The NRL relaunched their Hall of Fame ceremony in August with 11 male players, six female players, two coaches, two referees, and four contributors added to the prestigious ranks.
The ceremony also saw the first induction of an Immortal since 2018 during the first Hall of Fame ceremony held since 2019.
"Those being acknowledged are legends of the game and their achievements through the course of the game’s history will now be honoured in the Hall of Fame forever," ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys said.
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Who was named the next rugby league Immortal?
"To be chosen as an Immortal is the greatest honour a player can receive, and it is widely considered that to earn the accolade he needs to have changed the game or had an impact beyond his career," the NRL noted ahead of the 14th Immortal being revealed.
Darren Lockyer, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling and Ron Coote were believed to be strong contenders for the accolade, while modern day greats Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston were also eligible for selection.
In the end, it was Coote who was welcomed into the prestigious and exclusive club of Immortals.
Coote won six premierships from nine grand finals with four coming with the Rabbitohs and two with the Roosters.
"I’m a bit taken for words at the moment," the former Kangaroos skipper said.
"I never thought I’d be crying at 80, but I am."
History of the Immortals
The Immortals was a concept created by Rugby League Week magazine in 1981 and is viewed as the most prestigious individual accolade in the game.
Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier and Johnny Raper were the first four Immortals selected in the 80s.
Graeme Langlands and Wally Lewis were then added in 1999, before Arthur Beetson received the honour in 2003.
Andrew Johns joined the prestigious club almost a decade later in 2012 as he became the 8th Immortal.
Ron Coote joins the likes of Mal Meninga and Norm Provan in being named an Immortal
A mass selection six years ago saw Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Dally Messenger, Norm Provan and Mal Meninga inducted into the group.
"I think having that title has added responsibility to what I do in the game," Meninga told Channel Nine after being awarded the honour.
"I don't know where I'd be without rugby league, probably a copper somewhere in Queensland.
"I'm still involved in the game today, so for me to be doing what I love from when I was a 19-year-old or 18-year-old kid when I first ran onto this field, to be coaching the Australian side...I've been blessed."
The Australian Rugby League Commission has been in charge of the Immortals concept since RLW folded in 2017.
Immortals must now be elected from those already named in the Hall of Fame, of which there are currently over 100 members.
Who are the Immortals?
- Arthur Beetson
- Frank Burge
- Dave Brown
- Clive Churchill
- Ron Coote
- Bob Fulton
- Reg Gasnier
- Andrew Johns
- Graeme Langlands
- Wally Lewis
- Mal Meninga
- Herbet Messenger
- Norm Provan
- John Raper
How are players inducted into NRL Hall of Fame?
A recent meeting between some of the game’s leading figures helped to decide the future processes for the Hall of Fame Awards in the future.
The Hall of Fame Committee will decide on which people are inducted each year, with the following parameters devised by the panel:
- Two male players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame per year
- One female player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame per year
- Two coach inductions per four-year cycle
- Two referee inductions per four-year cycle
- Three contributor (print media, broadcast media, administrator) inductions per four-year cycle
- One Immortal induction per four-year cycle
A player must have been retired for at least three years before they are allowed to be considered for selection into the Hall of Fame.
Who has been inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2024?
Ahead of the ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the NRL already revealed a number of inductees into the Hall of Fame.
Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett became the first ever coaches inducted into the HOF, with the two legendary figures joined by administrators Ken Arthurson and John Quayle and broadcast icons Frank Hyde and David Morrow.
Eleven players were also announced as inductees in mid-August, including a number of modern heroes of the game.
The last addition to the HOF is the first ever referee inductees - Bill Harrigan and Col Pearce.
- Jack Gibson (coach)
- Wayne Bennett (coach)
- Ken Arthurson (administrator)
- John Quayle (administrator)
- Frank Hyde (broadcast media)
- David Morrow (broadcast media)
- Bill Harrigan (referee)
- Col Pearce (referee)
- Lionel Morgan (player)
- Les Boyd (player)
- Ben Elias (player)
- Steve Renouf (player)
- Cameron Smith (player)
- Johnathan Thurston (player)
- Billy Slater (player)
- Benji Marshall (player)
- Cooper Cronk (player)
- Greg Inglis (player)
- Sam Burgess (player)
