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9th Immortal

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
Since they've decided to keep this Immortals thing going, and since its now under the custody of the NRL, they should have some rules. Once an immortal is chosen, another cannot be announced for 5 years, or even 10. The players under consideration should be made public before the announcement, and beaten nominees should not be allowed to be nominated again. This would most likely mean only one current player can become an immortal, and that seems a good outcome to me. Too many immortals cheapens the concept. There were too many players from one champion side in the early days of it.
 

ed-grimley

Bench
Messages
2,552
Since they've decided to keep this Immortals thing going, and since its now under the custody of the NRL, they should have some rules. Once an immortal is chosen, another cannot be announced for 5 years, or even 10. The players under consideration should be made public before the announcement, and beaten nominees should not be allowed to be nominated again. This would most likely mean only one current player can become an immortal, and that seems a good outcome to me. Too many immortals cheapens the concept. There were too many players from one champion side in the early days of it.
You mean like Raper and Gasnier?
 
Messages
3,884
If Norm Provan isn't finally inducted, the entire concept is a joke.

No. Norm Provan was nothing more than a tall, successful appliance salesman. As a rugby league second rower he was inferior to his sometime English team mate Dick Huddart, and to the brilliant Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.
 

Pig Hunter

Juniors
Messages
338
No. Norm Provan was nothing more than a tall, successful appliance salesman. As a rugby league second rower he was inferior to his sometime English team mate Dick Huddart, and to the brilliant Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.
You’re a disgrace to your alt user name Adam.
 

ed-grimley

Bench
Messages
2,552
If they name Provan they should look at Ken Irvine. I think he still holds the record for tries in first grade club football - achieved mostly at the unfashionable Bears. He has a few less tries than Lockyer for Australia but scored them in a lot less games. He was selected as one of the wingers in the team of the century.
Feel free to correct any of my "facts".
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Well thank god RLW no longer has the Immortals. Whoever was pushing for Lockyer in 2012 was insane.
 
Messages
13,794
Well looks like we are going to get a 9th and 10th Immortal this year. The following is from the NRL's website -

NRL to unveil two new Immortals, six new Hall of Fame inductees
Author: Dan Walsh
Timestamp: Mon 19 Mar 2018, 11:15 AM.

Rugby league's age-old Immortal debate just got juicier with the prospect of two additional Immortals being added to the game's most prestigious club in 2018.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg confirmed the Immortals relaunching alongside modern day greats Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga and Darren Lockyer on Monday, with an induction to now be made every four years.

Meninga and Lockyer will be among many contenders for inclusion in the current eight-man Immortals group alongside the likes of St George icon Norm Provan, Roosters great Dally Messenger, legendary halfbacks Peter Sterling and Allan Langer, Ron Coote, Brad Fittler and record-breaking 1930s centre Dave Brown. The judging process will run up until an official vote in July.

The NRL is also revamping its Hall of Fame, with another six retired stars to be inducted alongside the inaugural 100 players first named as members during the 2008 Centenary Year celebrations.

Having now been officially brought under the NRL's banner, both the Immortals and Hall of Fame will have new eligibility criteria and structures outlined in a bid to add prestige and transparency around the game's highest awards.

"This is a significant occasion for our game as we celebrate the history of rugby league and recognise those who have shaped it," Greenberg said.

"Without question, one of the biggest topics in rugby league revolves around comparisons between heroes of our game… whether it's players from decades ago or those from the modern era.

"This year, we will induct an additional six players into a new NRL Hall of Fame.

"They will join the 100 Greats – named in our Centenary year 10 years ago – who gain automatic induction into the NRL Hall of Fame as the Charter Class.

"We will also relaunch the Immortals, with up to two players being given the ultimate honour in our game, every four years.

"And the first of those new Immortals will be chosen this year."

The NRL is also revamping its Hall of Fame, with another six retired stars to be inducted alongside the inaugural 100 players first named as members during the 2008 Centenary Year celebrations.

Having now been officially brought under the NRL's banner, both the Immortals and Hall of Fame will have new eligibility criteria and structures outlined in a bid to add prestige and transparency around the game's highest awards.

"This is a significant occasion for our game as we celebrate the history of rugby league and recognise those who have shaped it," Greenberg said.

"Without question, one of the biggest topics in rugby league revolves around comparisons between heroes of our game… whether it's players from decades ago or those from the modern era.

"This year, we will induct an additional six players into a new NRL Hall of Fame.

"They will join the 100 Greats – named in our Centenary year 10 years ago – who gain automatic induction into the NRL Hall of Fame as the Charter Class.

"We will also relaunch the Immortals, with up to two players being given the ultimate honour in our game, every four years.

"And the first of those new Immortals will be chosen this year."

The Immortals voting scope will also now cast all the way back to 1908, bringing the likes of Dally Messenger and Dave Brown into contention for the honour.

With six new Hall of Fame inductees to come mid-way through the year, a list of 25 contenders will be announced next month, with coaches, referees and contributors to the game also be recognised from 2019.

As with the Immortals, Hall of Fame inductees must be retired for five years before consideration, with a maximum of four players to be announced each year.

NRL Awards Manager Frank Puletua said the new recognition programs are a significant step in rugby league's celebration of its past and greatest individual achievements.

