Zorba's Zone: Joey for Immortals

As someone who was there at the start of the Immortals concept, I love all the debate surrounding who should be the next inductee.

Andrew Johns, Mal Meninga, Norm Provan and Ron Coote have all been thrown up as contenders and I wouldn't have a problem if any one of them was crowned an Immortal in grand final week.

'Sticks' Provan was a wonderful second-rower who played in 10 of St George's 11 consecutive grand final wins in the 1950s and 60s, captain-coaching them to four of those premierships.

Ron Coote came along a little later and was the closest thing I saw to the great Johnny Raper as far as lock forwards were concerned.

He was a great attacking backrower but also made cover defence an artform.

Mal Meninga was this big, menacing ball of muscle when I first clapped eyes on him but he had speed and skill as well.

Mal went on four Kangaroo tours, which is phenomenal in itself, and played in premiership and Origin-winning sides throughout his career.

And then there's Joey.

I had not seen a halfback like him before and doubt I will again in my lifetime.

The Newcastle No.7 could do it all - kick, pass, run, tackle.

I saw him drag some (at times) ordinary Knights teams to victory single handedly.

Average players were made to look like superstars thanks to Joey's genius.

I know some people have a problem with Johns because of his off-field dramas but the Immortals was - and continues to be - all about a player's ability ON the field.

So with all the evidence in front of me - plus a pretty good rugby league memory - I can't go past Andrew Johns as the next Immortal.

I expect him to join Raper, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Graeme Langlands, Clive Churchill, Wally Lewis and Artie Beetson on the list of rugby league's elite.

I just hope they reintroduce the commemorative port when they announce the next member because my supply is running dry.

I was working at Rugby League Week in 1981 when we came up with the Immortals concept, never dreaming it would become as big as it has.

We managed to get Fulton, Gasnier, Langlands and Churchill together for a picture on the SCG on one of those glorious Sydney days.

They were all given a four-pack of port with their faces on the front and career records on the back and we went on to flog a fair few of those through the magazine.

A few mates downed the last of my Bobby Fulton bottle so I could do with a re-fill.

Anyway, the booze can wait because I've got to tip you into some round 16 winners.

I like the Broncos, Dragons, Cowboys, Eels, Storm, Sea Eagles, Tigers.