Who is the least deserving Immortal?

[Captain Apollo]

Does anyone know much about Frank Burge?

Frank Burge played for Glebe in the NSWRL competition from 1911-1926 and played his final year at St George in 1927. All up he played in 153 first grade games, scoring 148 tries and kicking 49 goals. He played 13 tests for Australia scoring 7 tries and kicking 7 goals. He was a long-stride running lock forward who made his first grade debut at age 16.

Burge was a hard trainer and prided himself on his physical fitness. After he retired he went into coaching. He died of a heart attack, aged 64 in 1958.

Burge still holds the record for most tries scored in one game, being 8.

Source: https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/frank-burge/summary.html

Hope that helps.

 

[TheFrog]

Big Mal was the 5th or 6th most important player on the Raiders team behind Sticky, Lozza, Clyde, Lazarus and Steve Walters.

You should watch the 1991 GF, especially the second half if you think Meninga wasn't better than all of the above. In a losing side mind you.

 

[TIGER14]

Look at all these Queenslanders who reckon Andrew Johns shouldn't be an immortal because he took drugs yet they think Lockyer should be there.
Hypocritical much.....

 

[Canard]

if wally was the worlds best they would have won one with him, not once he left...

So why didn't the Eels win with Sterling and Kenny from 87 to 93?

 

[Canard]

Well you said he dominated, I wouldn't call having a 4/8 record against Kenny domination. He had dominant games, even series in origin without doubt but he didn't dominate origin for any real length of time.

Wally was without a doubt the most dominant player in Origin history. It's not even close for second.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Brett Kenny has been the most overhyped player post retirement, all because of the insecurities NSWankers have about Lewis.

Cliff Lyons was better then Kenny any day of the week, with a longer and more impressive career behind him.

But he was a blackfella so...

 

[Desert Qlder]

Duncan Thompson is criminally overlooked in this now discredited Immortals concept.

Amazing playing career, particularly with the dominant Toowoomba side of the 1920s. And then went on to revolutionise coaching.

He would be my next nomination, but who cares anyway these days.

 

[Incorrect]

So why didn't the Eels win with Sterling and Kenny from 87 to 93?

For comparison, let's have a look at Lewis' last season with the Boncos. Lewis had the following players along side him in Brisbane jersey's;
Hauff, Miles, C. Johns, Carne, Walters x 2, Langer, Dowling, Gee, Hohn, Matterson, Backo and P. Jackson.... All Origin/Australian reps...

Kenny and Sterling had the following players running out with them;
Crnkovich, Muchmore, G. Liddiard, Munro, Drake, Goodwin, Mahon, Greentree, Langford, Gateley.... And they're the ones who didn't need help putting their own boots on and tying their shoelaces.... There were some other even more anonymous spuds than these bloke's....

 

[Lebbo73]

Well you said he dominated, I wouldn't call having a 4/8 record against Kenny domination. He had dominant games, even series in origin without doubt but he didn't dominate origin for any real length of time.

Cherry picking. Good job. Brett Kenny was a good player but the fact he only played 12 Origins should tell you something.

 

[Lebbo73]

He's a Pom. Does he qualify?

May as well throw in Cliff Watson, Mal Reilly, Tommy Bishop, Gary Schofield, Phil Lowe....oh the list is endless.

And don't forget Keith Barnes.

He played in the NSWRL. I was wondering if being an Aussie was a prerequisite.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Cherry picking. Good job. Brett Kenny was a good player but the fact he only played 12 Origins should tell you something.

Mate even Wally Lewis himself said that of all his opponents, Brett Kenny was the best he played against. He wrote in his autobiography that Qld actually were always worried whenever NSW named a team that had Kenny listed to play five eight. When he was named in the centers they were nowhere near as worried.

Fact is politics has always been an issue at the NSW selection table. Has been since 1908.

 

[Lebbo73]

Look at all these Queenslanders who reckon Andrew Johns shouldn't be an immortal because he took drugs yet they think Lockyer should be there.
Hypocritical much.....

Was Andrew Johns good enough to be an immortal? f**k yeah. I was a big fan. I was cheering hard when they played the silver tails in the 1997 GF.
However, Johns said he took drugs to deal with the pressure of rugby league. This becomes a no brainer and no matter what you say means jack.

 

[nick87]

Meninga as a player and coach is arguably the most highly decorated RL person of all time.
Who's got a resume that can stand next to his?

As a player - Premiership winner in the BRL, 3 time premiership winner in the ARL. Premiership winner in the ESL. Captained his club, state and country. Played 32 SOO games, 46 tests

As a coach - Was the HC of the most dominant period in SOO history, is currently 12/13 as HC of the Kangaroos. His club record isnt super great, but still has an above 50% win ratio across 4 seasons.

