The Immortals concept is proof that if you stick around long enough, you’ll get respect.
I still have the original copy of Rugby League Week from 34 years ago, with the colour wraparound announcing Bob Fulton, Clive Churchill, Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier as the first four inductees.
What’s forgotten is that it was a promotion for a tawny port.
Even though I contribute to RLW and the magazine has held a more or less central position in my life since I was a kid, the amount of free publicity the Immortals attracts is a constant source of amazement.
In an era of declining magazine sales across the board, I’m surprised RLW doesn’t do more to leverage the concept’s amazing staying power – like put “The Home Of The Immortals” in its masthead.
What has actually happened is the opposite: everyone else writes about it more because RLW is ‘too close’ to indulge in speculation about who the next inductee might be. The Immortals, to RLW, is like a Porsche that rarely leaves the garage.
The debate over whether Johnathan Thurston should be the next inductee is, to me, a bit like an argument over something that happened on reality TV last night – rather pointless.
Firstly, the criteria for the Immortals states a candidate must be retired a number of years before he can be considered for induction. So Thurston is ineligible until 2023 – end of story.
But on a deeper level, we are all biased towards our current era.
Contrary to popular belief, the Immortals aren’t intended to be the players judged the best since 1908. The concept was limited to the post-war era because it was considered unfair to include any player purely on reputation.
Dally Messenger, like Thurston, is ineligible. You’re in good company, JT.
However, living memory does not stretch back to the war anymore, so the nature of the concept has been altered – ironically – by mortality.
There are other aspects of the original framework that are being sorely tested by the passage of time. For a start, in 1981 there were no Brisbane Broncos, let alone New Zealand Warriors or Melbourne Storm.
The original four inductees all played in the old Sydney premiership. Even the Illawarra Steelers and Canberra Raiders were still a year away. Mal Meninga did not come to the premiership until 1986 but by that stage had been tearing it up for Australia and Queensland for years. You have to question whether being domiciled in Brisbane hurt him.
How is Meninga not an Immortal?
To illustrate how the Immortals concept is geared towards the premiership, let’s look at Brian Bevan. Probably the greatest winger of all time, with 670 first-class tries. All but eight of them, however, were scored in England. Not good for Brian.
How is Bevan not an Immortal?
In 1981, we could not have envisage an era when a large percentage of the players in the premiership are foreigners. The Immortals concept is only for Australians. This, along with the Australian selectors voting for the Clive Churchill Medal, is looking a little anachronistic.
If the current influx of Polynesian players continues, we may one day reach a stage where the minority of first graders are eligible.
Shaun Johnson can never be an Immortal.
Opinions are fun but that’s all they are. Me? Andrew Johns is the best player I’ve seen, then Wally Lewis, then Peter Sterling with Darren Lockyer, Thurston, Meninga and a few others on the next rung.
But the Immortals is a magazine promotion. RLW should absolutely not give it up to the ARL Commission or anyone else (same with Rugby League World, the Golden Boot and the RLIF) because that’s all it is.
I repeat, it’s a magazine promotion coined to sell a few bottles of plonk in 1981. If you choose to take it more seriously than that, that’s a matter for you.
Minkus
Guest
Who the hell cares if someone thinks Thurston was a slightly better player then Ricky Stuart, SmellmeFinger or the great Benny Elias. Its all a massive wank
Michael
Guest
Tell that to the commentators on channel 9, I think they are the ones who really care about the concept. Otherwise to the common folk, the term "immortal" is non-sensical and shouldn't warrant the attention that it deserves.
Maroon Blood
Guest
I nominate Connor McLeod (of the Clan McLeod) as the next Immortal.......
The lazy Phoenix
Roar Pro
I struggle with three of the immortals being dead - kind of defeats the definition...
Phill
Guest
Griffo, the immortals concept from RLW was and still is cheap and nasty promotion, and is being used as a tool to inflate Johns abilities as a player ... shame on NSWRL, in QLD we have our own immortals list and Thurston is already on it!
Maroon Blood
Guest
Chook loved to play up the "Man in the Bowler Hat" persona, but never actually stated it was him. That's because it wasn't.
Phill
Guest
Langer beat Johns hands down ... Johns copied Langer
Phill
Guest
lol, you means magazine editors, wow, now I've herd it all, NSW people are dumbing down Australia baa baa sheep
Phill
Guest
WW, I think you miss the point of the article, the immortal concept is not to be taken seriously, the inclusion of Johns tells you that, only to cause controversy and sell magazines ....
Phill
Guest
lol, got you going
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Isn't the point that the decision is made by a group of experts whose knowledge is far beyond the fans'?
pete bloor
Guest
So you've dedicated your life to reporting on made up game between a bunch of blokes chasing around a football and going all Greco roman boarding school on each other which we apparently care about because some of those guys are "our guys" and the other guys aren't. It generates billion's of bucks and we pay money hand over fist to watch "our guys" or even some guys we don't care about sometimes depending on how much we want our arbitrary inflated oval chasing fix that week. But you wonder why people might find some other commercial construct interesting.
Mike Dugg
Roar Rookie
I agree completely phil
gavin
Guest
I agree that Ken Irvine should be considered, but Brian Bevan is the greatest try scorer of all time. As Steve mentioned, he should also be considered.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
i dont i think its bs. should be in house nrl hall of fame and all inclusive.
Birdy
Guest
I'd like to take it a step further DOW, Every club in Aust and NZ like Taree RL etc should have their own hall of fame . As well as QRL, NSW RL and NZ and ARL . Let's honour all the players who built our game. The New Guinea Hunters should be encouraged to start their hall of fame as they now compete in the QSL.
Terry from Nyngan
Guest
NRL gives token interest in anything before super league war. Look at the the nrls hall of fame panel http://dazrl.awardspace.info/h_team_of_century.htm and see how many are not involved in league anymore. Ferris Ashton, Frank Stanton, Cyril Connell, John Hayes, John McDonald, Chris Anderson, Greg Alexander, Mark Coyne, Ron Massey, Ian Heads, David Middleton, Sean Fagan, Geoff Armstrong, Ken Arthurson, John Quayle, Geoff Carr, Ray Chesterton, Roy Masters, Steve Ricketts, Gary Lester, Alan Clarkson, John McCoy, David Morrow, Kevin Brasch, Russell Fairfax, Warren Kimberley and Max Howell with David Gallop as the non-voting Chairman.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Why has the nrls hall of fame fallen by the wayside? It should be a major event and one that could be done in grand final week or in Feb so that it fills column inches with story's about those great players who have played our game
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Hall of Fame should be introduced with a continuation of the immortals for those very special few, but under the NRL banner. I think the nrl tried to do this but for whatever reason negotiations just went cold.
Really
Guest
At present it is to subjective and political, a criteria eradicates that and ends favoritism and nepotism. Plus, for the fans it would decide conclusively who is a Immortal .