Darren Lockyer set to be named 9th immortal

[Unbreakable]

No Cookies | The Courier Mail

RUGBY league’s most exclusive club, the Immortals, is about to be expanded with the inclusion of Maroons, Kangaroos and Broncos legend Darren Lockyer.

The ninth and possibly 10th Immortal will be revealed at the NRL Players Association’s annual awards night in October — and Lockyer is certain to be one of them.

Judges will then determine if previously overlooked legends of the calibre of Mal Meninga or Norm Provan deserve inclusion.

In a break from tradition Rugby League Week, the magazine that owns the rights to the Immortals, is forming a partnership with the players’ association to unveil a new player every five years.


There will be a hard and fast rule that no player can be included until five years after their career ends.

The Immortals are Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier,Johnny Raper, Arthur Beetson, Wally Lewis, Graeme Langlands and Andrew Johns.

There has been much debate in previous years about the non-inclusion of Qld legend Meninga, St George icon Provan and even the great Ron Coote.

Provan won 10 straight premierships at the Dragons, the last four as captain-coach.

Meninga is the only player in history to have played on four Kangaroo tours and his stature in the game is even greater now after coaching Queensland to eight-straight Origin victories.

The judging panel will include Wayne Bennett, John Grant, former editors Ian Heads and Geoff Prenter, David Middleton and your columnist among others.

The five-year waiting list for new inductions is to stop speculation when the likes of Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith will be included.

 

[vertigo]

A magazine award, just like the Dally Ms.

Why the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame doesn't have authority over all this stuff still baffles me.

 

[Nashy]

A magazine award, just like the Dally Ms.

Why the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame doesn't have authority over all this stuff still baffles me.

Because it has Rugby League in it's title. Which means their board/boys club meetings are probably held at a pub, and the discussion is dominated by if they are going to order the parma or a steak.

 

[Morkel]

Because it has Rugby League in it's title. Which means their board/boys club meetings are probably held at a pub, and the discussion is dominated by if they are going to order the parma or a steak.

Moreso because the concept was started by RLW. It was their baby, their concept, they don't have to give it up to anyone if they don't feel like it. The fact that they're willingly seeking contribution by an independent, player-focussed group is a good thing, but they didn't have to. Rugby League officials should hang their collective heads in shame that a fucking magazine came up with it before they did.

 

[Nashy]

Moreso because the concept was started by RLW. It was their baby, their concept, they don't have to give it up to anyone if they don't feel like it. The fact that they're willingly seeking contribution by an independent, player-focussed group is a good thing, but they didn't have to. Rugby League officials should hang their collective heads in shame that a fucking magazine came up with it before they did.

No they shouldn't. If they don't want to release it, fine, but the Hall of Fame should just take the glory. All immortals added, and make a bigger song and dance than RLW can. NRL has more money, they just don't want to do it because... NRL.

 

[Big Pete]

They already have an NRL Hall of Fame in place that has all the Immortals included (in fact, I think they were all first ballot). They just haven't used it since 2007 for whatever reason.

 

[Big Pete]

Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
Clive Churchill
Reg Gasnier
Johnny Raper
Graeme Langlands
Bob Fulton
Wally Lewis
Dally Messenger
Dave Brown
Wally Prigg
Keith Holman
Arthur Beetson
Mal Meninga
Harry Bath
Ken Irvine
Harold Horder
Frank Burge
Vic Hey
Jimmy Craig
Chris McKivat
Duncan Thompson
Brian Bevan
Brian Carlson
Ron Coote
Ken Kearney
Sid Pearce
Charles Fraser
George Treweek
Duncan Hall
Peter Sterling
Arthur Halloway
Tom Gorman
Joe Pearce
Harry Wells
Keith Barnes
Mick Cronin

In order of induction.