Who can boast a resume that tops that as a contribution to the game of RL?
How many players can say they've won titles in BRL, ARL, ESL, been stalwarts of the state and national sides to the point of being the long time captain of both units, and then gone on have this sort of success as a representative coach?

Happy for historians of the game to come and tell me that this is actually really common and nothing special.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Yep some of Meninga's comments during the SL War pissed me off. No question about it. However I don't begrudge him being made an Immortal. Fact is none of those currently named do I think don't deserve it.

Whether others should have been elevated to it before some of the current holder are though. Well that might be a slightly different story.

 

[Springs09]

Meninga as a player and coach is arguably the most highly decorated RL person of all time.
Who's got a resume that can stand next to his?

As a player - Premiership winner in the BRL, 3 time premiership winner in the ARL. Premiership winner in the ESL. Captained his club, state and country. Played 32 SOO games, 46 tests

As a coach - Was the HC of the most dominant period in SOO history, is currently 12/13 as HC of the Kangaroos. His club record isnt super great, but still has an above 50% win ratio across 4 seasons.

Who can boast a resume that tops that as a contribution to the game of RL?
How many players can say they've won titles in BRL, ARL, ESL, been stalwarts of the state and national sides to the point of being the long time captain of both units, and then gone on have this sort of success as a representative coach?

Happy for historians of the game to come and tell me that this is actually really common and nothing special.

Clive Churchill:
- 4 NSWRL premierships, missing the 5th through injury
- Captain-coached BRL premiership
- Captained 2 clubs, 2 states and country
- 28 state games, 37 tests. Won series for both states, won Ashes series when The Lions were actually competitive including the first Australian win for 30 years.
- 4 premierships as coach

But the other thing is how much stats matter. If stats were the reason for being made an Immortal Norm Provan would have been first in with his 10 premierships. In terms of stats Darius Boyd is right up there with the best of modern players- e.g. played more games, more Origins, won more Origin series and won as many premierships and as many World Cups as Andrew Johns, should he be in contention for the Immortals?

 

[BennyV]

Dally Messenger.

I have yet to meet anyone who saw him play in the flesh.

Too early to say. Was a bit harsh for back flipping on the Titans but he’s in good form now...

 

[Tommy Smith]

Brett Kenny has been the most overhyped player post retirement, all because of the insecurities NSWankers have about Lewis.

Cliff Lyons was better then Kenny any day of the week, with a longer and more impressive career behind him.

But he was a blackfella so...

Really? The race card?

Two of the Immortals are Indigenous and JT is a certainty in future. He's also one of the most revered players in the game's history.

As for Kenny, he had an excellent Test and Origin career and also won 3 straight Premierships - scoring a couple of doubles in b2b GFs I believe.

His record is superlative and he was a genius.

 

[Tommy Smith]

And yes, Duncan Thompson is Australia's greatest pre WWII half/5-8 and should be an Immortal.

Brian Bevan, Vic Hey and Wally Prigg are also very worthy candidates.

 

[nick87]

Clive Churchill:
- 4 NSWRL premierships, missing the 5th through injury
- Captain-coached BRL premiership
- Captained 2 clubs, 2 states and country
- 28 state games, 37 tests. Won series for both states, won Ashes series when The Lions were actually competitive including the first Australian win for 30 years.
- 4 premierships as coach

But the other thing is how much stats matter. If stats were the reason for being made an Immortal Norm Provan would have been first in with his 10 premierships. In terms of stats Darius Boyd is right up there with the best of modern players- e.g. played more games, more Origins, won more Origin series and won as many premierships and as many World Cups as Andrew Johns, should he be in contention for the Immortals?

Well that’s why you have to take into account the actual play on the field too

Mal was a physically dominant player for virtually his entire career. His resume is virtually peerless and those who can’t stand up to him are guys like Clive Churchill, who himself is an immortal

So you’ve got a guy who combines the paper resume and backs it up with dominance on the field. People can bitch and complain about his comments re: SL all they like, petty, salty bitches that they are

Mal is an immortal and rightly so. An Immortals concept in RL without Mal Meninga would remove its credibility. You don’t have to like him, but you can’t deny that Mal Meninga is a colossal figure in RL history

 

[Springs09]

Well that’s why you have to take into account the actual play on the field too

Mal was a physically dominant player for virtually his entire career. His resume is virtually peerless and those who can’t stand up to him are guys like Clive Churchill, who himself is an immortal

So you’ve got a guy who combines the paper resume and backs it up with dominance on the field. People can bitch and complain about his comments re: SL all they like, petty, salty bitches that they are

Mal is an immortal and rightly so. An Immortals concept in RL without Mal Meninga would remove its credibility. You don’t have to like him, but you can’t deny that Mal Meninga is a colossal figure in RL history

I'm not saying he shouldn't be an Immortal, but I agree with those saying that out of the 13 he is probably the weakest candidate.