So two new immortals will be inducted this year, as will a few more hall of famers also. Question beckons who should be picked and will any Eels get in. Already in the Hall of Fame from Parramatta are Peter Sterling, Ray Price, Brett Kenny, Eric Grothe, Ken Thornett, Michael Cronin, Vic Hey and Arthur Beetson. No Immortals as of yet.
So let's start with who should be in hall of fame from here on out, doesn't mean this year but in the future an argument can be made. Firstly Nathan Hindmarsh; 330 NRL games, held the record for most tackles in NRL history, 23 tests for Australia, 17 caps for NSW, 2 GF appearances, World cup winner, 5x Dally M Second-rower of the year, 5x Proven Summons medal winner and won Internation forward of the year in 2004. Very deserving of a hall of fame spot in years to come.
Next i will mention is, a bit of a touchy one but if things go well with re-trial, Jarryd Hayne; Two Dally M's, 214 NRL games, 121 tries, 11 tests for Australia and 23 caps for NSW, 2x Dally M fullback of the year, Dally M winger of the year, World Cup winner, Dally M rookie of the year and NRL team of the decade. 2 Dally M's alone put you in the Hall of Fame, despite the issues off the field there is no denying in football terms he deserves a place.
A long shot one would be, Nathan Cayless; Youngest ever captain in NRL history, 259 NRL games, 39 tests for New Zealand, captained them to a World Cup win, Top 3 most games as a captain in NRL history 217, captained Parramatta to two GF's. Doesn't have the pedigree as others but could be a consideration.
There are other names who played for our club but were prominent for others; Watmough being one, same with Foran. Though perhaps others could list players from early decades. Steve Edge should be one, same with Zipzip man Steve Ella.
As for Immortal; the talk is it'll be Lockyer and Fittler. Two very good choices. However, i think an argument could be made for Kenny. Others say what about Sterling over Kenny, but you talk to people the way Bert played was revolutionary, even those who played against him say he was the best played they ever played against. Lockyer did transform the Five-Eighth postion, but Kenny did it first.
Anyway, discuss who should be the next inclusions
Replies
Immortal - Kenny over Lockyer or Fittler. He was 10 times the 5/8 they were.
Hall of fame - Hindy.
Hall of shame - BA for impersonating a 1st grade coach.
Sorry. Thought I would get that last one in before anyone else could.
Well Brian Smith should be in consideration as Hall of Fame coach, but i tell you now if BA wins a title at Parramatta he should be considered.
If you win a GF as a coach i reckon you should be automatically put in there even if there are some who seem not so good. like Hagen who won in year 1 with Newcastle and didn't do alot since though had a nice career. Stuart won in year 1 with Sydney City but then made a GF with Canberra and 2 more with the Roosters so i believe that is hall of fame worthy.
Nice Blog LB. 100% agree, I always thought Brett Kenny should be an Immortal just pippping out Sterlo and Pricey.
Sterling and Price would not feel out of place either, but Kenny was i feel overlooked due to Wally Lewis playing 6 also, but Kenny being picked at centre for Australia proved that no matter where it was Kenny was too good a player to leave out of any rep team.
A family friend of mine played against Kenny in school so like 16's/17's. He was a 6 also, and the coach said to him look out for this Kenny kid, his reaction was "well i will focus on what i need to do, he can worry about me" then said he could not believe the game he had, Kenny tore them apart by himself. Quick, elusive and unstoppable, said he was the best he had ever watch and played against, he is a St. George fan too. Touch footy also, my dad played against him and scored 6 tries in one half then went off to rest lol. What a legend.
Kenny hands down
Wally Lewis is an immortal and I would argue Kenny outplayed him most times they went up against each other in origin no matter how the Queensland media would spin it.
It would be interesting to see if wally thought Burt was deserving of immorality
Sorry Jason but if immorality comes into it.....Hayne should be added in now in case he gets a win in his third trial.
In the interim Wally does rate Brett Kenny the most difficult player he ever played against. Just one thing in LB's summation, Wally did not force Kenny out of the 5/8 spot, it was the other way round. When Kenny moved into the centres and Wally back to 5/8 the side was no weaker because Kenny was equally a great centre, Kenny and Steve Ella regularly swapped during a game and Ella was named at 5/8 on a number of occasions.
Wally was a deserving recipient of being named an immortal and equally so should Kenny, all you need to do is get the media to run a campaign that the Origin Trophy is worthy of being named after two immortals who are engraved on same. Kenny did win 4 GF's and the Golden Boot and player of the final at Wembly against his mate.......when you think of it, what else does a man have to do, to be an immortal.......he is ahead of Fitler from a NSW point of view.....it is inevitable that Lockyer, Thurston and Cam Smith will be future imortals........personally having seen Langlands, Meninga and Provan I have no doubt that Kenny was ahead of them and if Ken Thornett had a longer career, he was a mature player when he came to league in Australia he could also have been an immortal. I have no doubt he was also ahead of Langlands.....always remember Langlands was second choice fullback when Thornett was at his top......Langlands and Raper chaired Thornett off the field in his last game for Parra, Langlands and Raper was playing in the Red V.....can you imagine another teams two greatest players (both immortals) being the guys carrying Thornett up on their shoulders in a game today?
True Poppa, more so was saying due to Lewis being there more so Kenny was put at centre, had Lewis not been there no doubt Kenny would have been at 6 but he was a world class centre also, showing what a natural footballer he was.
Great blog LB, definitely Hindy for Hall of Fame.
If we are looking at a back for the next Immortal then hands down it should be Kenny over Lockyer or Fittler. Sterling, Daley, or Glenn Lazarus would also be ahead of those guys for mine.
It wouldn't surprise me to see Beetson get the nod, kills two birds...it's well deserved and woke at the same time... pleases everybody!
Hayne is also deserving of hall of fame but I'd bet my left one that won't happen this year!!
LB just a quick question. Did you ever see Sterlo play, live at a ground or on tv at time of playing etc.
The man was a genius and had the ball on a string, leading the team around the park for 4 premierships. Sterlo should be in every conversation about immortals.
Furthur did you watch Kenny play, he bested Wally Lewis more times then not on football ability. Kenny was so gifted, much more so then Wally Lewis. If Kenny was a Q'lander he would of been an immortal already.
That last sentence is true. Price and Sterling maybe as well.
Archie, I think Beetson is already an immortal?
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next