EXCLUSIVE: Why Phil Gould believes Andrew Johns was Immortalised 'too early'
Updated . First published at
Andrew Johns was elevated to Immortal status too early and Ron Coote far too late, Phil Gould believes.
Johns retired from the NRL in 2007 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame and Immortalised only five years later in 2012.
Coote, on the other hand, retired in 1978. He was inducted 30 years later in 2008 and became the 14th Immortal on Wednesday night - 46 years after retiring.
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Gould, who was on the committee for the last batch of Immortals in 2008 but was overlooked for this induction, suggested Coote's feel-good induction was proof waiting longer was better.
Phil Gould believes Andrew Johns was Immortalised too early. Getty
The guidelines surrounding Immortalisation changed earlier this season. Previously, a player must have been retired for five seasons before reaching eligibility, but that was reduced to three.
The change thrust Cameron Smith into favouritism, a sentiment Gould agreed with. However, he said a conversation with Nine's NRL stats guru David Middleton changed his thoughts on when players should be elevated.
"David Middleton, I always find (has) a great barometer when it comes to these things, he's been saying to me ... there's no rush for these things," Gould said.
"I think (Coote's induction) is a great example of what he's talking about there."
Gould said kids who have never heard Coote's name will have spent time looking him up and learning more about his legacy. And for those who were lucky enough to have seen him play, it's another opportunity to reminisce about how far the game has come.
But had Smith been inducted, the same thing wouldn't have happened because most fans alive today watched him. It's the same with Johns.
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Ron Coote became the 14th Immortal on Wednesday night. Getty
"I thought we inducted Andrew a bit too early post-career," Gould said.
"I just thought (if) you'd leave it a bit longer, they'll appreciate it a bit more.
"I've never really spoken to Andrew about it - Andrew was obviously going be an Immortal, but I think the likes of Cam Smith and (Johnathan) Thurston, Darren Lockyer ... I think they'll appreciate it later in their life when their kids are grown up and then they can relive their contribution to the game."
Gould said premature Immortalisation may take some of the shine off the enormity of the honour.
"When they're close to their career, they've got all the accolades. They're getting them all the time. They've won competitions, they've won Player of the Year [awards]. You're just throwing another accolade on top of it," Gould explained.
"I think to be remembered 20 years later, gives it that Immortal status. That's what the Immortal is.
"For a lot of us after our career is over, it's five minutes and everyone's forgotten who you are, but the Immortal is the one that will never be forgotten."
"I think the more distance you leave between their playing career and that award, re-establishes the gravity and profile of their name."