"With the inclusion of the Immortals, the NRL now has more than 30 official award categories in our game – ranging from those who reach 100 NRL games, through to our top tier awards such as the Dally M Medal, Hall of Fame and Immortals," Puletua said.

"A significant amount of work has been undertaken to ensure that our history and tradition continues to appropriately acknowledge milestones and pay tribute to the best of the best."

There is a video explaing the new set up, if you click on the link at the top of my post.
 
Messages
13,794
The following is also from the NRL's website -

Messenger and Brown enter the Immortals race
Author: Brad Walter, Senior Reporter
Timestamp: Mon 19 Mar 2018, 12:00 PM
Dally Messenger or Darren Lockyer? Dave Brown or Mal Meninga? And what about Norm Provan?

Those are questions which are set to be debated until the next Immortals are inducted at the end of the Telstra Premiership season after the NRL introduced new initiatives to acknowledge the 110-year history of the game.

For the first time since the establishment of the Immortals concept in 1981, players from the pre-World War II era will be considered - meaning the feats of Messenger and Brown will be compared to those of Lockyer, Meninga, Provan and another 87 eligible players.

The Immortals re-launch has occurred after the NRL acquired ownership of Rugby League Week following the closure of the magazine last year.

With the game also taking control of the Dally M awards there are now three tiers of recognition for the achievements of the game’s best players:

  • Dally M Medal, for a season of excellence;
  • NRL Hall of Fame, acknowledging excellence across a career; and
  • Immortals, recognising players who transcend generations.
NRL Awards Manager Frank Puletua has spent 12 months establishing a process and rules that ensure the game's history will be celebrated more regularly and with greater integrity than in the past.

From this season, up to two Immortals will be selected every four years and those players will be nominated from the Hall of Fame, which currently comprises the 100 players inducted during the game's centenary celebrations in 1908.

Eight of those players – Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, John Raper (all 1981), Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis (both 1999), Arthur Beetson (2003) and Andrew Johns (2012) – have already been given Immortals status, leaving 92 eligible for consideration this year.

To be chosen as an Immortal is the greatest honour a player can receive and it is widely considered that to earn the accolade a player needs to have changed the game or had an impact beyond his career.

In addition, a further six players will be inducted to the Hall of Fame from a short list of 25 to be announced next month, which is likely to include some players who were ineligible in 2008 as they were still either playing or hadn't been retired for five years.

Current superstars such as Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith cannot be considered for nomination as Immortals before 2025 as they will not have been retired for five years when the next nominations are made in 2021.

However, they may be eligible for inclusion in the Hall of Fame before then as up to four new inductees will be selected every year.

There will also be Hall of Fame categories for coaches, referees and contributors, such as administrators, commentators and journalists.

Among those likely to come under consideration as contributors are JJ Giltinan, Jersey Flegg, Ken Arthurson, John Quayle, Frank Hyde and Rex Mossop.

A screening committee will choose five players to be considered as Immortals and a voting panel will select a minimum of one and a maximum of two.

Players who make the shortlist of five but are not chosen as Immortals can be considered again in a further two Immortals Years before no longer being ineligible.

The most difficult task with comparing players of different eras is that no one on the selection panel is old enough to have seen the likes of Messenger or Brown play but it was felt that to fully recognise the game’s history they need to be considered.

Messenger’s greatness is already acknowledged by the naming of the Dally M awards in his honour, and his defection from rugby union is considered vital to the success of the code.

Nicknamed “The Master”, Messenger went on the New Zealand All Golds tour of Britain in 1907 as a guest player and returned to be the star of the inaugural NSWRL competition the following season and until his retirement in 1913 after leading Eastern Suburbs to a third premiership.

Brown also played in the centres for the Roosters and was known as the Bradman of rugby league because of the point scoring records he set between 1930 and 1941, some of which still stand today.

Among them are his haul of 38 tries in 1935, which is even more remarkable considering Brown played just 15 games for Roosters that season and he achieved the feat during an era of unlimited tackles and a one-metre offside rule.

He also kicked a record 15 goals in a match, which was part of a 45-point haul, including five tries, against Canterbury and led the Roosters to premierships in 1935 and 1936, while captaining Australia at the age of just 22.

Lots of players from the pre-WW2 era who deserve consideration. I'd be shocked if Dally Messenger does not get in at some stage considering his importance to the founding of the code in Australia.
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
47,822
Dave Brown? The original concept was for players post WWII.

They're just making it up as they go along now.
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
47,822
If they are considering pre WWII then lockyer and meninga are no chance.

Its Brown, Burge, Messenger before anyone else.
 
Messages
13,794
Dave Brown? The original concept was for players post WWII.

They're just making it up as they go along now.

Yeah well that might have been at the incpetion, but as it is now owned by the code itself, how can you say "sorry, pre World War 2, your contribution did nothing so we won't recognise you? That is daft.

For example, Dave Browns's record of 38 tries in a season and 45 points scored in 1 game still stand. You want to say those kinds of feats don't deserve to at least be considered?

Also for those not surte who is currently in the Hall of Fame, haave a look here - https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/19/the-nrl-hall-of-fame-100-players/
 

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