Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century

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.

The team as painted by Dave Thomas

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 born
24 March 1977
FullbackBrisbane Broncos31 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 born
1902
died
1975
WingBrisbane 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 born
1 June 1901
died
22 June 1978
CentreToowoomba 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 born
8 July 1960
CentreBrisbane 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 born
2 April 1928
died
12 February 2012
WingIpswich Brothers27 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) born
1 December 1959
Five-eighthFortitude 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 born
30 July 1966
HalfbackIpswich 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 Hallborn
24 August 1925
died
18 January 2011
PropBrisbane 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 Kellyborn
22 January 1936
died
14 June 2020
HookerIpswich 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 born
16 September 1901
died
2 February 1979
PropToowoomba 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 born
22 January 1945
died
1 December 2011
Second-rowRedcliffe
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 Daviesborn
16 May 1930
died
14 November 2012
Second-rowBrisbane 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 Lindnerborn
10 November 1962
LockBrisbane 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 born
1895
died
1959
ReserveBalmain
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 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 Milesborn
21 July 1959
ReserveSouth 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 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 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

[Redcliffe Dolphins]

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.

References