When the NRL made NSW Origin skipper Paul Gallen ineligible for the Brad Fittler Medal, but added he was eligible for Immortal status, battle lines were drawn.
The NRL was quite within its rights to stop Gallen being voted the NSW Origin player of the series after his suspect suspension over the Sharks peptide farce.
As a result Jarryd Hayne and Ryan Hoffman shared the Fittler Medal honour.
But any decision on Immortal status has nothing to do with the NRL, nor the ARL Commission – it is the sole intellectual property of Rugby League Week.
That too is a farce.
If you ask any rugby league player if he would prefer to be judged an Immortal, or win the Dally M, the vast majority would vote for Immortal status.
Yet the highest honour in the game is judged by a weekly magazine, and not the code’s governing body.
Let’s turn the clock back to 1981, and the first Immortals – Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, and Bobby Fulton.
It took another 18 years before RLW got off its backside to induct Graeme Langlands and Wally Lewis, four more years for Artie Beetson, and another nine years for Andrew Johns.
The haphazard induction process needs a drastic overhaul. Sadly, the three founding fathers are no longer with us.
Frank Hyde died in 2007 aged 91. An inside back, Hyde represented NSW in 1938 and 1939, scored a try in the 1938 grand final when Balmain won the premiership, and captain-coached the North Sydney Bears to their losing grand final to Newtown in 1943. But Hyde’a real claim to fame was broadcasting rugby league on radio from the sideline rain, hail, or shine, calling 33 consecutive grand finals in a stellar career.
The caviar was hearing his rich baritone voice singing ‘Danny Boy’, and I never got sick of hearing it – magnificent.
Harry Bath died in 2008 aged 83, Bath played first grade for Brisbane Souths at 16, but spent most of his illustrious career overseas, playing 346 games for Warrington, so he was never a Kangaroo, but did play four games for NSW – a skilful ball distributor, and a great goal-kicker.
Tom Goodman, who died in 1989 aged 87, was the printed voice of rugby league through the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, and was just as respected as the paper’s senior cricket scribe as well.
Three great blokes, who became rugby league icons. But with their passing, it’s time for RLW to modernise the Immortal status.
The 1981 basics were quite simple: the three judges had to see every nomination play, so that precluded those who played before the second World War. The second criteria was any nominated player had to be retired for five years. The third was every nomination was judged solely on playing ability, and anything that happened off the field wasn’t taken into consideration.
Strangely, for three very switched on rugby league legends, no time span was given by the founding fathers as to when future Immortals would be inducted.
RLW has reported they will look to further inductions in 2017. Not good enough.
There must be a regular sequence of inductions. If it’s not every year like the Dally Ms, then at least every two or three years, with at least two inducted.
And stop ignoring off-field indiscretions, which brings us back to Paul Gallen, and Andrew Johns, who would never have been inducted as an Immortal if his off-field indiscretions were taken into account – especially publicly admitting to taking banned substances during his career, but was never caught.
So who is closing in on Immortality?
Time is running out for Kenny Irvine to be recognised, as most of the current RLW selection panel wouldn’t have seen him play. His last game was for Manly in 1973, and he died in 1990, aged 50, after a long battle with leukaemia.
Irvine stills holds the NRL try-scoring record with 212 from 236 games, 170 of them for the North Sydney Bears who found a new way to be beaten almost every week. He also scored 30 tries for NSW in 24 games, and 33 tries for the Kangaroos in 31 Tests.
Irvine is the greatest rugby league winger I’ve ever seen, and should have been inducted in 1981 with the first four.
The rest in the running – Mal Meninga, who should have been inducted instead of Johns, Norm Provan, Peter Sterling, Ron Coote, Allen Langer, Brad Fittler, and Darren Lockyer.
No doubt Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, and Billy Slater will figure prominently once their five years in retirement is cleared.
But first things first – let’s have RLW update their thinking and make the induction of Immortals something special and meaningful, rather than just an afterthought, or an aberration.
Ramjet
Guest
Sounds like just the sort of thing that Ch9 would bastardise in a heartbeat to promote its own commercial interests. I can see Rabs being wheeled up onstage by Ray Hadley and made an honorary Hall of Fame inductee for services to broadcasting, all while contestants from The Block are in the station carpark making him a lovely coffin. Karl Stefanovic to host it all pissed as a newt, of course, and the whole affair sponsored by the Waterhouse family. Count me out, no matter how many dancing girls are involved.
