Hall of Fame Dinner

[stephenj]

as a self funded retiree i really cant afford that!

[Guest]

Just scored a couple of tickets.

See you carnts there.

yes you will

[Horry]

yes you will

Yeah!!!!!!!!

[Billy Gunn]

Me too thanks to a great Mate !!

[Guest]

Me too thanks to a great Mate !!

Ill second that

[supermario]

The inaugural inductees to the Roosters Hall of Fame

Dally Messenger
Dave Brown
Arthur Beetson
Jack Gibson
Brad Fittler

Congratulations !

[Guest]

What an achievement for Freddy to be named in the Hall of Fame. As a club we have had some great players and to be selected next to the other 3 and one of the greatest coaches ever must be one of his proudest moments.

Its such a great initiative by the club to create this Hall of Fame and i have no doubt that Kevin Hastings, Luke Ricketson and Craig Fitzgibbon will no doubt be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

I cannot wait for Sunday.

[Guest]

Nice. These blokes were the most deserving. Hastings, Ricko & Fitzy next time hopefully.

[supermario]

Nice. These blokes were the most deserving. Hastings, Ricko & Fitzy next time hopefully.

The great thing about this club, there are a pletora of players that are deserving of this honour, both pre war and post war.

it is a great initiative and one that hopefully will continue for a long time to come !

[OMR]

Let us not forget Ron Coote and Fairy Fairfax

[Guest]

[QUOTE=supermario;72247]The great thing about this club, there are a pletora of players that are deserving of this honour, both pre war and post war.

Spot on Supermario. The first inductees richly deserved the honour, but you would have been happy for any of the other nomanees to be included in the first group. Fantastic initiative by the club. I can only imagine how great the night must have been. Freddy was interviewed by Vossy after he was inducted and he was absolutely beaming. Can't wait to hear from the Chookpenners that attended. Bring on Sunday. Easts to win.

[Guest]

Freddy out of cold and into Roosters' hall of fame with four other greats BRAD WALTER
August 6, 2010
ONLY 12 months after being sacked as coach, Brad Fittler was last night officially welcomed back into the Sydney Roosters fold when he became one of five inaugural inductees into the club's hall of fame.

Fittler, who played 217 games for the Roosters between 1996 and 2004, joined Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Jack Gibson and Arthur Beetson as the first group of club greats inducted into the hall of fame at a function at the SCG.

Fittler spent nine seasons at the Bondi Junction-based club as a player and took over as coach in late 2007 after the resignation of Chris Anderson.

But after lifting the team to fourth place in 2008, he was told on July 18 last year that he would be replaced by Brian Smith as the Roosters slumped to the first wooden spoon since 1966.

On the field, he enjoyed more success and led the Roosters to the 2002 premiership - the club's first in 27 years - as well as grand finals in 2000, 2003 and 2004.

Fittler, the former Australian captain and the youngest player to debut for NSW at 18 years and 114 days, played a total of 409 games at both club and representative level - a record that still stands.

Despite his axing as coach, Fittler remains one of the Roosters' favourite sons and the announcement of his induction into the hall of fame was well received at last night's dinner, which was attended by 450 guests, including members of the 1975 premiership-winning team.

Gibson was the coach of that team, which beat St George by a then record 38-0 scoreline in the grand final. Beetson was captain.

Beetson, who did not attend, is one of the code's seven immortals and is often referred to as the best prop Australia has ever seen.

He played 131 games for Easts between 1971 and 1978, captaining the 1974 and 1975 premiership-winning teams, and later coached the club from 1985 to 1988.

Gibson, renowned as the most legendary coach in modern rugby league, is credited for introducing a number of new coaching techniques and applications including video previews, skin-fold testing, introducing the use of weight-training machines and creating an overall program of rehabilitation and fitness conditioning, now referred to as a high-performance unit.

He played 123 games for the Roosters between 1953 and 1961 before making the switch to coaching in 1967.

Messenger was rugby league's first ''star player'' and seen by many as the catalyst for the establishment of the game after controversially converting from rugby union in 1908. His grandson, Cameron Messenger, last night accepted the honour for him.

Brown, who scored a record 38 tries in 1935 when Easts won the premiership and lost only one game, was represented by his sister, Betty Buck.

He played 94 games for the tri-colours between 1930 and 1941 and later coached the club.

Inaugural inductees into the Roosters Hall of Fame:

● Dally Messenger

● Dave Brown

● Jack Gibson

● Arthur Beetson

● Brad Fittler

[redwhiteandbluester]

Great inductees. Those five probably stand out clearly as a top five. Hastings and Fairfax (from recent times, at least) would be next up IMO.

[Guest]

what a great night, a highlight for me was the Great John Peard, legend of a guy, had everyone in stiches.

[Rooster_6]

This had class written all over it, well done to the club and all involved.

We shouldn't feel obliged to induct anyone else for another 5-10 years, it should remain an illustrious group and continue to hold a high credibility.