![\"Arthur](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f8c62027d41797d12d5c91963aa017c99d9e1f78.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Arthur Beetson.\u00a0nna\\bgraham<\/p>\n
In the 118-year history of the great game in Australia, there have only been 14 players to have the prestigious name attached to them.<\/p>\n
In that group, early pioneers like Clive Churchill and Dally Messenger sit alongside modern-day heroes Andrew Johns<\/a> and Mal Meninga<\/a>.<\/p>\n As it stands, only one Indigenous player – Arthur Beetson – has been named an Immortal. It\u2019s inevitable that more will be added soon.<\/p>\n TO VOTE FOR THE BEST INDIGENOUS PLAYER OF THE LAST 50 YEARS, CLICK\u00a0HERE<\/a><\/p>\n The most obvious man to join the illustrious group is Johnathan Thurston<\/a>, who many regard as the greatest playmaker of all-time.<\/p>\n There aren\u2019t enough superlatives to explain how good Thurston was, even if his record on both a team and individual basis makes it fairly clear.<\/p>\n During a career that spanned 323 first grade matches, 37 State of Origin<\/a> games and 38 appearances for Australia<\/a>, there was nothing JT didn\u2019t achieve.<\/p>\n He won two premierships – one with the Bulldogs<\/a> as a youngster showing glimpses of his genius from the bench, then a second as the undisputed best player in the game to deliver the Cowboys<\/a> their maiden title in 2015.<\/p>\n The moment he kicked the field-goal to win that game, Ray Warren<\/a> produced an unforgettable piece of commentary that made his destiny clear.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got the field goal, he\u2019s got the premiership. He has gone from a captain to a legend and, probably, rugby league immortality,\u201d Warren said.<\/p>\n Thurston was also a focal point of Queensland\u2019s eight-straight series victories, won a World Cup with the Kangaroos and produced countless clutch moments.<\/p>\n The champion halfback holds the record for most Dally M Medal<\/a> wins with four. Reaching Immortal status feels like a fait accompli. <\/p>\n But digging a little deeper, Thurston isn\u2019t the only Indigenous player who could be bestowed the honour over the coming years or decades.<\/p>\n Greg Inglis<\/a> was a phenomenon and one of the most iconic players ever; Gorden Tallis<\/a> is one of the most feared forwards in history; Laurie Daley<\/a> was a standout at club and Origin level.<\/p>\n There could be an argument made down the track for Alex Johnston<\/a> too, given he is the all-time top try scorer in rugby league history. <\/p>\n Then there\u2019s the question of whether the NRL<\/a> will induct a female player into the group of Immortals, which has not yet been confirmed but is likely to prompt a more robust discussion in the coming years as the women\u2019s game becomes fully professional.<\/p>\n Tamika Upton\u00a0Polly Hanning<\/p>\n![\"Tamika](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/60b031b43264306fd1377d9740ee033b204b8a5c06b7661bc7cbdfb7bf1fb606.gif\")
<\/p>\n