The Ninth Immortal

[WASSHHH]

Tunza was good, but maybe not immortals level good.

I see what you did there.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

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.

Swap Cameron smith for Lockyer and I think that's on the money. Smith just won't be retired for 5 years by 2023. Lockyer is just as deserving as meninga or any of the others but Meninga has been waiting a hell of a lot more time...

 

[Super Freak]

Beattie might have let slip who the next Immortal is going to be.

As he prattled on, Beattie looked at Thurston and said: “We will soon be appointing our next Immortal.” And then to the capacity house: “Have a few guesses as to who that may be!”

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leag...-peter-beattie-arlc/w5mhwjdv1sds1n4oei5t29tut

 

[Sproj]

It said 'capacity house', therefore fake news. The NRL never packs out anything except origin in Brisbane.

 

[Nashy]

Why is Peter Beattie involved in anything where he's in charge again? Don't they remember QLD?

 

[holdzy]

If it's Thurston while he's still playing, and before Locky, I'm going to, well, I'll do something!

Seriously, that would be some shit.

 

[Unbreakable]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/13/how-darren-lockyer-almost-became-an-immortal-last-year/

Darren Lockyer would already be an Immortal today, if events had unfolded a bit differently last year.
Lockyer was on the cusp of being made an Immortal in 2017 before the ownership of the famous award transferred from Rugby League Week magazine to the NRL.
No rugby league award in the history of the game has generated as much debate as the Immortals, and that is only set to continue now that NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has confirmed a ninth Immortal would be inducted in 2018.
Former Rugby League Week managing editor Martin Lenehan has told NRL.com how the magazine was moving towards naming a ninth Immortal before the magazine was closed and all its intellectual property, including the Immortals, was purchased by the NRL.
Lenehan was adamant Lockyer would have been "a certainty" if that judging process had gone ahead.
In 2012, a panel of 18 voted Andrew Johns as the eighth Immortal, but even then Lenehan said there was support for the former Brisbane, Queensland and Australian captain until it was made clear a player needed to have been retired for five years to be considered.

 

[Socnorb]

Beattie might have let slip who the next Immortal is going to be.

Would definitely be someone from the Cronulla Hawks.

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leag...-peter-beattie-arlc/w5mhwjdv1sds1n4oei5t29tut

 

[CaptainHook]

Mascord has put up an article about the ninth Immortal. You can find it here:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/03/20/circumstance-resurrect-immortal/

I think he's playing devil's advocate but it's worth a read. The NRL has let out some details on the new selection criteria.

It looks like they'll be two immortals named and then another two every four years.

Players that no-one alive today had seen play live will now be eligible. This is a change from the original concept.

No details yet on whether they'll tinker with the minimum retirement limit (not a fan of - in fact, I think it should be longer maybe a decade even before a player could be considered) or if they'll open it up to non-Australian rep players (long overdue).

Anyone else think it could be SBW named as our first international Immortal? There were rumours a few weeks ago of a possible RL comeback?

 

[Super Freak]

Love the Inglis interview in that link.

The stare he gave that reporter. The reporter kept digging for a response on the racial slur and Inglis had to say twice that he isn't talking about it, and then the stare.. The reporter shut up real quick.

 

[Harry Sack]

Mascord has put up an article about the ninth Immortal. You can find it here:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/03/20/circumstance-resurrect-immortal/

I think he's playing devil's advocate but it's worth a read. The NRL has let out some details on the new selection criteria.

It looks like they'll be two immortals named and then another two every four years.

Players that no-one alive today had seen play live will now be eligible. This is a change from the original concept.

No details yet on whether they'll tinker with the minimum retirement limit (not a fan of - in fact, I think it should be longer maybe a decade even before a player could be considered) or if they'll open it up to non-Australian rep players (long overdue).

Anyone else think it could be SBW named as our first international Immortal? There were rumours a few weeks ago of a possible RL comeback?

Why. Just fucking WHY!!!!!! It's a minimum decade out of the game AFAIC and you name one when there's a genuine, rare talent. Not because you have to meet a fucking quota. That's what the Hall of Fame should be for FFS

 

[Dash]

Why. Just fucking WHY!!!!!! It's a minimum decade out of the game AFAIC and you name one when there's a genuine, rare talent. Not because you have to meet a fucking quota. That's what the Hall of Fame should be for FFS

The AFL has it right. Players are inducted to the Hall of Fame every year, with 1 player every few years at most upgraded to 'Legend' status - 10, 20, 30 years after their initial induction. None of this flavour of the month bullshit with your Thurstons and Smiths already booked in years before they are even eligible.

 

[Sproj]

When you guys gonna learn to expect disappointment? Do that and things look better in relation to the NRL.