With the retirement of Darren Lockyer, the “I” word is being thrown around about several players with a relatively casual ease that belittles its lofty status.
There is little doubt that Queensland’s latest hero in number six is one of the best players in his generation and a hall of fame lock. But immortal status, not yet.
In today’s world of instant information and gratification, our description of athletes is so prone to hyperbole that every year we hear stories about how this player is the strongest, the fastest, best step, best reader of a defence and so on.
For instance, Billy Slater has been called the best fullback ever, which means we’ve already locked him in as an Immortal.
Johnathan Thurston is roughly at par with Slater as a player, so he must also be in the frame and so we can’t also forget about Andrew Johns.
If we keep pumping out Immortals at this rate, funeral homes are going to go out of business.
An Immortal, by definition, is supposed to live forever, in a rugby league sense, it is the memory of the player that we are referring to.
Isn’t it then, a little premature, to anoint someone when the grass is still fresh in the studs of their boots?
We can’t tell if these players will be immortal yet, as we can’t tell how they will linger in our memory.
I believe Wally Lewis is the best player I’ve seen play and yet I still think we jumped the gun with his immortality.
We didn’t allow the time to see if the legend could survive on its own.
We also need to honour the exclusivity. This honour isn’t for the greats of our game, that is what the hall of fame is for.
Most players being thrown up in this light need a visitors’ pass to get past the bouncer.
This is a club for those who don’t just stand out over time but stand above those greats.
For me, there are still two legends in David Brown and Dally Messenger, who fulfil the criteria of immortality more appropriately than any modern player and yet are still checking with the doorman to see if their name is on the list.
So I beg the journalists that are so prone to this overuse of hyperbole, to not destroy the Immortals’ concept.
Please, for the love of 1908, Sattler’s jaw, Brown’s toe, the little master’s broken arm and everything else that is sacred in rugby league folklore, don’t for the love of god, water down the immortals and make it just another hall of fame.
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July 17th 2011 @ 9:38am
hobartian crunch said | July 17th 2011 @ 9:38am | Report comment
Couldn’t agree more mushi. I’m a passionate born and bred Queenslander but the current hype to make Lockie an immortal is ridiculous. Being one of the great players of his era does not make one an immortal. In my opinion Alf and Sterlo sit higher in the greatness list than Lockie and I would not make either of them immortals. Many would disagree but I rank JT higher than Lockie among current players.
The criteria should be that the player is retired at least 20 years before eligible.
“Immortal” was de-valued when Big Artie was made one and will continue to be if the criteria is the amount of modern day media hype that is generated. You are spot on about Messenger and Brown.
July 17th 2011 @ 9:52am
PaddyBoy said | July 17th 2011 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Spot on with Messenger, there would’t even be a rugby league in Australia without him.
July 17th 2011 @ 9:57am
Sean Fagan said | July 17th 2011 @ 9:57am | Report comment
Good thought mushi. No doubt there are many who want to apply “Immortal” all too freely. Some have been recently acclaimed worthy of the honour based on a good month of games and not their overall and modest career.
The ‘Immortals’ concept is owned by RL Week, not the game’s RL bodies. From memory, I think the original panel didn’t consider any pre WW2 players as not everyone had seen all of the players in action and/or weren’t old enough to have seen those from 1908-1920s.
There is an ARL Hall of Fame with annual inductions since c2003, but that was suspended in 2008 (due to all the other awards etc), but for reasons I don’t know has not yet been revived by the ARL.
Measuring greatness is a risky task, particularly in the immediate and short term – many are labeled ‘great’ or even worthy of ‘Immortal’ in their time, but the only true measure is that their names continue to be mentioned decades later.
July 17th 2011 @ 11:33am
mushi said | July 17th 2011 @ 11:33am | Report comment
I heard about the pre war and it baffles me. How many of the people saw churchill play when they were old enough to form an objective view that aren’t coloured by nostaligia now?
I woudl ahve thought knowing these players place in the game despite not ahving seen them play is the exact thing which should define an immortal.
The existence of the Hall of fame is the exact reason we shoudl be as selective as possible as there is already a place for the greats.
