The National Rugby League Hall of Fame was first established as the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2002, before being reestablished in 2018 in its current form. The hall of fame honours the contributions made to the National Rugby League, Australian Rugby League, Super League and New South Wales Rugby League since 1908 by players, referees, media personalities, coaches and administrators.
When relaunched in 2018 there were 100 inductees, while a major expansion in 2024 included a number of players, coaches, referees, and contributors.
Background The Hall of Fame was officially established in 2002, to honour the many past greats of the game, who have played in the New South Wales/Sydney league competition, Australian rugby league competition, Super League competition and the National Rugby League.
The first batch of players were inducted to the hall of fame in 2002 including legends of the sport such as Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper and Wally Lewis. In 2003 another six members were added to the elite club, with six more added in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2007 there were three more inductees: three from pre-1940 and three from post World War II.
There were thirty-five members of the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame up to the end of 2007.
In 2018 the ARL took control of the concept of The Immortals, an accolade till that point administered by Rugby League Week. The ARL clarified the protocols of Immortal induction and the interplay with the Hall of Fame. It was confirmed that Immortals would continue to be inducted rarely & occasionally and would be selected from the overall pool of the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Inductees for the Hall of Fame would occur regularly — perhaps every year —- with six new inductees in 2018. It was also confirmed that the 65 members of the NRL's Team of the Century (selected during the 2008 century celebrations) who were not in the Hall of Fame as at 2007, were all to be entered to the Hall of Fame. Effectively 65 players who had been selected for honour in 2008 were added to the Hall of Fame in March 2018; with a further new six added in July 2018.
Further expansion of the criteria for inclusion have been established since 2023, with categories for coaches, referees, and contributors.
Selection process Categories Player Individuals who have competed in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia and achieved outstanding feats on and off the field throughout a professional playing career.
Coach People who have coached in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia and consistently achieved outstanding results throughout a professional coaching career.
Referee People who have officiated in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia and displayed fairness and integrity consistently throughout a career as a match official.
Contributor People who have contributed significantly to the growth, popularity and prosperity of the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia.
Eligibility criteria
Player Individual must have competed in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia Individual must have played the majority of their elite rugby league career in Australia Individual must be retired three years from competing in a professional sporting competition
Coach Individual must have coached at a first-grade level in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia Individual may be nominated and inducted at any stage of professional or post-career
Referee Individual must have officiated at a first-grade level in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia Individual must be retired three years from officiating in the elite rugby league competition in Australia
Contributor Individual must have contributed significantly to the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia in fields other than Player, Coach or Referee. Individual may be nominated and inducted at any stage of professional or post-career
Metrics of Excellence The Metrics of Excellence, or simply Metrics, is a tailored weighting system applied to specific accolades and areas of achievement at the elite level of the game (i.e. Premiership games played; State of Origin games played; Dally M Medal; Clive Churchill Medal, Grand Finals played, etc.).
The Metrics application automatically compiles players based on the aggregate of points achieved through their collective career achievements. A purely objective function, the application effectively acts as a filtering mechanism.
Equalisation functions are built into the Metrics application to ensure parity for players from different eras of the game (i.e. Pre-War, Wartime period, Super League, etc.) and competitions (i.e. Brisbane Rugby League, Country Rugby League, etc.)
Voting process – player Metrics of Excellence applied to all individuals that have competed in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia from 1908 through to the designated qualification year Complete list of qualified players recompiled based on Metrics results. Top 100 players to achieve the highest aggregate of points through the Metrics process, extracted from complete list and populated on to the Hall of Fame Provisional Ballot. Provisional Ballot advanced to Screening Committee for screening process. Top 25 players selected via screening process populated on to the Hall of Fame Final Ballot. Final Ballot advanced to Voting College for final selection.
Screening process Provisional Ballot presented to the Screening Committee for initial evaluation. Screening Committee to reduce the Provisional Ballot to 50 by the end of the first deliberation stage. Screening Committee then tasked with reducing the list from 50 to the final 25 players by the conclusion of the second deliberation stage. Final Ballot (25) confirmed and documented by the Awards Sub-Committee. +Screening Process - Hall of FameComponentOutputScreeningOverview and BriefingProvisional BallotPresentation of Provisional Ballot ListDeliberation Stage 1Provisional Ballot reduced to 50Intermission and ReviewDiscussion PointsKey Discussion Points tabled for 50Deliberation Stage 250 Nominated reduced to final 25ReviewAwards Sub-Committee to finalise Final Ballot (25)
Induction determinant Individuals that achieve an aggregate of 10% or greater of the total points available (375) will qualify for induction into the NRL Hall of Fame. +ComponentPointsDescriptionNominees25Final BallotJudges25Voting CollegePoints Per Judge5Top Selection4Second Selection3Third Selection2Fourth Selection1Fifth & Final SelectionTotal Points Per Judge15Individual Aggregate Total Points Available375Total AggregateTotal Points Required for Inclusion38+10% of Total Votes
Induction parameters
Player Minimum two inductions – Maximum four inductions per annual cycle In the event players, outside of the top four tally the same number of votes as those within the top four – a countback mechanism will be executed to determine who received the higher number of five point votes, four point votes, three point votes, etc.