Ramjet
Guest
Twinkleboots? Seriously? Are you Ricky Stuart?
Ramjet
Guest
The push for Johns came because elderly mouthpieces such as Rabs Warren knew that if they didn't get their precious pet over the line at the time, no-one in the future would consider him. He torpedoed an Ashes tour thanks to his party boy ways, and was never able to overcome Alfie Langer on the field, yet Johns now has the rest of his life to enjoy the honour while he spends his time getting the drum from sleazy little bookmakers and making an idiot of himself on Channel Nine. I remember a segment last year when, with Darren Lockyer sitting beside him, Johns voiced the view that a modern NSW hero was a worthy inclusion as an Immortal, and asked Locky for his thoughts. The look on his face spoke volumes, and might also have been born of concern that the inductees seem to be coming in chronological order now, based on recent memories only. It also seems that an unwritten requirement is that the inductee must have captained his country. Thankfully, that means that Mal, Locky and Cam all will have no impediment put in the way by some journo behind closed doors. They must overcome one hurdle though, and that's that the NSW press and public will not welcome Maroons dominating the mix. Sadly for Alf, it seems that having outplayed a younger Immortal at club and State level can't make up for there being a panel of Blues judges.
Brian Braddon
Guest
This is easy, The two most exciting players I have ever seen are Ken Irvine and Wally Lewis. If you stood close to the sideline at North Sydney oval you could hear Ken Irvine cutting through the wind on his way to scoring a try. Just Brilliant, Nobody comes close to Irvine.
Gappy
Guest
I have followed league my whole life and never heard of it??? If there is one the NRL need to make a big deal bout it add people each year announce it at the Dally M awards and at the grand final pre game show plus get channel 9 to do a thing on them before the game or at half time. Make it bigger than the immortal thing
Benedict Arnold
Guest
Not once, not twice, but thrice..
Lenore Swift
Guest
The game with Cowboys and Roosters, I wish to announce my discuss. The video refs all need to go to spec savers, as the knock forward, was clearly a knock back, and the Cowboys need an apology as the video ref got it wrong again for the third time in a row what the bloody hell is going on. I am appositely lived I am so upset I am unable to go to sleep.
Charles NSW
Guest
There is a Hall of Fame and it has 30 members introduced since 2002. It does not have Andrew Johns in it! I am not sure of the criteria to be in it.
Charles NSW
Guest
There is a Hall of Fame and it has 30 members introduced since 2002. It does not have Andrew Johns in it! I am not sure of the criteria to be in it.
Charles NSW
Guest
There is a Hall of Fame and it has 30 members introduced since 2002. It does not have Andrew Johns in it! I am not sure of the criteria to be in it.
Gappy
Guest
I think the NRL should leave the Immortals thing alone and open up a Hall of Fame. They can inducted 4 to 5 people each year at the Dally M awards and every 5 years inducted a "Legend" of League. To start inducted 2 from post 70's, one from the 70's, one from the 80's and one from the 90's. Players must have been retired from the game for 5 years before they are allowed to be inducted. Make it a big deal reannouce the inductees at the grand final pre game show and channel 9 can do a special 30 min tv thing on them. I don't know who should be one the panel but would say great minds like sterlo. Would love people opinions
Gappy
Guest
Steven price
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Thank you for your valuable contribution
Bluebag
Guest
Coaching record is not part of the criteria
Bluebag
Guest
Some would say Gene Miles was actually a better centre than Meninga, who was an Emu on the 82 Kaangaroo tour and then played as a fwd off the bench in the Tests on the 86 tour. Mal's 1990 and 94 tours were both great but was he that much in front of Miles or even Brett Kenny? Can't put them all in...
Bluebag
Guest
How many do you want to put in, 50? The more that go in as Immortals, which is supposed to represent the very best of the best, then the less elite the honour becomes.
Andrew
Guest
If you are judging it on game turning grand final appearances have a look at Nikau for Melbourne against St George. He smashed them in the 2nd 1/2 and turned the game. Lazarus was in that team as well wasn't he?
Birdy
Guest
Yer mushi I walked into that but still go the cows, but souths or Penrith to win GF
Bruce Reid
Guest
Clyde was amazing, possibly the early blue print for the modern backrower/lock that could do it all?
mushi
Guest
I think it's time to have that chat with your grand son mate before you forget