NRL Immortals list grows to 13 after five new inductees

The impending retirements of Thurston, Smith and Slater prompted the NRL to take the step of naming five new Immortals.

Mal Meninga, Andrew Johns, Bob Fulton, Wally Lewis. Picture: NRL Photos

The impending retirements of Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater last night prompted the NRL to take the extraordinary step of naming five new Immortals as they sought to ensure the game’s most exclusive club recognised the contribution of its founding fathers.

The NRL, via its selection committee, was expected to name two new Immortals during a gala ceremony at the SCG last night.

However, amid a fear that the game’s pioneers may get lost as some of the modern-day greats prepare to bring down the curtain on their careers, the NRL expanded their latest intake to include Dally Messenger, Dave Brown and Frank Burge.

Four-time Kangaroo tourist Mal Meninga and St George legend Norm Provan were the other two ex-players inducted into the select group reserved for the greatest in the code’s history.

It means there are now 13 Immortals — Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands, Bob Fulton, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson and Andrew Johns already occupying the code’s most rarefied air.

THE N R L immortals

“It’s a fantastic feeling,” said Meninga, who is still involved as the Kangaroos coach.

“Like I said up on stage, it is a very humbling experience. I am really privileged and honoured to be named. That is one of the best things that has happened to me personally in the game.

“I love the game and I am very fortunate to still be involved in the game. I live my dream every day.”

Meninga said his selection was also an honour for his family and the footballers he played with.

He also made mention of Bennett, who told him as a teenager that he could achieve anything he wanted.

“That resonated with me — to have someone who believes in you as a young kid as a footy player and a person,” Meninga said.

“He had a real impact on me.”

Meninga backed the decision to honour Messenger, Burge and Brown.

“I thought the game got that right,” he said. “It was a really good decision. It was a great time to do it. I was very proud of the game when those three names appeared. I was chuffed. I thought that was fantastic.”

St George legend Norm Provan.

Lewis, Fulton and Johns were among the judging panel for the latest induction along with premiership-winning coaches Bennett and Phil Gould, Nine Network commentator Ray Warren, Fox Sports chief Steve Crawley, NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and Rugby League Week editors Ian Heads and Norm Tasker.

Meninga was widely tipped to be one of the inductees while most debate centred around whether Messenger or Provan would secure the other spot. As it was, the NRL avoided any controversy by adding both.

Some will no doubt suggest they have diluted the concept by announcing such a hefty intake, but the selection committee felt they had little choice given players prior to WWII had never previously been eligible.

Dally Messenger in a circa 1908 photo.

As a result, the likes of Messenger, Brown and Burge had never been up for Immortals selection. The fear was that unless something was done now, it would be too late given Smith and Slater are among the modern stars coming to the end of their careers. Thurston and Smith are considered certain Immortals given their stature in the game.

The other players on last night’s shortlist — Brian Bevan, Duncan Hall, Ken Irvine, Ron Coote and Darren Lockyer — will also be up for selection when the next intake is discussed in four years. Last night’s induction was the first since the NRL took over the Immortals concept — it was previously controlled by Rugby League Week.

Easts player Dave Brown. Pic Courtesy Ian Collis.

“The reality faced was that the challenge of comparing pre-war players unseen by today’s judges — with post war players at each Immortals’ cycle — would only become more difficult year by year,” said Heads, the chair of the selection panel.

“There was a prospect that the outstanding players from the past would be competing with the champions from each later generation — and that would create an increasingly crowded starting line.

Messenger is widely regarded as one of the most important players in the history of the code, his defection from rugby union in 1907 helping rugby league gain instant credibility. Brown was a pointscoring machine with Easts during the 1930s, when he was regarded as the “Bradman of league”. Burge was a star player with Glebe before becoming one of the game’s greatest coaches.

Frank Burge was a star player with Glebe.