5 New Immortals Named - Not Darren Lockyer

[broncos4life]

How is everyone so sure that Lockyer will still be an immortal with all the media darlings coming up.

How does everyone have so much faith that the NRL won't **** this up? Would not surprise me that the change the rules to say that players are eligible as soon as the retire so they can get all of the Storm boys and Thurston in and by the time they are all in Locky would have had his three chances and then it is just done.

The NRL have shown the can **** up the unfuckupable so the faith people have in them is baffling.

 

[holdzy]

I agree and dont think it should be used totally as a barometer for a players talent or legacy when occuring once or twice but when it happened over nearly a decade then it tells you something. An immortal would force a selectors hands, or when given the chance/fighting for spot they would dominate the game so they couldnt get dropped. I think johns should be in there, but whilst lockyer never reached the same domination level as johns he sustained it over a much longer period

I hear this a fair bit and I disagree. Might have been '04, Locky put on maybe the most dominant performance by a half for Australia against England. He also used to dominate regularly for the Broncos from fullback, which is a harder position to dominate in than half back.

 

[holdzy]

How is everyone so sure that Lockyer will still be an immortal with all the media darlings coming up.

How does everyone have so much faith that the NRL won't **** this up? Would not surprise me that the change the rules to say that players are eligible as soon as the retire so they can get all of the Storm boys and Thurston in and by the time they are all in Locky would have had his three chances and then it is just done.

The NRL have shown the can **** up the unfuckupable so the faith people have in them is baffling.

If they are going to let in more than one or two at a time, that bodes well for Locky's chances. I think they will probably put Locky, Smith, Thurston and maybe Slater all in at once, in another decade.

 

[BroncsFan]

I hear this a fair bit and I disagree. Might have been '04, Locky put on maybe the most dominant performance by a half for Australia against England. He also used to dominate regularly for the Broncos from fullback, which is a harder position to dominate in than half back.

Yeah I think as a 5/8 he played a settling role guiding us around the park, but still able to clinch games in the balance or exploit deficiencies in the defence... but as a fullback he was next level.

I fucking hate all the wankery that Slater changed the way fullbacks play, Lockyer has forever changed the fullback position where nowadays one of the primary things a fullback must have is ball playing abilities.

Lockyer had everything as a fullback:
- safe as a bank at the back
- ball playing
- 30m spiral cutout passes
- short and long kicking game
- field goals
- clutch game winner
- a running game to break the line
- always supporting through the middle

 

[holdzy]

Yeah I think as a 5/8 he played a settling role guiding us around the park, but still able to clinch games in the balance or exploit deficiencies in the defence... but as a fullback he was next level.

I fucking hate all the wankery that Slater changed the way fullbacks play, Lockyer has forever changed the fullback position where nowadays one of the primary things a fullback must have is ball playing abilities.

Lockyer had everything as a fullback:
- safe as a bank at the back
- ball playing
- 30m spiral cutout passes
- short and long kicking game
- field goals
- clutch game winner
- a running game to break the line
- always supporting through the middle

Goal kicking, too. Won game one of the '98 origin series with a goal.

 

[Harry Sack]

If they are going to let in more than one or two at a time, that bodes well for Locky's chances. I think they will probably put Locky, Smith, Thurston and maybe Slater all in at once, in another decade.

Yeah, this. If they were still doing one or two at a time I'd be concerned. Last night they inducted 5.....

You reckon they'd induct them all at once? Do you think they could handle the reminders of that period?

 

[holdzy]

Yeah, this. If they were still doing one or two at a time I'd be concerned. Last night they inducted 5.....

You reckon they'd induct them all at once? Do you think they could handle the reminders of that period?

lol better to get it out of the way than have a reminder every five years. I'm hoping Locky goes in by himself, or maybe with one other token old timer, and then Smith/Thurston/Slater. Even though Locky was apart of their era, and arguably helped them gain their profile, he was already an all time great when they came into prominence.

 

[Harry Sack]

Locky and Alf next. Make it happen Todd.

