Who should be the next NRL Immortal?

Should Canberra Raiders legend Mal Meninga be one of the next two NRL Immortals?

Six premierships across three clubs, 32 State of Origin appearances, 46 Tests and the only player to go on four Kangaroo tours with Australia.

The current Kangaroos coach was part of a 10-man shortlist announced on Wednesday from which two Immortals will be chosen in August.

Dally Messenger, Ken Irvine, Norm Provan, Darren Lockyer, Frank Burge, Dave Brown, Brian Bevan, Duncan Hall and Ron Coote round out the list.

The chosen two will join the existing eight of Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, Graeme Langlands, Johnny Raper, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson and Andrew Johns.

Advertisement

Meninga won two Brisbane premierships with Souths and squeezed one in with English club St Helens before joining the Raiders.

He then captained the Canberrra club to all three of the titles in 1989, '91 and '94 before retiring.

The NRL took over the Immortals concept from now defunct magazine Rugby League Week and will not only consider modern greats of the game, but also look back to past legends like Messenger.

"The calibre of players to be shortlisted for Immortal status is quite simply incredible," NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said.

"These are unquestionably the elite rugby league players – representatives with thousands of matches between them and thousands of tries.

"And quite fittingly, we have a group which has collectively played in every single decade since rugby league was formed in Australia.

"All these players deserve their place in such an esteemed group.

"Clearly having players eligible for induction from the pre-War era has opened up the prospect of some wonderful players, and some of the game's pioneers, joining Immortal status."

Not surprisingly, Meninga's part of a tough field vying to round out the Immortals list to 10.

Brsibane great Lockyer holds the record for most Australian appearances with 62.

Messenger's defection from rugby union in 1908 proved the catalyst for the early growth of rugby league and the NRL's highest individual honour, the Dally M, is named after him.

Provan was integral in the St George Dragons' 11-straight premierships from 1956-66, as player and coach.

Former North Sydney and Manly great Irvine still holds the record for most tries scored with 212.

Future Immortal Cameron Smith told Fairfax Media last year in the lead-up to the final Anzac Test Meninga was the standout to be the next inducted.

"He's one of the greatest players ever to play the game, one of the greatest coaches you'll ever see," Smith said.

"I've been very lucky, along with all the other boys that have played with Queensland and for Australia, to be coached by him and spend a little bit of time and learn some great things about the game and the special things we can do for it.

"But also him as a person as well and how to be a good person away from football. That's probably some of the best things I've learnt from him is how to live your life properly and the way we go about things.

"If we're talking about making anyone an Immortal anytime soon I think this bloke certainly should be up there with anyone else's name."

David Polkinghorne covers the Canberra Raiders, local rugby league, Canberra Cavalry, racing and cycling, along with every other sport, for The Canberra Times.

Most Viewed in Sport

Morning & Afternoon Newsletter

Delivered Mon–Fri.