Coach & Referee Minimum of one induction – Maximum two inductions per four-year cycle
Contributor Minimum of one induction – Maximum three inductions per two-year cycle
Hall of Fame inductees
Players Men's players +Key to listNamed as an Immortal InducteeActiveAchievementsInducted11908–19162× Kangaroo Tours (1908–1909, 1911–1912) 3× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1908–1909, 1914)200821908–19242× Kangaroo Tours (1908–1909, 1911–1912)20083 1907–1917Kangaroo Tour (1908–1909) Australian Captain (3 Tests)
2× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1908–1909)
Australian Rugby League Team of the Century (2008)
New South Wales Team of the Century (2008)
No. 4 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)
Most Points in an Interstate Match (32)200341907–19222× Kangaroo Tours (1908–1909, 1921–1922)
3× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1911–1913)
New South Wales Team of the Century (2008)
No. 43 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)200651908–1924Kangaroo Tour (1908–1909)
5× RFL Championship Winner (1911–1915)
2× Challenge Cup Winner (1913, 1915)
No. 64 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)
All-Time Record for Most Tries in a Season (80) (1913–1914)200861908–19212× Kangaroo Tours (1908–1909, 1911–1912)
Australian Captain (3 Tests)
7× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1912–1913, 1915–1917, 1919–1920)
No. 60 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)200771908–19152× Kangaroo Tours (1908–1909, 1911–1912)
3× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1911–1913)200881908–1924Kangaroo Tour (1911–1912)
3× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1909, 1914, 1918)
No. 40 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)200891910–1917Kangaroo Tour (1911–1912)
Kangaroo Tour Captain (1911–1912)
Australian Captain (3 Tests)
No. 42 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2005101910–1921Kangaroo Tour (1911–1912)
NSWRL Premiership Winner (1910)
No. 84 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008111910–19272× Kangaroo Tours (1911–1912, 1921–1922)
Australian Captain (3 Tests)
6× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1915–1917, 1919–1920, 1924)
No. 51 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)200612 1911–1927Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
Australian Rugby League Team of the Century (2008)
New South Wales Team of the Century (2008)
No. 17 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)
NSWRL Record for Most Tries in a Match (8)2004131911–1922Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
Kangaroo Tour Captain (1921–1922)
No. 94 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008141911–1921Kangaroo Tour (1911–1912)
Australian Captain (2 Tests)
Challenge Cup Winner (1914)
No. 70 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008151912–1926Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
4× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1914, 1918, 1921–1922)
No. 12 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2004161914–1924Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
2× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1921–1922)
No. 44 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008171911–1925Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
2× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1921–1922)
Queensland Team of the Century (2008)
No. 10 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2005181915–1930Kangaroo Tour (1921–1922)
Australian Captain (3 Tests)
6× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1915–1917, 1919–1920, 1930)
Queensland Team of the Century (2008)
No. 34 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2005191921–1935Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
Australian Captain (2 Tests)
2× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1929–1930)
No. 76 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008201921–19337× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1925–1929, 1931–1932)
No. 88 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008211920–1930Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
Kangaroo Tour Captain (1929–1930)
Australian Captain (7 Tests)
BRL Premiership Winner (1926)
Queensland Team of the Century (2008)2007221926–1935Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
BRL Premiership Winner (1927)
No. 85 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008231921–1939Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
No. 32 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008241922–19342× Kangaroo Tours (1929–1930, 1933–1934)2008251919–1938Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
Australian Captain (3 Tests)
Queensland Team of the Century (2008)
No. 56 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008261921–19372× Kangaroo Tours (1929–1930, 1933–1934)
Australian Captain (1 Test)
Queensland Team of the Century (2008)
No. 61 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008271926–1934Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
6× NSWRL Premiership Winner (1926–1929, 1931–1932)
No. 35 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2006281926–1936Kangaroo Tour (1929–1930)
No. 20 In Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992)2008291927–19382× Kangaroo Tours (1929–1930, 1933–1934)
Australian Captain (7 Tests)
New South Wales Team of the Century (2008)
NSW Country Team of the Century (2008)