Meninga thrilled by honour, proud of game
SYDNEY: The decision to elevate three players from the preWorld War 2 era to immortality has only made his elevation to the elite group more illustrious, according to new inductee Mal Meninga.
The NRL unveiled a record five new Immortals on Wednesday night. Meninga and 10time premiership winner with St George Norm Provan were the two traditional inductees.
Also inducted were Dally Messenger, Frank Burge and Dave Brown.
The naming of some of the game’s founding figures came in the first time they were eligible to be named, after the NRL took control of the award from the now defunct Rugby League Week magazine.
And Meninga backed the decision, given the group of 13 men now represents the very best players of the game from its first year in 1908 to the 21st century.
‘‘That was fantastic. That was like a surprise out of the box, the game got that right,’’ Meninga said.
‘‘It was a really good decision. The selection committee had the forethought and were brave enough and courageous enough to do it tonight.
‘‘It was a great time to do it. I was proud of the game when those names appeared.’’
Meninga’s elevation came at the third time of being shortlisted, having previously been overlooked in 2003 and 2012.
The threetime premiership winner with the Canberra Raiders labelled it one of the best things to have happened to him in life, no mean feat considering his record as a player and a coach at both Queensland and Kangaroos level.
‘‘It’s a fantastic feeling, a very humbling experience. I fully understand there are so many players that could be standing in my spot right now,’’ Meninga said.
‘‘It’s one of the best things that’s happened to me personally. As I mentioned I love the game and am very fortunate to stay involved in the game.’’
Provan won a record 10 premierships with the Dragons from 1956, including the final five of those as captaincoach.
The rangy secondrower also played 18 tests for Australia and 25 games for New South Wales in
a career that spanned 15 seasons.
Messenger, Brown and Burge are remembered among the greatest pioneers of the sport in Australia.
Messenger is largely credited with helping its initial growth and popularity after joining from the Australian rugby union team in the founding year of the Sydney competition.
He featured heavily in Eastern Suburbs’ threepeat premiership years of 1911, 1912 and 1913 as a star centre and longrange goalkicker.
Burge is renowned as arguably the game’s greatest attacking forward. He scored 137 tries in 138 matches for Glebe from 1911 to 192. His record of eight tries in a premiership match for Glebe against University in 1920 is unlikely to be matched.
Brown, known as the Bradman of rugby league, still holds the record for the most points in a single game. He scored five tries and 10 goals for a tally of 45 against Canterbury in 1935.