Andrew Johns and Brad Fitler have been among the first ten inductees into the Sydney Olympic Park Hall of Fame.
Inducted at a gala to mark 25 years since the 2000 Olympics, Fitler and Johns were joined by other iconic Australian sporting names, including Cathy Freeman, Ian Thorpe and John Aloisi, among others.
Venues NSW and Accor Stadium Charman, David Gallop, spoke on how they were celebrating more than just individual brilliance.
“It’s a tribute to the collective effort of the people of NSW and the enduring legacy of a venue that has hosted the world’s biggest events, from the Olympics to World Cups, Grand Finals and concerts by global superstars.” Gallop told the gala.
Johns put on a clinic in the first ever rugby league game at Stadium Australia, a 41-8 win over Manly, which saw him score a try, six goals and a field goal.
‘Joey’ also won the Clive Churchill medal, leading the Newcastle Knights to a famous 30-24 grand final victory at the venue.
Not to mention, the eighth Immortal took out three State of Origin player of the match awards at the stadium across his 23-game Origin career.
As for Fitler, he notched up 336 NRL games across for the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers across his 15-year career, and won a premiership at both clubs.
Fitler also has a strong connection to Stadium Australia, he was the skipper for Australia’s first-ever test match at the stadium, a 20-14 win over New Zealand in the ANZAC test and also captained the NSW Blues to the first-ever State of Origin match at the venue, a 12-8 win.