Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century

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The team as painted by Dave Thomas Queensland rugby league team of the century painting by Dave Thomas.jpg
The team as painted by Dave Thomas

The Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century is a hypothetical team comprising the best players who have played for Queensland to form a team for 1909 until 2008. Rugby league in Queensland was initiated in 1909 with the Queensland Rugby Football League competition, which evolved into the Brisbane Rugby Football League in 1922. In 1988, a national competition encompassing all Australian states including Queensland meant that the Brisbane Rugby Football League competition became a second tier to the national competition. Today, three Queensland clubs participate in the national competition while two formerly did so.

Contents

The team was announced at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 10 June 2008, ahead of the second State of Origin game in Brisbane. [1] The players eligible for the team are players originally from Queensland and even though some players went to New South Wales and played for them under residential selection rules, these players could be chosen under their place of origin. The team was picked by a team of six judges in 2008 from a list of 100 nominated players. [2] The judges were former administrator Kevin Brasch, former Queensland halfback Cyril Connell, writer Ian Heads, historian Professor Max Howell, commentator John McCoy and historian Greg Shannon. [3]

The team

No.NamePosition [A] Clubs [B] Queensland [C] Australia [D] Source
1. Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer (5 September 2003).jpg born
24 March 1977
Fullback Brisbane Broncos 31 matches (1997–2009)
29 State of Origin matches
2 Super League matches
50 matches (1997–2009)
37 Test matches
9 World Cup matches
4 Super League matches
[4] [5]
2. Cecil Aynsley Cecil Aynsley (1924, Sydney).jpg born
1902
died
1975
Wing Brisbane Wests
Starlights, Ipswich
Rochdale Hornets, England
34 matches (1922–1930)
34 regular matches
4 matches (1924–1928)
4 Test matches
[6] [7]
3. Tom Gorman Tom Gorman (1924, Sydney).jpg born
1 June 1901
died
22 June 1978
Centre Toowoomba Past Christian Brothers
Brisbane Christian Brothers
Brisbane Past Christian Brothers
43 matches (1920–1930)
43 regular matches
32 matches (1924–1930)
10 Test matches
22 Tour matches
[8] [9]
4. Mal Meninga Mal Meninga (10 July 2008, Canberra).jpg born
8 July 1960
Centre Brisbane Souths
Canberra Raiders
43 matches (1979–1994)
32 State of Origin matches
11 regular games
46 matches (1982–1994)
33 Test matches
13 World Cup matches
[10] [11]
5. Denis Flannery Denis Flannery (1952, Sydney).jpg born
2 April 1928
died
12 February 2012
Wing Ipswich Brothers 27 matches (1948–1956)
27 regular matches
45 matches (1950–1957)
13 Test matches
2 World Cup matches
30 Tour matches
[12] [13]
6. Wally Lewis (c) Wally Lewis (29 April 2004, Brisbane).jpg born
1 December 1959
Five-eighth Fortitude Valley
Wynnum-Manly
Brisbane Broncos
Gold Coast
40 matches
31 State of Origin matches
9 regular games
35 matches
25 Test matches
9 World Cup matches
1 regular match
[4] [14]
7. Allan Langer Allan Langer (28 July 2009, Sydney).jpg born
30 July 1966
Halfback Ipswich Jets
Brisbane Broncos
38 matches (1987–2002)
34 State of Origin matches

3 Super League match
1 regular match
26 matches (1988–1999)
17 Test matches
7 World Cup matches
1 Super League match
1 regular match
[4] [15]
8. Duncan Hall born
24 August 1925
died
18 January 2011
Prop Brisbane Valleys
Toowoomba Brothers
Home Hill
Brisbane Wests
24 matches (1948–1955)
24 regular matches
69 matches (1948–1955)
22 Test matches
1 World Cup match
46 Tour matches
[16] [17]
9. Noel Kelly born
22 January 1936
died
14 June 2020
Hooker Ipswich Brothers
Ayr
Sydney Wests
Wollongong
7 matches
7 regular matches
81 matches
25 Test matches
3 World Cup matches
53 Tour matches
[18]
10. Peter Madsen Peter Madsen (1935, Brisbane).jpg born
16 September 1901
died
2 February 1979
Prop Toowoomba Valleys
Toowoomba Brothers
Stanthorpe
41 matches (1928–1937)
41 regular matches
51 matches (1929–1936)
9 Test matches
42 Tour matches
[10]
11. Arthur Beetson Arthur Beetson (26 October 2008).jpg born
22 January 1945
died
1 December 2011
Second-row Redcliffe
Balmain
Sydney Easts
Parramatta
3 matches (1980–1981)
1 State of Origin match
2 regular matches
28 matches (1966–1977)
14 Test matches
14 World Cup matches
[19] [20]
12. Brian Davies born
16 May 1930
died
14 November 2012
Second-row Brisbane Brothers
Canterbury-Bankstown
St. George
38 matches (1950–1958)
38 regular matches
33 matches (1951–1958)
33 Test matches
6 World Cup matches
[21] [22]
13. Bob Lindner born
10 November 1962
Lock Brisbane Souths
Wynnum-Manly
Castleford, England
Parramatta Eels
Gold Coast
Western Suburbs Magpies
Illawarra Steelers
Oldham, England
27 matches (1983–1993)
25 State of Origin matches
2 regular matches
24 matches (1986–1993)
15 Test matches
9 World Cup matches
[4] [23]
14. Jimmy Craig Jim Craig Australian Rugby League.jpg born
1895
died
1959
Reserve Balmain
Sydney University
Ipswich Starlights
Sydney Wests
33 matches (1923–1928)
33 regular matches
7 matches (1921–1928)
7 Test matches
[24] [25]
15. Duncan Thompson Duncan Thompson.jpg born
14 March 1895
died
27 May 1980
ReserveIpswich St. Pauls
North Sydney
Toowoomba Valleys
17 matches
17 regular matches
35 matches
9 Test matches
26 Tour matches
[26] [27]
16. Gene Miles born
21 July 1959
Reserve South Townsville
Wynnum-Manly
Brisbane Broncos
27 matches (1982–1989)
20 State of Origin matches
7 regular matches
14 matches (1983–1988)
10 Test matches
4 World Cup matches
[10]
17. Herb Steinohrt Herb Steinohrt (1925, Brisbane).jpg born
21 October 1899
died
27 December 1985
ReserveWarra
Toowoomba Valleys
51 matches (1924–1933)
51 regular matches
9 matches (1928–1932)
9 Test matches
[28] [29]
Coach [E] Wayne Bennett Wayne Bennett (4 October 2006, Brisbane) 2.jpg born
1 January 1950
Toowoomba All Whites
Brisbane Souths
Brisbane Brothers
Canberra Raiders
Brisbane Broncos
St. George Illawarra Dragons
Newcastle Knights
Brisbane Broncos
South Sydney Rabbitohs
24 matches (1986–2003)
as coach
11 wins
1 draw
12 losses
16 matches (1998–2005)
as coach
12 wins
1 draw
3 losses

Notes

A The position the player were chosen in the Team of the Century.
B The Australian clubs/teams the player played for during his career.
C The number of games he played at state level for Queensland during his career.
D The number of games he played at national level for Australia during his career.
E The Clubs, Queensland and Australia columns are in terms of his coaching career, not his playing career.

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References

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  2. Ricketts, Steve (10 June 2008). "Queensland team to be announced". The Courier-Mail . Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  3. Ricketts, Steve (10 June 2008). "Locky named No.1 but Wal's still King". The Courier-Mail . Archived from the original on 2 July 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
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  14. "Wally Lewis – Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
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