Ron Coote: From Captain to Immortal in Australian Rugby League

Ron Coote was honored as the 14th 'Immortal' of Australian rugby league, almost five decades after his retirement. The former Kangaroos captain, who won a total of six club championships and three World Cups, received the prestigious accolade at a ceremony in Sydney.

Ron Coote was announced as the 14th 'Immortal' of Australian rugby league on Wednesday, elevating the former Kangaroos captain to the sport's highest echelon 46 years after his retirement. Renowned for his prowess as a rangy lock, Coote had a distinguished club career during the 1960s and 1970s, playing for both the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters. He secured four championships with the former and two with the latter.

Internationally, Coote triumphed in three World Cups with Australia, notably scoring a try in the 1968 final against France and leading the team to victory over Britain in 1970. 'To me it's sort of sensational, I never thought it would happen,' the 79-year-old remarked at the Sydney ceremony, where 17 other players were also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

'I've been at this function several times and this time I got the gong.' The concept of naming 'Immortals' in rugby league was initiated by Rugby League Week magazine in 1981 and subsequently adopted by the Australian Rugby League Commission in 2017. Coote now joins the elite ranks of living 'Immortals' which includes Andrew Johns, Wally Lewis, and Mal Meninga.