A Centenary of Greats
A Century of Greats – Rugby League Collectible
The 100 Greatest Players of the Century are the cream of the crop of Australian Rugby League’s first 100 years. Chosen by a select group of former players, coaches, administrators and historians, the 100 Greatest are quite literally the best of the best.
Headed by the seven players who are recognised as the game’s Immortals – Clive Churchill, Johnny Raper, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis and Arthur Beetson and another 29 who hold pride of place in the game’s Hall of Fame.
The NRL has the great honour and privilege to make available this very special release of the greatest 100 players the game has ever seen.
Limited Edition print of only 500.
Facsimile Signature of Rugby League’s first ever superstar Dally Messenger.
$395 Framed RRP + $40P&H. Call for Unframed Price.
Click on thumbnail below to see larger image of “A Centenary of Greats”.
‘A Centenary of Greats’ is a celebration of Rugby League’s 100 Greatest players – a tribute to the legends whose talents, vision and inspiration defined the game’s first 100 years. Chosen by a select group of former players, coaches, administrators and historians on behalf of the Australian Rugby League and the Centenary of Rugby League Committee, the ‘100 Greatest’ are, literally, the best of the best.
The list is headed by Australia’s first Rugby League superstar, Herbert ‘Dally’ Messenger, and the seven players recognised as the game’s ‘Immortals’ – Clive Churchill, John Raper, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis and Arthur Beetson.
Included are 39 Test and World Cup captains, 27 Premiership captains, the game’s highest point scorers, champions from the city and the bush, men who captured the imaginations of countless fans over the first century of League in this country. Those whose most prominent years were served in England – Albert Rosenfeld, Vic Hey, Arthur Clues, Brian Bevan and Harry Bath – have also been recognised.
Only one 2008 NRL player, Brisbane and Australian captain Darren Lockyer, made the list, emphasising his status as today’s premier player. The selection process was designed to give appropriate weighting to all eras of the game’s first century. The 36 Hall of Fame inductees were automatic selections, meaning the selectors were left with 64 places to fill. Of those, 23 were selected from the period 1908-45 and 41 from 1946-2007 making a final count of 38 players from 1908-45 (38 seasons) and 62 from 1946-2007 (62 seasons).
The task of the judges in equating players they had seen live, or on footage in the video era, and those they had only read about was monumental. After all, no one has watched every player over the last 100 years. However, the list includes players who were, without question, champions of their respective eras.
Australia has provided Test jerseys to 749 players in its first 100 seasons of Rugby League. About 1700 players were outstanding enough to have represented New South Wales or Queensland. To be chosen as one of just 100 from those many great players is a prestigious honour in the game’s Centenary year.
