The Greatest League

Sun Herald

Sunday May 7, 2006

By ROBERT DILLON

SEVENTEEN internationals, seven Australian captains, one Immortal and another who will soon have that honour bestowed upon him.

Best of luck to the opposition.

This team of Newcastle and Hunter rugby league legends was chosen for The Sun-Herald by five judges who thought long and hard about their selections - yet still felt misgivings about the players who missed out.

Our team is guaranteed to spark debate from Merewether to Merriwa.

Players were eligible if they kicked off their careers in the Hunter or represented the region at some stage.

The selection panel comprised men with expert credentials:

* Kangaroos and St George wing legend Eddie Lumsden, who became a NSW and Australian selector after his playing days had finished;

* Supercoach Warren Ryan, who grew up in Newcastle and returned to coach the Knights after hugely successful stints with Newtown, Canterbury, Balmain and Wests;

* NRL referees coach Robert Finch, a Maitland boy who won two grand finals with St George and returned to captain-coach the Pumpkin Pickers to a premiership;

* League's premier historian and statistician, David Middleton; and

* Sports journalist George Piggford, who has covered every Newcastle rugby league grand final since 1958.

Selectors unanimously chose five players in the starting side: Clive Churchill as fullback and skipper, Brian Carlson at centre or wing, Andrew Johns at halfback, Wally Prigg at lock and John Sattler as prop. Lumsden, chosen by the other four, did not pick himself.

Former Knights skipper Paul Harragon received four votes as starting prop and another as bench forward, so he packs down with Sattler in a fearsome front row.

Les Johns also received five votes, although four were as a reserve back.

The selection of Prigg - who played 19 Tests and made three Kangaroo tours from 1919 to 1928 - was a mark of respect for his record because none of the selectors saw him play.

"My father and uncles told me about him - he must have been a phenomenal player," Ryan said.

There was much debate about whether Johnny Graves should make the side as a winger, but the most contentious position was five-eighth.

Lumsden chose Kurri's Viv Madge, Finch went with Frank Stanmore, Piggford chose Bobby Banks and Middleton, Matthew Johns. Ryan picked dual international Phil Hawthorne but changed to Les Johns.

"I played against Les Johns when he was playing five-eighth," Ryan said.

Banks pipped Stanmore because he had appeared in three more Tests.

Other controversial selections included Ben Kennedy, who spent five years with the Knights but may still be considered a "blow-in" by some.

Middleton picked current or former Knights Matt Gidley, Adam MacDougall, Matthew and Andrew Johns, Kennedy, Harragon, Steve Simpson, Timana Tahu and Danny Buderus, the current Test hooker.

Buderus was chosen by all except Piggford, who opted for Wests rake Allan Buman and pointed out that it was impossible to compare eras.

"In Buman's day the hooker's main role was to win the ball in scrums," he said.

A bolter for Ryan was former Lakes, Newtown and Canterbury back-rower Mick Pittman.

"He would have been a Kangaroo if they had toured in 1981," Ryan said. "And he would've been a Kangaroo if he'd played for Manly."

Only five Knights made the final cut, which gives some indication of the region's proud history as perhaps the greatest league nursery of all.

Fullback: CLIVE CHURCHILL

(Central Newcastle) captain

The Little Master played in 34 Tests and won four premierships as a player with South Sydney. One of league's original four Immortals.

Winger: NOEL PIDDING

(Maitland)

Prolific point-scorer for St George and Australia, he played in 17 Tests (1948-54), scoring six tries and kicking 53 goals for 126 points.

Centre: BRIAN CARLSON

(North Newcastle)

Played in 17 Tests overa decade (1952-61) and is regarded as one of Australia's finest and most gifted utility backs.

Centre: JOHN COOTES

(Western Suburbs)

A Catholic priest, he played in four Tests (1969-70) and is the only clergyman to have played international football for Australia.

Winger: EDDIE LUMSDEN

(Kurri Kurri)

Joined St George from Kurri in 1957 and went on to play 15 Tests and win nine grand finals with Saints. Became a national selector after he retired.

Five-eighth: BOBBY BANKS

(Central Newcastle)

Played most of his football for Toowoomba in Queensland. His 13 Tests (1953-57) clinched the most contentious spot in this team.

Second row: HERB NARVO

(North Newcastle)

Played four Tests and scored a try in Newtown's 1943 grand final win before moving to St George as captain-coach.Prop: JOHN SATTLER

(Kurri Kurri)

Former Kurri hard man famous for leading South Sydney to victory in the 1970 Sydney grand final with a broken jaw. Played in four Tests.

Hooker: DANNY BUDERUS

(Knights)

Widely regarded as the best hooker to play the game, he has played 23 Tests and captained both NSW and Australia.

Prop: PAUL HARRAGON

(Lakes United, Knights)

Played 17 Tests and 20 Stateof Origins. The Chief captained Australia in a Test and led the Knights to their amazing 1997 grand final victory.

Reserve: LES JOHNS

(South Newcastle)

Made a name for himself at Canterbury-Bankstown, appearing in 14 Tests as a dynamic fullback in an era of great fullbacks.

Reserve: BEN KENNEDY

(Knights)

Signed from Canberra in 2000, he played five seasons for the Knights and starred in their 2001 grand final win. Has played 13 Tests.

Lock: WALLY PRIGG

(Central Newcastle)

None of our selectors saw him play but his record demanded unanimous inclusion. Nineteen Tests (1929-38), three Roo tours, one as captain.

Second row: DON SCHOFIELD

(Cessnock)

Represented Australia at the 1957 World Cup. A Don Schofield Memorial was unveiled at Cessnock Sports Ground in 2000.

Reserve: MARK SARGENT

(Central Charlestown, Knights)

A former captain of the Knights who won the Rothman's Medal and played in four Tests from 1990 to 1992.

Reserve: TERRY PANNOWITZ

(Maitland)

Toured New Zealand in 1965 and regarded as one of the best back-rowers of his era. Often man of the match in Country v City.

Halfback: ANDREW JOHNS(Cessnock and Knights)

Played his 21st and final Test against New Zealand on Friday night. The inspiration behind Newcastle's grand final wins of 1997 and 2001, he is regarded as the best rugby league player of his era and arguably the best ever.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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