 

[pennywisealfie]

They should make the NRL hall of fame like the NFL hall of fame. Have a day dedicated to it, induct 7 or so players a year, they all have their moment discussing their career and thanking who they want to thank and such. I look forward to it every year, I'd love to see something similar in Rugby League.

 

[broncos4life]

They already have an NRL Hall of Fame in place that has all the Immortals included (in fact, I think they were all first ballot). They just haven't used it since 2007 for whatever reason.

Probably because they don't want a drug taking cheat in their hall of fame.

 

[Wolfie]

Love Locky, but surely it has to be Meninga.

 

[broncos4life]

Love Locky, but surely it has to be Meninga.

It will either be locky or both.

 

[Broncoman]

I never understand why Brett Kenny never comes into conversations when discussing the next immortal or anything like that. What he did in his career was extraordinary.

He won 4 premierships at Parramatta, scored 2 tries in 3 consecutive grand finals (imagine if that happened today), if the CCM existed he probably would've won it 3 times in a row, retired with the most games for Parramatta and most tries, forced Wally Lewis out of Kangaroo teams, won 9 out of 12 games as a NSW 5/8th opposing Lewis, dominated the game in England when it was lot stronger leading Wigan to their first championship in years, winning MOM in the grand final and became an immortal of the club after playing only 20 games and won a Golden boot.

Check out these highlights of him

 

[Big Pete]

He won 4 premierships at Parramatta, scored 2 tries in 3 consecutive grand finals

Those are his credentials right there.

forced Wally Lewis out of Kangaroo teams

The NSW coach had more influence there and only for one year.

won 9 out of 12 games as a NSW 5/8th opposing Lewis

Wrong.

I've always liked the cherry picking here. His Origin record is 8-9 and series record is 4-2. 85-86 were great years, enough to make him a Blues great, but an Immortal?

A great player all the same, but he doesn't have the longevity of others. Compared to players like Bozo, Daley and Fittler who were similar style of players his career doesn't match up.

 

[Kaz]

Probably because they don't want a drug taking cheat in their hall of fame.

No. But they have him as an immortal.

After he got inducted, it lost all of it's credibility.

The criteria was on & off field deeds, then they changed it to not include off field deeds.

Also the judging panel has Phil Rothfield as a judge.

The same guy who defended Peptide Paul & his beloved Sharks.

 

[Broncoman]

No. But they have him as an immortal.

After he got inducted, it lost all of it's credibility.

The criteria was on & off field deeds, then they changed it to not include off field deeds.

Also the judging panel has Phil Rothfield as a judge.

The same guy who defended Peptide Paul & his beloved Sharks.

Are off field controversy even thought of when considering awards like this. After all a group of cricket experts and the prestigious Wisdon magazine named Shane Warne one of the cricketers of the century. Mike Tyson is also in the boxing hall of fame etc.

Scandals and controversy followed these 2 everywhere they went.

 

[Alec]

I'm all for Lockyer being an Immortal, but isn't this way too fucking early? Johns was way too early too. I would have done Meninga now, and Johns and Lockyer together next time.

 

[broncos4life]

I'm all for Lockyer being an Immortal, but isn't this way too fucking early? Johns was way too early too. I would have done Meninga now, and Johns and Lockyer together next time.

It's been five years since Locky retired, so it's perfectly timed.

 

[Old Mate]

I never understand why Brett Kenny never comes into conversations when discussing the next immortal or anything like that. What he did in his career was extraordinary.

He won 4 premierships at Parramatta, scored 2 tries in 3 consecutive grand finals (imagine if that happened today), if the CCM existed he probably would've won it 3 times in a row, retired with the most games for Parramatta and most tries, forced Wally Lewis out of Kangaroo teams, won 9 out of 12 games as a NSW 5/8th opposing Lewis, dominated the game in England when it was lot stronger leading Wigan to their first championship in years, winning MOM in the grand final and became an immortal of the club after playing only 20 games and won a Golden boot.

Check out these highlights of him

Me likey.