New chairman Peter Beattie and his Australian Rugby League Commissioners will have to answer the question of what the game’s highest honour is sooner than later.
The Commission never had that problem while Rugby League Week owned the Immortal concept since its inauguration in 1986, but the magazine folded last year, hence the problem.
Currently there are eight Immortals over 32 years compared to 35 Hall of Famers since its inauguration in 2002 – but no new inductees since 2007.
Fair to say both honours have been shamefully treated, and neglected. That neglection must be fixed, but only after ground rules for Immortal status are dramatically changed.
The original rules stated selectors must have seen any contenders play, they had to be retired for five years, and only on-field rugby league skills were to be considered. Off-field misdemeanours to be ignored.
All three original rules must be scrapped so only those who are a credit to the code become Immortals, and that includes coaches like Wayne Bennett, Jack Gibson, Tim Sheens, and Craig Bellamy when they retire.
And there’s one addition: future Immortals must be on a regular basis, not haphazard as they were under the Rugby League Week watch.
Four were inducted in 1986 – Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, and Bobby Fulton. But 18 years elapsed before Graeme Langlands and Wally Lewis became Immortals.
Another four years before Artie Beetson joined, and nine more years before Andrew Johns became the eight Immortal.
(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
NRL boss Todd Greenberg has flagged the ninth Immortal will surface sometime this year. But why only one?
Not recognising Ken Irvine and Norm Provan in the inaugural group, nor since, were major mistakes. Other genuine contenders like Ron Coote, Mal Meninga, Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler and Darren Lockyer have been overlooked as well.
And by turning back the clock for selection, the likes of Dally Messenger, an original in 1908, Frank Burge from 1911-1927, and Dave Brown from 1930 to 1941 deserve recognition.
That’s why there must be multiple selections this year – to pick up the slack. The Commission can be more selective once the slack has been dealt with.
My pick is for the Immortals to be the highest honour in the 13-man code. That’s taking nothing whatsoever away from the Hall of Fame, except there will be more of them than Immortals, but still a prestige and coveted honour.
The current Hall of Famers, and their year of induction
2002 – Clive Churchill (1947-57), Reg Gasnier (1959-1968), Johnny Raper (1957-1970). Graeme Langlands (1963-1976), Bobby Fulton (1966-1978), and Wally Lewis (1978-1992).
2003 – Dally Messenger (1908-1912), Dave Brown (1930-1941), Wally Prigg (1929-1939), Keith Holman (1949-1961), Artie Beetson (1966-1981), and Mal Meninga (1979-1994).
2004 – Harry Bath (1940-1959), Norm Provan (1951-1965), Ken Irvine (1958-1973), Harold Horder (1912-1924), Frank Burge (1911-1927), and Vic Hey (1933-1949).
2005 – Jimmy Craig (1915-1930), Chris McKivat (1910-1912), Duncan Thompson (1912-1925), Brian Bevan (1942-1962), Brian Carlson (1951-1962), and Ron Coote (1964-1978).
2006 – George Treweek (1926-1934), Ken Kearney (1948-1961), Sandy Pearce (1908-1921), Charles Fraser (1910-1920), Duncan Hall (1945-1957), and Peter Sterling (1978-1992).
2007 – Arthur Holloway (1908-1920), Tom Gorman (1919-1931), Joe Pearce (1929-1940), Harry Wells (1951-1961) and Keith Barnes (1955-1968).
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