Help us choose the next five entrants into our Hall of Fame – class of April, 2020.
For the first time, we will induct a famous game while we add a second legendary team.
Curtis Woodward previews each nominee below.
COACH
Tim Sheens
One of the most successful coaches to ever hold a clipboard. Sheens won three premierships with the Canberra Raiders in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s before leading the unheralded Wests Tigers to a maiden title in 2005. Sheens also coached the Kangaroos and won the World Cup in 2013.
Bill Kelly
A Kiwi centre who toured Australia in 1912 and 1913. Signed with Balmain in 1914 and was then selected for Australia. In 1915, Kelly made Tigers history, winning the club’s first premiership as captain-coach. Kelly also served his adopted country as a soldier in World War I. Known as ‘The Prince of Coaches’, Kelly won another grand final with Balmain in 1939.
Chris Anderson
After an illustrious career as a player in his own right, Anderson went into coaching with his beloved Bulldogs, winning the premiership against the odds in 1995. The Melbourne Storm then announced Anderson as the club’s inaugural coach for the 1998 season. Remarkably, the Storm won the title the very next year. Anderson was also a long-serving Australian coach and also had stints at Cronulla and the Roosters.
PLAYER
Joe Busch
One of the greatest halfbacks to play the game… ‘Chimpy’ Busch played for both Eastern Suburbs and Balmain but spent a large chunk of his career playing in England for Leeds. Busch represented Australia and New South Wales and later became an Australian selector.
Eric Grothe Sr
With his size, speed and brute strength, Eric Grothe Sr gave many opposing wingers nightmares throughout his glittering career. A mainstay of the mighty Parramatta teams of the 1980’s, Grothe donned the Eels jersey 152 times and played for his country 8 times. ‘Guru’ also won 9 caps for New South Wales.
Steve Roach
One of the greatest props to ever play the game. Roach, a Balmain Tigers legend, led the black and gold pack for 12 long years before retiring in 1992. A colossus for the Kangaroos and Blues, Roach played 36 total representative games for Australia and NSW.
TEAM
Maroons 2006-2013
Never has a team dominated State of Origin the way Queensland did between the period of 2006 and 2013. The Maroons won eight straight series and boasted some of the greatest names of the modern era including Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer, Greg Inglis and Cooper Cronk.
Broncos 1992-2000
One of the most devastating club sides to ever play rugby league. The Broncos, under Wayne Bennett, claimed their first premiership in 1992 and it would open the floodgates over the coming years, winning again in 1993, Super League in 1997, 1998 and 2000.
Sea Eagles 1972-1978
The Manly club won four titles in this period including the ’78 replay against the Cronulla Sharks. What made this side’s feats even greater was the fact that they lost the game’s best player Bob Fulton to rivals Eastern Suburbs and still returned to win the 1978 premiership.
GAME
1997 ARL Grand Final
With the game divided straight down the middle, 1997 saw two grand finals played. In the Super League, Brisbane romped home in an easy win over the Sharks with eyes quickly turning to the SFS. Heavyweights Manly were hot favourites but nobody told the fairytale Knights who sealed victory on the siren with the unforgettable try to winger Darren Albert.
1989 NSWRL Grand Final
This was a match for the ages between the Raiders and Tigers. It had everything. Unfortunately for Balmain, they’d come up short again with the unlikeliest of grand final heroes standing up for Canberra in the shape of bench prop Steve Jackson who won the game with a barnstorming try, carrying over helpless Tigers defenders in the process.
2010 Wests Tigers vs Roosters Semi-Final
Wests Tigers fans look away now! This nomination comes from 2010 and a classic semi at the SFS. Wests Tigers appeared to have the game in the bag until a second half Roosters fight back. A clutch field goal from Braith Anasta sent the game into golden point, culminating in a Shaun Kenny-Dowall intercept and a famous Tricolours win.
ADMINISTRATOR
John Quayle
There haven’t been many brighter rugby league minds than that of John Quayle. The first GM of the NSWRL, Quayle would go on to lead some of the most exciting marketing campaigns in footy history.
Alex Burdon
One of the pioneers of the game in Australia. A Dual-International, Burdon was on hand at the very first meeting of the NSWRL in 1907. Glebe’s very first captain 1908, Burdon was a player and selection on the first Kangaroos Tour to England.
Ross Livermore
A giant of the game in Queensland… Livermore spent over 30 years as QRL boss and was a major player in the birth of State of Origin rugby league.
@woodward_curtis
