By Adrian Proszenko
Ron Coote has joined rugby league’s most prestigious club, the Immortals.
Coote became the 14th player to be named an Immortal at a glittering ceremony at the SCG on Wednesday night.
The former South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs legend was presented with his Immortals jacket by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in front of fellow Immortals Mal Meninga, Andrew Johns and Wally Lewis and members of the Hall of Fame.
“I’m a bit taken for words at the moment,” an emotional Coote said.
“I never thought I could cry when I was [almost] 80, but I am. For me it’s sensational, I never thought it would happen. I’ve been at this function a few times and this time I got the gong.”
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys led the tributes to the popular inductee.
Ron Coote after being named Australian rugby league’s 14th Immortal.Credit: Getty Images
“As a Hall of Famer and multiple premiership winner, Ron Coote was already an icon and a legend,” V’landys said.
“Tonight, in becoming an Immortal, he has joined the most elite club in Australian sport.
“Ron was talented, tough and stood tall against the peerless players of his era – fellow Immortals like Johnny Raper and Graeme Langlands. Tall and rangy, Ron was a threat on both sides of the ball.
“A superb cover defender capable of saving tries, he was also naturally gifted with the ball and a constant threat to opponents when he had it in his hands.
Ron Coote while playing for Australia.Credit: UPI
“He played nine grand finals in the space of 11 years, such was the enormous impact he had on the teams he represented.
“As a true rugby league gentleman on and off the field, Ron now holds his rightful place amongst the game’s greatest players.”
Coote played 148 premiership games for South Sydney between 1964 and 1971, and 109 premiership matches for Eastern Suburbs between 1972 and 1978. He won four grand finals with South Sydney and two with Eastern Suburbs. Coote also played 15 matches for NSW, as well as 42 games for Australia, including 23 Test matches.
In 1970, he captained Australia to World Cup triumph in England. The 79-year-old is also a beloved figure for founding Men of League (now Family in League) to assist members of the rugby league community who have fallen on hard times.
Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote in 1971.
Rabbitohs chairman Nicholas Pappas said Coote stood for everything that’s good about the game.
“It is difficult to put into words Ron Coote’s impact on the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the game of rugby league,” Pappas said.
“A giant in every sense, Ron embodies all the qualities of a sporting legend: towering strength, uncanny skill and gracious humility.
“Always a Rabbitoh first and foremost, Ron is an icon not just because of the way he conducted himself on the field, but equally for what he achieved, and continues to achieve, off it.”
On a historic night for the game, 11 male players (Lionel Morgan, Les Boyd, Ben Elias, Steve Renouf, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Benji Marshall, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess), six female players (Natalie Dwyer, Katrina Fanning, Tarsha Gale, Veronica White, Karyn Murphy and Tahnee Norris), two referees (Col Pearce and Bill Harrigan), two coaches (Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett), and four contributors (Frank Hyde, Ken Arthurson, John Quayle and David Morrow) were inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.
“Tonight was one of the most important nights in the game’s history, when we were given the honour of recognising the game’s greatest ever contributors – including the first-ever female inductees, the first coaches and referees, not to mention the incredible acknowledgement of the game’s 14th Immortal; 25 inspirational, influential, incredible individuals,” V’landys said.
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