Sid Dockendorff

Who was Sid Dockendorff?

Sidney Christopher "Sid" Dockendorff was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League for Richmond and Footscray in the 1930s.

Born and raised in Wangaratta, Victoria, Dockendorff moved to Melbourne to work for Marchants Soft Drinks and play football, firstly for amateur clubs Middle Park and South Yarra CYMS before moving to Victorian Football Association side Sandringham. Dockendorff was a leading player for Sandringham and it was not long before VFL teams sought him out. Richmond attempted to recruit Dockendorff for the 1931 VFL season but Sandringham refused to clear him. Richmond tried again in 1932 and were this time successful, although South Melbourne initially opposed this, claiming that Dockendorff was zoned to them.

Wearing guernsey number 32, Dockendorff made his VFL debut for Richmond in Round 10, 1932, against Collingwood at Victoria Park. This was his only senior match for the year but returned in 1933 until an accidental knee to the back from Collingwood’s Albert Collier in Round 15 left him in severe pain. Dockendorff played in the 1933 semi-final against South Melbourne following a pre-game painkilling injection from Dr Roy Park but later collapsed in a carpark and required emergency surgery, thus missing the Preliminary Final and Grand Final, which Richmond played in. Dockendorff was told he would never play football again.