Herman's Story
1914 – 1976
Sydneysider, Hermie Doerner was captain of the Australian water polo team which made its Olympic debut at London 1948. He was a Sydney surf lifesaver like his Olympic team-mates Eric Johnston and Jack King. Indeed, he was an international standard surf lifesaver. He and his fellow team members promptly discovered that being part-time players, who played for recreation, they were little match for the Europeans where in some countries water polo was almost a national sport.
He was a member of the water polo team that won the gold medal at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland. Doerner, like one of his team members at London, Roger Cornforth, is a member of the New South Wales Hall of Champions.
London 1948 Water Polo: Herman Doerner ( Captain), Arthur Burge, Roger Cornforth, Ben Dalley, Jack Ferguson, Leon Ferguson, Colin French, Eric Johnston, Jack King, Les McKay.
