At his retirement announcement on Tuesday, former Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy gave a shout-out to his parents, Monica and John, for not just the part they played in getting him started on his glittering career but for helping shape the person he became.
And given their remarkable, rebellious story, it's little wonder the Murphys turned out such a unique character among their brood.
John and Monica met when he was a Catholic priest and she was a nun. But there was something about Monica that captivated John and, one day, they shocked friends and colleagues by deciding to leave the order to be together.
After getting married, they travelled to Alice Springs where they lived for six years, John working at an Aboriginal residential college, and Monica teaching at the Catholic primary school. Their first two children, Ben and Bridget, were born in the Alice.
Little Robbie, as he was known, arrived later when the family moved to Warragul in Gippsland.
But their decision to abandon the Catholic order, and their religious vocation, was a hugely difficult one and caused them much heartache. Monica said she and John felt they had disappointed many people in setting out their new life and leaving behind the comfort of old friends.
Love, however, conquered all. As John said in a newspaper profile four years ago: "We shared the same religious culture, values and experiences which were a basis for our friendship. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."