- Ron Coote has been elevated to Immortal status by the NRL
- The legendary player received the honor on Wednesday night.
- He was selected ahead of Cameron Smith and Darren Lockyer.
Ron Coote has been elevated to Immortal status at the NRL Hall of Fame ceremony in Sydney.
Coote was officially revealed as the latest Immortal at a gala dinner at the SCG on Wednesday, rewarding him for a career that dominated the 1960s and 1970s.
Coote’s selection came ahead of Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer, Allan Langer, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Ken Irvine.
Coote had long been considered a leading candidate to become an Immortal, eligible for all of the above appointments.
But each time, he was narrowly ignored, suggesting he may have missed the opportunity.
But Wednesday night’s promotion in many ways rectifies that situation for one of the greatest players of all time.
“I’m at a loss for words right now,” said an emotional Coote.
‘I never thought I’d be crying when I was 80, but I am.
Ron Coote has been elevated to Immortal status by the NRL
The football legend has had to wait a long time to achieve the status upgrade.
“For me it’s something sensational, I never thought it would happen. I’ve attended this event several times and this time I was given the award… I really appreciate it.”
The lanky forward won four titles with South Sydney between 1967 and 1971, before moving to Eastern Suburbs and winning two more in 1974 and 1975.
He was man of the match in the 1971 final and is one of only five players to have appeared in nine major finals.
“I’ve had a wonderful life. I attribute that to the opportunity I’ve had playing rugby league,” he said.
‘I think it’s the best game in the world.
‘I just want to thank everyone here tonight for all the applause and tell them to keep following rugby league because they will get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from a great game.’
Such was his stature that the great Arthur Beetson once called Coote “the greatest grand final player in the world”.
Coote was considered Australia’s best player in the 1970 Ashes and scored 13 tries in 23 tests for the Kangaroos.
South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters still contest a trophy in his name, the 79-year-old one of the greatest players in the history of both clubs.
But after Wednesday night, he can now hold the equally significant honour of being one of rugby league’s 14 Immortals.
Coote’s appointment came as the NRL officially inducted all of its new Hall of Famers, including Smith, Thurston, Slater, Cooper Cronk and Benji Marshall.
Natalie Dwyer, Katrina Fanning, Tarsha Gale, Veronica White, Karyn Murphy and Tahnee Norris also became the first women inductees, while Wayne Bennett and Jack Gibson were added as coaches.