NRL Hall of Fame 2024 + 14th Immortal

[Captain Apollo]

Mal Reilly 100%. Not sure about the criteria, Mark Graham might already be there? If not, 100% ahead of Benji.

Mark Graham is already a member of the NRL Hall of Fame, as you suspected -

Mark Graham

Named as the New Zealand Player of the Century in 2007, Graham will be the first Kiwi inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame after a playing career which began at Norths Devils in the Brisbane competition in 1979 and finished in England where he captained Wakefield Trinity in the 1988-89 season.

www.nrl.com

Though I agree with you about the recencvy bias. I could suggest Hugh McGahan as a top flight Kiwi who merits consideration.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Call me Cam retired at the end of 2020 yeah? Not quite 5 years.

Yes, but he is at least retired. It does smack of "we want to induct them aall in one group" which kind of annoying. Why have an eligibility criteria if you are ging to ignore it. Make me think he'll be named an Immortal. Heck of a good player, but his demenour on field when he played, as far as most fans could see, will make him an unpoular pick as many think him a grub of the highest order.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Women's inductees named -

NRL Hall of Fame 2024 Class

The National Rugby League (NRL) will formally induct the first ever female players into the NRL Hall of Fame.

www.nrl.com

 

[greg]

Burgess is the first Pom but a lot of people that followed the game back in the 70s say Reilly is very unlucky not to be named. Apparently he was one of the reasons Manly ended their 25 year drought and was one of the toughest forwards.

Graham was the first Kiwi to be named

Watched a lot of Mal Reilly when I was young. Absolute gun player. Also coached the knights to a premiership. Should definitely be in.

 

[Vee]

Women's inductees named -

NRL Hall of Fame 2024 Class

The National Rugby League (NRL) will formally induct the first ever female players into the NRL Hall of Fame.

www.nrl.com

Where's Steph Hancock? Legend.

 

[Vee]

Watched a lot of Mal Reilly when I was young. Absolute gun player. Also coached the knights to a premiership. Should definitely be in.

I love the story of Reilly coaching the Johns brothers new to FG and full of themselves. Introduced a machine called The Rhino or The Gauntlet(?), a series of weighted bags, swings and pulleys that a player had to run through getting smashed from pillar to post and trying to keep his balance and keep going. Joey went first, a bit apprehensive, and got knocked on his arse at the first obstacle. The rest were stepping back and trying to avoid catching the coach's eye when Mal stepped up, over 60 years old and with two creaky old bung knees and bullocked his way through to the amazement of the watching "elite" athletes. A lesson in toughness for the hard