 

[Morepudding]

Lockyer will find it hard to get in now. In time he'll get grouped in with Thurston, Inglis, Smith and Slater. Will not be easy.

lockyer will be the 14th, there's no doubt there. Can't even be nominated until you've been retired 5 years so Lockyer will be in before any of those are even eligible. Also, I don't think Inglis will be an immortal. JT definitely should be, Slater most likely, and sort of on the fence a little bit with Smith.

 

[Nashy]

lockyer will be the 14th, there's no doubt there. Can't even be nominated until you've been retired 5 years so Lockyer will be in before any of those are even eligible. Also, I don't think Inglis will be an immortal. JT definitely should be, Slater most likely, and sort of on the fence a little bit with Smith.

I don't think Slater deserves to be there. I feel like you need to be a bigger player in the game than just a rep player for years. Cam Smith should get the nod for mine, he's well above average.

 

[Morkel]

Smith, Thurston & Lockyer.

Slater is not an immortal. Neither is Inglis. Both once-in-a-generation players, hall-of-famers for sure. But the other 3 are once-in-a-lifetime players.

 

[Nashy]

Smith, Thurston & Lockyer.

Slater is not an immortal. Neither is Inglis. Both once-in-a-generation players, hall-of-famers for sure. But the other 3 are once-in-a-lifetime players.

I wouldn't even have Thurston there to be honest. I'll probably cop it, but he's a lucky player who has always gone missing a lot for his teams. I wouldn't be upset if he was picked though.

 

[WASSHHH]

I hear this a fair bit and I disagree. Might have been '04, Locky put on maybe the most dominant performance by a half for Australia against England. He also used to dominate regularly for the Broncos from fullback, which is a harder position to dominate in than half back.

I remember that game, over in England.
Won us the final. Setup a try for Ricketson (I think) and then scored the match winner himself when backing up.

Chris Anderson (coach of Australia at the time) said in the presser afterwards that it was the most dominant game from any player he had ever seen, or words to that effect at least.

Wraps don’t come much bigger than that!

 

[holdzy]

I remember that game, over in England.
Won us the final. Setup a try for Ricketson (I think) and then scored the match winner himself when backing up.

Chris Anderson (coach of Australia at the time) said in the presser afterwards that it was the most dominant game from any player he had ever seen, or words to that effect at least.

Wraps don’t come much bigger than that!

He was in literally everything, in attack and defence. Statement game for sure.

Slater is an immortal imo - tied with Locky for best fullback ever. Inglis would have to be close - If Mal gets in, I don't see why Inglis couldn't/shouldn't. He's the most naturally gifted footballer ever to play the game, and arguably the best center of all time, in addition to an excellent fullback and even 5/8.

 

[BroncsFan]

Fox sports have put together a starting 13 for the immortals now that they have enough numbers... gotta laugh at that number 9 still getting relegated even after his playing days are over!!!

The Immortals starting 13:
1. Clive Churchill
2. Dave Brown
3. Reg Gasnier
4. Graeme Langlands
5. Dally Messenger
6. Bob Fulton
7. Wally Lewis
8. Arthur Beetson
9. Andrew Johns
10. Norm Provan
11. Mal Meninga
12. Frank Burge
13. Johnny Raper

 

[Morkel]

I wouldn't even have Thurston there to be honest. I'll probably cop it, but he's a lucky player who has always gone missing a lot for his teams. I wouldn't be upset if he was picked though.

As much as I'm bitter about the Cowboys, and how much of a free run they have and continue to receive from the NRL, Thurston was an amazing player. Unlike Smith & Lockyer, he's been entrenched in some fucking ordinary teams, and he's made them competitive due to sheer determination. Even if he never won a premiership I'd still feel the same way.

 

[Nashy]

As much as I'm bitter about the Cowboys, and how much of a free run they have and continue to receive from the NRL, Thurston was an amazing player. Unlike Smith & Lockyer, he's been entrenched in some fucking ordinary teams, and he's made them competitive due to sheer determination. Even if he never won a premiership I'd still feel the same way.

I disagree. I think he takes and is given more credit than he deserves in those team.

 

[Harry Sack]

Rightly or wrongly, Slater will be an immortal.