The NRL have confirmed the first Immortal since 2018 will be inducted during a special ceremony on August 21 this year.
2018 saw the mass induction of five figures - Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Mal Meninga, Dally Messenger and Norm Provan.
The five additions at once for the Immortals came as the NRL acknowledged pre-World War II figures for the first time, while Provan and Meninga were also inducted.
Prior to that, Andrew Johns was inducted in 2012, Arthur Beetson in 2003, Wally Lewis and Graeme Langlands in 1999, and in 1981, the first four Immortals in Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier and Johnny Raper.
Alongside the new Immortal, the NRL have also confirmed 25 individuals will be added to the Hall of Fame as follows:
- 11 male players
- 6 female players
- 2 coaches
- 2 referees
- 4 contributors (Print Media, Broadcast Media, Administrator)
The increased numbers for the 2024 Hall of Fame ceremony are due to face only two nominations - one for journalist Ian Heads, and one for former South Sydney Rabbitoh George Piggins who was elected as a contributor based on his leading of the fight to have the Rabbitohs reinstated to the NRL - have been made since 2019 when the last major Hall of Fame ceremony was carried out.
It has also been confirmed that journalist David Morror will be one of the contributors inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
Moving forward, the Hall of Fame will see nominations as follows:
- 2 Male Players be inducted into the Hall of Fame per year
- 1 female player be inducted into the Hall of Fame per year
- 2 coach inductions per four-year cycle
- 2 referee inductions per four-year cycle
- 3 contributor (Print Media, Broadcast Media, Administrator) inductions per four-year cycle
- 1 Immortal induction per four-year cycle
Immortals may only be elected from those already in the Hall of Fame, of which 110 players are currently included.
The likes of Ken Irvine, Ron Coote, Peter Sterling Terry Lamb, Brett Kenny, Allan Langer or Darren Lockyer may be considered among the favourites to be crowned the next Immortal.
Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'Landys said legends of the game will be acknowledged, and that he was pleased the committee came to a unanimous verdict on Morrow's induction to the Hall of Fame.
โThose being acknowledged are legends of the game and their achievements through the course of the game's history will now be honoured in the Hall of Fame forever,โ V'landys said in the statement.
โI'm so pleased that the group were unanimous around the induction of David Morrow. David is a legendary contributor to the game over many decades and has provided colourful and insightful coverage of the game in his own unique style.
โHe has a health battle on his hands and the Committee were steadfast in their view that โThirsty' should be afforded this recognition as soon as possible.โ
