Undercover Prop: The Game They Play in Heaven and a Police Career from Hell

by Dan Crowley, Larry Writer

Dan Crowley has led a dangerous life.

As if going toe-to-toe in the front row against the fiercest rugby players in the world wasn't enough, the feared Wallaby prop and enforcer for years led a secret life as an undercover cop for the Queensland Police Force, specialising in smashing the drug rings of the glitzy Gold Coast.

Incredibly, though he had some close calls, Crowley was never recognised by the numerous criminals and drug traffickers he brought to justice, even though his modus operandi, flying fists and feet and a bad, bad attitude, would have been immediately familiar to rugby fans.

Crowley, a man who redefines hard-core, tells his life story – rugby star, cop, private investigator, family man, respected TV commentator – as he has lived his extraordinary with no holds barred.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

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Reviews

[Ben Blyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cool story that seems to have gone under the radar in my generation. Rugby certainly has changed plenty since Crowley was at the peaks, but it is still incredibly interesting to hear the old war stories and get an idea of how the game was played and governed when professionalism started coming into play. Rugby aside, his career in the police force adds another very cool wrinkle to this story. The ability to be undercover while playing rugby at the highest levels is something that just wouldn’t fly these days.

A great read for rugby fans, or just general sports fans.

[Abraham Lewik · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's about the Gold Coast, which I love and it gave me a moment to wonder if I've passed a character gone walkabout. There's only so many people on the Gold Coast. However, there's too many numbers and there's no need for so much Rugby Union trivia to be thrown around as if it were a sport. It's true to life, and the videos which prove it pack a whallop. A spoiler, there's no James Bond / Jason Bourne / Nellie Melba.