July 17th 2011 @ 10:11am
Stu said | July 17th 2011 @ 10:11am | Report comment
Johns should NEVER be an Immortal, if character off field counts for anything. JT possibly not either though he only had a few big nights out on the drink.
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July 17th 2011 @ 11:59am
Cec Poole said | July 17th 2011 @ 11:59am | Report comment
I agree it’s way too early to be calling Lockyer anything like an Immortal. Put the idea away for a long time like a good wine to mature and only open it if and when the occasion is right.
How many years did it take to anoint the one-and-only Changa Langlands from “Leg End” as he joked about it….to Immortal status? There’s a guy who did it all from premierships to successful captain then captain-coach of the Kangaroos. He’s the best player I ever watched play through his whole career.
From very early on his career Lockyer reminded me of Langlands. Not just a brilliant attacking ability but stature, complexion, toughness, leadership, kicking abilities, versatility, durability and an incredible will-to-win. The bigger the occasion the better they both played. Both out-and-out champions. Maybe after at least 10 more years it might be appropriate to think about whether Lockyer is re-rated to Immortal status…… but not before then.
July 17th 2011 @ 6:58pm
Midfielder said | July 17th 2011 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
Lockyer is a truly great player ,,, but is he the equal of Lewis, Fulton …..HHHHHHHHHHMMmmmmmmm sorry not in their league… there seems to be some confusion between longevity at a high standard and a once in his life time player …
July 17th 2011 @ 10:07pm
Epiquin said | July 17th 2011 @ 10:07pm | Report comment
Lockyer has won multiple premierships, captained premiership teams, captained several origin series winning teams and winnning australian teams, he will be a player who has played more games than just about anyone else and all for the one club. Hes kept a clean profile off field and is a media darling. I think down the track he probably will be known as an immortal. Theres very little he HASN’T achieved, but its way too early to be making that call now!
The problem with artie’s induction (With all due respect to him and his achievements) is that he was picked by a vote from a field of contenders. If RL week owns the immortal tag, they should just bestow it when they deem it worthy, not decide its time for a new inductee and asking the public what they think.
Democracy doesn’t always work…
July 18th 2011 @ 1:25am
Johnno said | July 18th 2011 @ 1:25am | Report comment
I think Brett Kenny should be looked at as an immortal, he got the better of a in his prime wally lewis in state of origin, kept him out of the team on the 1982 kangaroo tour, won at least 3 premierships in the 1980′s, won 1 state of origin series 3-0 i think it was 85 or 86 , how much more does 1 man brett kenny have to do to be seen as an immortal.
July 18th 2011 @ 8:44am
mushi said | July 18th 2011 @ 8:44am | Report comment
Brett Kenny? Brett Freaking Kenney?
See this is what happens when we start lowering the bar.
July 18th 2011 @ 1:41pm
The Barry said | July 18th 2011 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Hahahaha…let’s get Terry Lamb in there while we’re at it.
I think the concept would feel a bit more authentic if the NRL had control rather than a magazine.
Lockyer is a lock to be an immortal..but I think there should be a mandatory period after a players retirement before they can become immortal just to see if the memory stays as sweet.
Lockyer has won 3 or 4 GFs, one as captain, a golden boot, who knows how many Origins as player and captain. He’ll also end up with more Tests, Origins and club games than any player in history if he stays healthy and I seem to recall that he has the most test tries as well ?
The one thing missing from his career is a Dally M…can a player truly be an immortal if he’s never been the best in the NRL for a single season ? How did he not win in his golden 2006 season ? Probably tough to regularly accrue Dally M points when you’re playing in a strong across the park team like the Broncs and miss NRL games for rep footy each season. I can’t recall too many Broncos players that have won the Dally M in 20-odd years.
Anyway – I think Lockyers greatness has been his ability to pull out the big play in a big game at the big moment. I think when he retires and 9 and Fox put together those highlight packages we’ll be amazed at just how many times he’s pulled games out of the fire for Brisbane, QLD and Australia.
July 18th 2011 @ 2:46pm
Epiquin said | July 18th 2011 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
Never give the nrl control of anything!!!!
Especially the nrl!