Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Frank Burge, Mal Meninga and Norm Provan were added to the NRL's most exclusive club — the Immortals — in a shock move on Wednesday night.
The ceremony was originally tipped to announce two players from opposite sides of rubgy league history from a list of10 nominees.
The first three players were leaked midway through the live television broadcast, leading fans to believe post-war players were given the cold shoulder.
The NRL announced later in the proceedings that Meninga and Provan had become the 12th and 13th Immortals.
Messenger, widely acclaimed as one of the most important men in the sport's history, joins Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson and Andrew Johns alongside Brown and Burge.
Brilliant. All 3 pre world war 2 nominees are now immortals. Well done. Herbert Dally Messenger, Dave Brown & Frank Burge. Great move @NRL@Todd_Greenberg
