Greatest Roo
Team Ever Named

Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer are the only two modern players to make the Greatest Kangaroos touring squad.

The 28-man squad was chosen by a panel of league identities - including journalist and historian Ian Heads, statistician David Middleton and former radio commentator Frank Hyde - as part of the Big League magazine promotion.

Frank Stanton and Don Furner, who coached the only two Kangaroo teams ever to tour undefeated in 1982 and 1986 respectively, were also panelists.

Souths icon Clive Churchill has been named the team's captain. "The Little Master", as he was known, played 34 Tests for Australia between 1948-56 and participated in the 1954 World Cup.

Churchill was Australian captain for the 1950 home series, during which Australia won the Ashes back from Great Britain for the first time in 28 years.

The game's first superstar, Dally Messenger, has also been included.

Acknowledged as the lightning rod that brought many rugby union players over to the formative code, Messenger is the only inclusion to have played rugby league for two countries.

He played seven Tests for Australia in the game's early years of 1908-1910 as well as three for New Zealand in 1908.

John Raper, Reg Gasnier, Norm Provan and Ian Walsh are the players selected from the St George teams from 1956-66 which won 11 consecutive premierships.

Johns said he was thrilled to be placed in similar company as these players.

"This is one of the highlights of my career," he said. "To be chosen in such company from players who have represented Australia over nearly a century is phenomenal."

The 18 living members of the squad will be presented to the crowd before Sunday's National Rugby League grand final between the Sydney Roosters and Penrith.

The squad is:- Backs: Clive Churchill (captain), Darren Lockyer, Harold Horder, Brian Carlson, Ken Irvine, Eric Grothe, Dally Messenger, Dave Brown, Reg Gasnier, Graeme Langlands, Mal Meninga, Bob Fulton,

Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Andrew Johns.

Forwards: Wally Prigg, John Raper, Frank Burge, George Treweeke, Norm Provan, Ron Coote, Bob McCarthy, Ray Stehr, Duncan Hall, Noel Kelly, Arthur Beetson, Ian Walsh, Steve Walters.