True Blues greats Bradley Clyde, Ron Coote, Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Bob McCarthy and Norm Provan have tonight (Monday, 22 May) become the inaugural inductees to the NSWRL Hall of Fame, joining automatic inductees Dally Messenger and the seven Immortals who represented NSW.
The six inductees were revealed at NSWRL’s annual True Blues Dinner at The Star in front of more than 500 Rugby League dignitaries, including ARL Commission Chairman John Grant, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, NSWRL Chairman Dr George Peponis OAM and CEO David Trodden and the Minister for Sport, the Hon Stuart Ayres.
The seven Immortals who have represented NSW - Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, John Raper, Bob Fulton, Graeme Langlands, Arthur Beetson and Andrew Johns – were automatic inductions, along with pre-War (1908-45) NSW representatives, including Messenger, who fit the eligibility criteria.
The eligibility criteria was determined by a selection committee of Dr Peponis, Australian selectors Bob Fulton and Bob McCarthy and journalists Phil Rothfield and Andrew Webster working in conjunction with Rugby League statistician David Middleton.
The qualification for the Hall of Fame is:
(a) The player must have played 10 games or more for New South Wales; or, alternatively, the player must have captained New South Wales; AND
(b) The player must also have played for Australia; AND
(c) The player must also have been retired for at least five seasons.
Click here for full profiles on the members of the NSWRL Hall of Fame.
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