The Ninth Immortal

[Broncs_Fan]

They should go with one player from each era. I feel that because Andrew Johns has been picked from that era, the next immortal should come from the present era, and then the next era and so on.

If you are going to say that Provans is an immortal, why didn't they pick him before Johns or at the same time.

 

[1910]

They should go with one player from each era. I feel that because Andrew Johns has been picked from that era, the next immortal should come from the present era, and then the next era and so on.

If you are going to say that Provans is an immortal, why didn't they pick him before Johns or at the same time.

Wally was inducted before Beetson and Beetson was playing much earlier than Wally. Wally made his debut in 1978 Beetson 1964.

 

[Super Freak]

Ninth Immortal: Peter Sterling, Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer unite behind one legend

March 1, 2018
DEBATE is raging about who the ninth Immortal should be.

And now two leading contenders for the nod, as well as a current Immortal himself, have all thrown their support behind one legend.

Mal Meninga.

The last man to enter rugby league’s most prestigious list, Andrew Johns, even admits Meninga should have been inducted ahead of him six years ago.

Johns was named the eighth Immortal in 2012 and there will be one more named this year.

“When I was selected to be the eighth Immortal I really thought he would have been picked then for what he’s done in the game as a player and as a coach,” Johns told Wide World Of Sports.

“Four Kangaroos tours, what he’s done for Queensland, what he built down there in Canberra. Just an amazing player, great leadership and a real character of our game.

“Unfortunately I had to play against Mal, and I marked up against him. His footprint was just on your chest running over the top.

“What a legend of the game.”

Brisbane legend Lockyer appears to be Meninga’s biggest rival in the race to be named the ninth Immortal.

Lockyer is now eligible to be named an Immorta, having been retired the required five years.

He’s still the most capped Kangaroos player and was a star for the champion Broncos team in two different positions.

But even he can’t go past his former Maroons coach.

“From my perspective, Mal in his playing career and you throw in what he’s done as a coach, it’s pretty impressive,” Lockyer told Wide World Of Sports.

“I made my debut in ‘95, Mal retired in ‘94, so I was glad I didn’t have to tackle him.

“But you look at what he did at Canberra, what he did at Souths in Brisbane, he won grand finals, he captained them. I still remember watching the ‘94 grand final when he captained that and scored that try.

“There’s so many great memories watching him.”

Sterling is another man being mentioned as an Immortals contender.

But the Parramatta legend also tipped Meninga to get the nod ahead of a long list of potentials.

“Multiple Kangaroo tours, a stackload of Tests, Origin for Queensland outstanding whether as a player or a coach and has now gone on as the Australian coach,” Sterling said.

“There isn’t an area of the game that Mal Meninga hasn’t excelled in and he fits my criteria as to who should come in and be our next Immortal.”

Source: Fox Sports

 

[Super Freak]

Mal Meninga is actually one of the logical choices.

Multiple Grand Final winner, regarded as one of the best centres in history. Record-breaking Origin wins, got Australia back to the top winning a Four Nations and World Cup.

All of the young people today know him, and he is very marketable.

There was also a lot of outrage when Johns was picked over him.

 

[ningnangnong]

All of the young people today know him, and he is very marketable.

I hope that this would never come into consideration when electing immortals of the game.

 

[Super Freak]

I hope that this would never come into consideration when electing immortals of the game.

It shouldn't, but it most likely will.

 

[tommy]

There was also a lot of outrage when Johns was picked over him.

NSW were 7 years into their losing streak when he was made an immortal. They needed something........anything.

 

[Number6]

The NRL will change the rules so JT and Smith can be in contention. And one of them will be picked.

It was a rule for Rugby League Week that the player must have been retired for 5 years. But there is nothing that says the NRL has to keep that rule.

Close NRL will make JT and Smith 9th and 10th immortals and let them keep 99% of the takings from an expensive award dinner... it’s all good an unspecified amount will go to charity.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

Wally was inducted before Beetson and Beetson was playing much earlier than Wally. Wally made his debut in 1978 Beetson 1964.

Well if they are going to induct someone from ages ago, induct all the people from ages ago that they want.

E.g. They should have inducted Wally and Beetson at the same time.

 

[Unbreakable]

What they really need to do is to have a plan set in stone for how often they induct an immortal, at the moment it's all over the shop. Just don't over-saturate it, keep it ultra exclusive. Two every 5 years seems fair, the one 5 years from now is so glaringly obviously going to be Thurston & Smith that would should just chalk it up already.

9th & 10th - Norm Provan & Mal Meninga (2018)
11th & 12th - Johnathan Thurston & Cameron Smith (2023)
13th & 14th - Darren Lockyer & TBA (2028)

Sounds about right.

 

[Harry Sack]

Having a short induction during each year's Dally M awards is insulting to those players who are being honoured. The HOF inductions should be their own celebration, with a massive fanfare. Big speeches from the inductees. Make it televised and use it to teach younger fans about the history of the game and the players that built it into the sport they now know.

At risk of getting abused for saying it, but the Americans do this right. The NFL especially have a massive celebration each year to induct their Hall of Famers. It is a massive deal to get into the HOF over there. Here, it is a 10-minute footnote during an award ceremony that isn't focused on them.

From another site. It pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter

 

[1910]

What they really need to do is to have a plan set in stone for how often they induct an immortal, at the moment it's all over the shop. Just don't over-saturate it, keep it ultra exclusive. Two every 5 years seems fair, the one 5 years from now is so glaringly obviously going to be Thurston & Smith that would should just chalk it up already.

9th & 10th - Norm Provan & Mal Meninga (2018)
11th & 12th - Johnathan Thurston & Cameron Smith (2023)
13th & 14th - Darren Lockyer & TBA (2028)

Sounds about right.

It was never intended to be added to, they were the best players post war and that was it. Whenever readers lagged RLW would revive the concept starting in 1999.

 

[john1420]

What they really need to do is to have a plan set in stone for how often they induct an immortal, at the moment it's all over the shop. Just don't over-saturate it, keep it ultra exclusive. Two every 5 years seems fair, the one 5 years from now is so glaringly obviously going to be Thurston & Smith that would should just chalk it up already.

9th & 10th - Norm Provan & Mal Meninga (2018)
11th & 12th - Johnathan Thurston & Cameron Smith (2023)
13th & 14th - Darren Lockyer & TBA (2028)

Sounds about right.

I'd prefer Locky and TBA prior to Smith and JT, but otherwise OK :)

 

[Alec]

Tunza was good, but maybe not immortals level good.

 

[Foordy]

Tunza was good, but maybe not immortals level good.

he should be an imortal purely because of:

 

[Super Freak]

he should be an imortal purely because of:

His hit on White in Game 1 2007 would be more fitting.

White called the Broncos forwards soft after the Melbourne game, and then Tunza ends his night in Origin. He lasted just 14 minutes. Broke his nose in the process.

 

[tommy]

he should be an imortal purely because of:

In that case throw Goddard in as well.

 

[Cult]

I'd prefer Locky and TBA prior to Smith and JT, but otherwise OK :)

I'd prefer the TAB get a spot for their work in promoting rugby league over Cameron Smith.