Definitive and provocative list of state’s greatest athletes

is a passionate state which bleeds maroon and proudly punches well above our weight in international sporting achievement, producing some of the greatest international sportsmen and sportswomen in history. The Courier-Mail, The Sunday Mail and News Corp’s repions gional titles have compiled the definitive and provocative list ranking Queensland’s greatest 100 athletes – including those born and raised in the state as well as imports whose magnificent careers were synonymous with Queensland.

Our 100 Greatest has ignited debate around who really is that No.1 maroon sporting legend of all time and how the achievements of our chamQUEENSLAND compare across a diverse range of sports.

It is also a celebration of the remarkable achievements of Queenslanders on the sporting stage.

Our top-flight panel of experts spent weeks researching and deliberating on the makeup of the final list. They wrestled hard choosing every one of the 100 and their battles over those who finished just outside the list – from 101 to 105 were epic.

Some legendary Maroon sports stars were relegated to the bench.

The top 100 is sure to spark controversy with sports fans across the state as we roll out our winners over the next few days.

The judges selecting Queensland’s greatest were award-winning journalist, author and member of the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame Grantlee Kieza, the doyen of Queensland sports writing and broadcasting Robert Craddock, QSport chief executive Peter Cummiskey, three-time Olympic gold medallist Tracy Stockwell, and trailblazing sports journalist Margie McDonald.

They found it a tough task simply because Queensland has produced so many worldbeaters.

They chose their 100 based on the impact each sports star had on Queensland and their standing against the best in the world.

You might not agree with the choices of our experts but that’s one of the great things about following sport – the loyalty and passion it creates among supporters.