For years the rugby league community has lived in awe of the legacy a select few have left behind. Players such as Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson, and Andrew Johns.
These names will forever been synonymous with success and paving the way for the players of today.
In light of the recent NRL grand final, the call has been put out for North Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston to be listed next to these great names. Immediately.
As a rugby league critic, I like to take the players of yesteryear and compare them to those currently lacing up the boots every weekend.
Understand this, Thurston is a brilliant player, a revolutionist if you will.
The way he can control a match by his quick thinking and unorthodox style has left oppositions baffled for the better part of a decade.
But does he really need the tag of an ‘Immortal’ in 2015?
Absolutely not.
There are rumours circulating that suggest the ninth Immortal will be announced in 2016. Mal Meninga has been thrown around, but Darren Lockyer remains the hot tip.
Oh, and don’t forget Thurston of course.
Even though he is still playing with two years left on his contract and is ineligible to do so until 2023.
With eight Immortals listed in 107 years of the sport in this great nation; why is the trend all of a sudden to create as many as we can.
With a draft list of 20-plus potential Immortals floating around, I hope Churchill is looking down from his cloud in sheer dismay at the names expected to be named next to his.
Legend status does not make you Immortal.
fishes
Guest
i think you summed up everything here
Rah
Guest
yeah, totally agree; immortal sounds like batman and robin cartoon characters, captain America and "cowabunga!!"
The Magic Man
Roar Rookie
To be an immortal in my eyes, not only must you have been a great player, or a multiple winner, or an incredible leader.... but you must have that special aura that saw you dominate all the greats consistently on the greatest stages in all facets of the game. For me I have only ever seen 2 such Aura players. Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns. JT's career is still moving so I'm loathe to judge current crop of players as immortals. But for me, both he and Lockyer were on certain occasions spots in defence at origin level. That for me makes them legendary attacking players yes... but not in the Aura Class. I never saw Norm Provan play but as sad as it is to say, his generation of peers didn't vote him in as an immortal when they had the chance. Then later Langlands, also from that era was picked ahead of him. Seems like the answer for Norm despite his record of triumphs and obvious superior club leadership, still didn't automatically mean immortal. And reading through Dads old RLWs... no one started bleating about it until they invented twitter.
Brett
Guest
Now you're just backtracking haha. Feel free to explain the intention of your question then? Fourth time lucky! “The same Golden Boot Award Kevin Sinfield won a few seasons ago? Does that make him better then Thurston, Smith, Cronk, Inglis and Slater?” It has plenty relevance if you're going to use it as a reference. I think you've been caught out after a lazy initial dig.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Oh dear. My comment was implying nothing as to my opinion of the Golden Boot. It was not intended to. Whether I think it's the pinnacle of the game or is worthless it has no relevance to anything I have posted here. Keep trying though
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Debatable, during the 1995 series when Daley was ruled out by Super League, Fittler didn't play 5/8th the majority of games (Matthew Johns got the nod), then in 1996 with both again available for selection he was picked at 5/8th and Daley played centre.
Zarbo
Guest
Todd Carney and Joel Monaghan are kinda immortals now. Maybe this Matthew Lodge should join them???
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Ron Coote won 6 premierships and McCarthy four so perhaps they should be looked at as well.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I have followed the Hall of Fame for a while but it gets very little if any support from the media or the NRL. The original idea of the Immortals was good even though it was a media promotion for RLW as there was nothing else at that time. Now, the Immortal's should slowly move aside and be replaced by the Hall of Fame. Like in the AFL and in other sports, the Hall of Fame inductees should be a big occasion not hid under a bushel as it is now.
Muzz
Guest
I'm happy to talk about any aspect of the game. Phill. Shoot away???? JT the speed hump : )
Brett
Guest
Call it for what it is, NSW insecurity.
Renegade
Roar Guru
He didn't unseat Daley.... the Super League war did that.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Since when is Origin the only criteria to determine whether a player is good or not? There is no way in the world Thurston was anywhere near Lockyer in 2006.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Hi Scott, Are you talking about just origin or rugby league.... there is no way Thurston was better than Lockyer every year between 2005 and 2011 - simply no way. If it's just origin then I'd still disagree as the player NSW would not want playing is Cronk.
Phill
Guest
Muzz, another contender of the Roars stupid status, it is like Muzz and his mates don't understand the game at all, or maybe they are pushing an agenda?
Brett
Guest
Spot on.
Justthetip
Guest
JT is so regularly targeted and misses so few games that falling off a tackle sometimes is inevitable. Every player missed tackles and none have his work rate. He has a clever technique in 1 on 1 tackles using players momentum and securing the middle. Rarely doesn't take his man to ground or give up and offload. He can be pushed off tackles sometimes sure. Everything else he contributes defensively far outweighs that. Defence isn't just tackling. JT 's cover defence and his read of the game to neutralise threats is completely unrivalled in the history of the game. Johns may have been able to pull off big hits but he could also be a lazy positional defender and Fittler exposed Johns many times when they faced off at club. Fittler had the wood on Johns with joey being outplayed on most occasions. Certainly doesn't mean Fittler was better but the myth of Johns being the ultimate defender is only true when it's front on stuff, he and Wally were the 2 hardest hitting halves I saw.
Muzz
Guest
Immortals should be able to tackle after all it's a major part of the game. Sorry Locky ditto JT.
Justthetip
Guest
Why drag it into a state thing. Andrew Johns was put on a massive pedestal throughout his career because he was coming up through the super league war and he stuck with the ARL. He was the best player I had seen until Thurston. He was however 'immortalised' by the media who needed a once in a lifetime story to distract people from the negatives in the game. To Johns credit he proved he was on another level and he delivered on some amazing occasions. He also was involved in a hell of a lot of loses in semi final football and origin. Fittler always lifted against Johns and outclassed him many times. Johns was also part of NSW sides that lost to QLD sides that were very average in comparison.
Justthetip
Guest
Thurstons probably the most consistent player the modern era has seen so your clutching at straws a bit there. Alf and locky went through horrible form slumps at different times so I can't agree with you sorry.