Rugby League’s 100 greatest players named

Modern day legends Darren Lockyer,
Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Shane
Webcke have joined the likes of Dally Messenger, Harold Horder, John Raper and
Brian Bevan in the official list of Rugby League’s 100 Greatest
players.

Rugby League Centenary Committee
Chairman, Mr Colin Love AM, today
unveiled a list that will spark both memories and debate – and which will form
the basis for selection in the game’s Team of the Century to be announced on
April 17.

The list includes only the absolute
best from each of the game’s eras. It features men who revolutionised Rugby
League, from the finest of the code’s pioneers to Darren Lockyer, the undisputed
star of the present day.

It contains 39 Test or World Cup
captains, 27 Premiership captains, 84 NSW representatives and 30 Queenslanders. 
Included are the game’s highest point scorers, champions from the city and the
bush, representatives from each position on the field and men who captured the
imaginations of countless fans over the first century of League in this
country.

Members of the Australian Rugby
League Hall of Fame Voting College selected the top 100 after a detailed process
that researched the careers of players throughout every era of the game.

Player details and the chance to
have your vote on who will be picked in the Team of the Century are available on www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au

Mr Love said today that the prestige
of being named in the 100 Greatest players of the century was underlined by the
quality of those who narrowly missed out and the difficulties that confronted
the college voters in making their choices.

“To narrow down all the champions of
the past century to just 100 players was an enormous challenge,” Mr Love
said.

“Even a list of 200 wouldn’t have
satisfied the debate that will rage between the eras and that, in many ways, is
the nature of sport.

“What is beyond argument is the
quality of the players who are on this list.

“They are all champions and,
somewhat uniquely, this process has taken the time to look at the contribution
of each individual player in the context of their time in the
game.

“Selection of the players of the
century has brought together the opinions of great players, coaches,
administrators, historians and respected writers of long experience in the
game.”

Among the champions of the game’s
pioneering days are Messenger, Chris McKivat and Sandy Pearce plus 11 of the
world-record breaking Dragons sides of the 50s-60s in Ken Kearney, Harry Bath,
Norm Provan, John Raper, Reg Gasnier, Graeme Langlands, Ian Walsh, Eddie
Lumsden, Brian Clay, Billy Smith and Johnny King.

Players whose most prominent years
were served in England – Albert Rosenfeld, Vic Hey,
Arthur Clues, Brian Bevan and Harry Bath – have also been
recognised.

Australian captain Lockyer is the
only 2008 NRL player on the list, reiterating his standing as today’s
champion.

Harry Wells, the Magpies hero of the
1950s-60s who starred in 21 Tests, summed up the honour players felt in being
chosen:

“I would have played for
nothing.

“The wonderful, lasting mateship I
enjoyed and the chance to play for Australia was more than enough reward
for me.

“But to be chosen among the 100 best
players over a century is the greatest honour I could ever
imagine.”

It was a sentiment shared by
legendary halfback Tom Raudonikis.

“I don’t expect to be anywhere near
being considered in a team of the century,” he
said.

“But I am so honoured and excited to
be in the top 100 you have no idea, it is a massive
privilege.”

A greater honour awaits 17 of these
‘100 Greatest’ – selection in the Australian Team of the Century to be announced
at the Centenary Ball on April 17

A team of 13 players in position,
plus four reserves and a coach, will be hailed as the game’s greatest team of
the last 100 years.

Fans will have the chance to match
the judges’ selections and to win a $20,000 World Cup Travel experience through
the official Centenary website www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au.

The 100
GREATEST

1908-1945: Vic ARMBRUSTER, Jack BEATON, Cec
BLINKHORN, Dave BROWN, Frank BURGE, Joe ‘Chimpy’ BUSCH, Billy CANN, Ted
COURTNEY, Jimmy CRAIG, Les CUBITT, Dan DEMPSEY, Viv FARNSWORTH, Charles ‘Chook’
FRASER, Dan FRAWLEY, Herb GILBERT, Tom GORMAN, Howard HALLETT, Arthur ‘Pony’
HALLOWAY, Vic HEY, Harold HORDER, Chris McKIVAT, Frank McMILLAN, Peter ‘Mick’
MADSEN, Dally MESSENGER, Herb NARVO, Ernie NORMAN, Andy NORVAL, Sid ‘Joe’ PEARCE, Sid
‘Sandy’ PEARCE, Wally PRIGG, Albert ROSENFELD, Ray STEHR, Herb STEINOHRT, Viv
THICKNESSE Duncan THOMPSON, George TREWEEK, Benny WEARING, Eric WEISSEL.  

1946-2007: Keith BARNES, Harry BATH, Arthur
BEETSON, Brian BEVAN, Kerry BOUSTEAD Roy BULL, Brian CARLSON, Clive CHURCHILL,
Brian CLAY, Arthur CLUES, Bradley CLYDE, Ron COOTE, Michael CRONIN, Laurie
DALEY, Brian DAVIES, Graham EADIE, Andrew ETTINGSHAUSEN, Brad FITTLER, Bob
FULTON, Peter GALLAGHER, Reg GASNIER, Eric GROTHE, Duncan HALL, Brian HAMBLY,
Keith HOLMAN, Ken IRVINE, Andrew JOHNS, Les JOHNS, Ken KEARNEY, Noel KELLY,
Brett KENNY, Johnny KING, Terry LAMB, Allan LANGER Graeme LANGLANDS, Glenn
LAZARUS, Wally LEWIS, Darren LOCKYER, Eddie LUMSDEN, Bob McCARTHY, Mal MENINGA,
Gene MILES, Steve MORTIMER, Barry MUIR, John O’NEILL, Kel O’SHEA, Wayne PEARCE,
Ray PRICE, Norm PROVAN,  John RAPER, Tom RAUDONIKIS, Steve ROACH, Steve ROGERS,
John SATTLER, Billy SMITH, Peter STERLING, Arthur SUMMONS, Ken THORNETT, Ian
WALSH, Steve WALTERS, Shane WEBCKE, Harry WELLS,