It was the rugby field where a teenage Daniel Mookhey first spotted the bloke who would go on to become his most important political adversary. Twice a year, his Merrylands Wolves would take on Redfield College from Sydney’s north-west. The Catholic school had a wiry winger who eventually became the state’s Liberal premier, Dominic Perrottet.

It was a formative experience for the father of two and dogged political fighter who has been appointed NSW treasurer. Perrottet’s Redfield won every match, but Mookhey reckons he walked away with the lesson.