Apr 26th, 2020

Apr 26th, 2020

Brad Fittler and Darren Lockyer should be rugby league's next Immortals, fellow great and respected commentator Peter Sterling says.

The next possible intake will be in 2022 and Sterling believes that two players should join the existing 13 Immortals.

Fittler is something of a surprise pick - a wonderful player who has never had major hype to enter league's most exclusive club. He retired in 2004.

Lockyer's claims have been slightly overshadowed by the clamour for fellow Queensland heroes Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater to become Immortals, but he compiled a monumental career that can't be denied. He retired in 2011.

Fittler won premierships at two clubs, claimed a Golden Boot, was NSW's most capped State of Origin player and a winning Blues captain. He skippered Australia to two Rugby League World Cup victories.

At his best, the big No.6 was unstoppable, especially with his trademark left-foot step. Fittler has also built a significant post-playing career as a coach and commentator.

Brad Fittler was a Roosters premiership captain in 2002, beating the Warriors in the grand final. (Sydney Morning Herald)

"Freddy, wild child early on but if you look at his CV, it's remarkable; 336 first grade games, more than 30 Origins, 40 games for Australia. He did it all," Sterling told Wide World of Sports host James Bracey.

"And the way that he developed as a leader ... we see it now [post-career]. But as a player, going back for the Roosters and for Penrith, he was a dual premiership player, an unbelievable player for NSW and for Australia.

"And we see him do so much for the game now. He's the current coach of the NSW Origin side and having success there, does a heap of work with charities, does a lot with the pathways system for rugby league as well.

"To me, the influence that he has had on so many people across the game I think elevates him just out of that champion status to [Immortal standard]."

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE IN OUR POLL ON THE NRL ERA'S 10 GREATEST PLAYERS!

Queensland captain Darren Lockyer during Origin II, 2006. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Sterling said that Lockyer's achievements spoke for themselves. He won four premierships, a Clive Churchill Medal, plus Golden Boots at both fullback and five-eighth. He was an iconic Queensland Origin and Kangaroos Test captain.

"When you look at his playing career ... 355 first grade games, all with the Brisbane club, over 30 Origins, 59 Test matches, two-thirds of those as the captain ..." Sterling said.

"He was also a player who was able to be the best in two positions during the course of his career. He actually went from being the fullback to the five-eighth and was the best in the world in both of those positions.

"It's not an easy transition to make, but that's how well he did it. And he's continued to have an influence on the game as a commentator in the media post-career, but also as a part of the Brisbane Broncos set-up in regards to being on their board.

"He's had a huge influence on our game and he was one of those players, if you have a look at the big moments in big games, Darren Lockyer is so often the crunch player in there."

Neither Fittler or Lockyer won the Dally M Medal, the NRL's highest individual honour, though Freddy won the similar Rothmans Medal in 1997; awarded by the ARL in the season that was divided by Super League.

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE IN OUR POLL ON THE NRL ERA'S 10 GREATEST PLAYERS!

Darren Lockyer captained a Broncos NRL premiership in 2006, beating Melbourne in the grand final. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Sterling said that Smith was a guaranteed immortal once his career ended, while Slater was also a leading chance. Both were mainstays of the Melbourne Storm and Queensland dynasties, as well as enjoying immense Test careers.

Smith last season became the first player to notch 400 first grade games. Slater and Smith are considered the finest players ever seen in their positions, fullback and hooker respectively.

"I'd like to be as assured of winning the lottery as I am of Cameron Smith being an Immortal," Sterling said.

"There's no doubt. The influence that he's had on the game for so long now, it's quite remarkable. Still the most influential player in our game and he's 36 years of age.

"And the other guy I think will come into contention is Billy Slater. If we're talking about him being the best fullback that we've ever seen ... Graeme Langlands and Clive Churchill are both Immortals as well, so there's a nice little precedent there for Billy to come in also."

Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith. (Getty)

Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos champion Billy Slater retired after the 2018 season. (Getty)

Sterling said that his main criteria for potential Immortals was an outstanding playing record, impact on their teams and performances in big games. He also said that impact on rugby league post-career should be given some consideration.

He said that in his era, Immortal qualities were best personified by Wally Lewis.

"Wally Lewis was the best of seen at making the difficult look easy at the most crucial stages of games," said Sterling, who himself won four premierships and two Rothmans Medals.

"And that put him above everybody else. He's the best player that I have seen play the game."

'King' Wally Lewis ruled over State of Origin for Queensland. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Sterling said that it was crucial to maintain the Immortals as rugby league's most exclusive club, inducting only the most iconic players.

Current induction guidelines state that there should be a minimum of one new induction per four-year cycle and a maximum of two. Immortals must first be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame, which carries a five-year waiting period post-retirement.

"If the concept is to be what we all want it to be, it has to be about exclusivity. It has to be the most prestigious players in our game," Sterling said.

"We have a host of great, great players, we have a sprinkling of champions, but then there are those that just have that little bit extra that takes them to the next echelon. Not many of them, and that's what we've got to make sure that the right people come in to take over that status.

"I think now that we've added the pre-war players - Frank Burge, Dave Brown and Dally Messenger - Norm Provan has come in as well in the last induction, I think now we can almost do a chronological [induction] from the Andrew Johns era on.

"There might be some stages where we don't name anybody for four years or maybe eight years, because they are four-year cycles, if there isn't the right person to be inducted."

Sterling said that he was not a fan of the current rule that gives players just three chances at nomination for Immortal status; meaning three strikes and you're out.

"To me, you're either an Immortal or you're not, and that's pretty obvious" he said.

The existing Immortals are Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands, Bob Fulton, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson, Andrew Johns, Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Norm Provan and Mal Meninga.

Who are the 10 greatest players of the NRL era (1998-2020)? VOTE IN THE POLL BELOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY!