
"He had a reputation for being mental," Lind said. "Now is more of a calm head. He has a bit more responsibility with the role he is playing. He is a father figure to the guys and has a purpose in what he does. He is more purposeful around that rather than being reckless, which he might have been when he had a bit more on his shoulders.
"Technically, around the lineout, he is second to none. He is a strong communicator and doesn't mind calling someone out.
"I am more about personalising things than generalising things. You take away the message that we have to do this and make individuals accountable. Lachy Milton you have to do this, Lachy Miller you have to do this. When you generalise, everything gets lost in the translation. Players think it's someone else's job. Danny is very good at that. He is a good foil for me."
Work remains a priority for Dan. The up-shot is that he can't attend training, hence his role off the bench.
"When Kramer (Lind) asked he to get involved, we had just come out of COVID which was a depressing period for everyone. I wanted the challenge of having a crack against younger guys.
"Kramer sets tough standards around training. I could only train Monday and couldn't always do that. Playing off the bench seem to be working well.
"When I get in the dressing shed, I write down my roles, I switch on and become tunnel visioned. Once we start warming up I forget about everything besides what I need to do to help the team."
