The champions vying to be rugby league’s next Indigenous Immortal

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following content may contain descriptions, images and/or voices of deceased persons. 

There is no higher honour in rugby league than being named an Immortal.

In the 118-year history of the great game in Australia, there have only been 14 players to have the prestigious name attached to them.

In that group, early pioneers like Clive Churchill and Dally Messenger sit alongside modern-day heroes Andrew Johns and Mal Meninga.

As it stands, only one Indigenous player - Arthur Beetson - has been named an Immortal. It’s inevitable that more will be added soon.

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The most obvious man to join the illustrious group is Johnathan Thurston, who many regard as the greatest playmaker of all-time.

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There aren’t enough superlatives to explain how good Thurston was, even if his record on both a team and individual basis makes it fairly clear.

During a career that spanned 323 first grade matches, 37 State of Origin games and 38 appearances for Australia, there was nothing JT didn’t achieve.

He won two premierships - one with the Bulldogs as a youngster showing glimpses of his genius from the bench, then a second as the undisputed best player in the game to deliver the Cowboys their maiden title in 2015.

The moment he kicked the field-goal to win that game, Ray Warren produced an unforgettable piece of commentary that made his destiny clear.

“He’s got the field goal, he’s got the premiership. He has gone from a captain to a legend and, probably, rugby league immortality,” Warren said.

Thurston was also a focal point of Queensland’s eight-straight series victories, won a World Cup with the Kangaroos and produced countless clutch moments.

The champion halfback holds the record for most Dally M Medal wins with four. Reaching Immortal status feels like a fait accompli.

But digging a little deeper, Thurston isn’t the only Indigenous player who could be bestowed the honour over the coming years or decades.

Greg Inglis was a phenomenon and one of the most iconic players ever; Gorden Tallis is one of the most feared forwards in history; Laurie Daley was a standout at club and Origin level.

There could be an argument made down the track for Alex Johnston too, given he is the all-time top try scorer in rugby league history.

Then there’s the question of whether the NRL will induct a female player into the group of Immortals, which has not yet been confirmed but is likely to prompt a more robust discussion in the coming years as the women’s game becomes fully professional.

Tamika Upton would be a logical choice to be bestowed with rugby league’s highest status, given she’s dominated the NRLW era with five premierships and two Dally Ms to date.

Being named an Immortal can’t just be handed out on a whim - but for some of these outstanding Indigenous legends, it’s well within reach.