Ron Coote has admitted to giving up hope of ever becoming a rugby league Immortal until ending one of the longest waits of the post-war era to earn the status.
Coote was revealed as the game's 14th Immortal at a gala dinner at the SCG on Wednesday, rewarding him for a career that dominated the 1960s and 1970s.
Coote's selection came ahead of the likes of Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer, Allan Langer, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Ken Irvine.
Coote had long been considered a leading contender to be an Immortal, eligible for all previous appointments.
But he had been narrowly overlooked on each occasion, suggesting the opportunity may have passed him by.
Wednesday night's elevation in many ways rectifies that situation, for one of the game's greatest-ever players.
"I'm a bit taken for words," a tearful Coote said.
"I never thought I would be crying when I was (almost) 80, but I am.
"It's still got to sink in. I am not really fully sure how it all goes.
"Every time they have announced Immortals, I have been passed. I thought this was not going to happen. This time it has come through.
"I wait for things to happen before I sit down and enjoy it. I've enjoyed it, and it's been good."
The rangy lock forward won four premierships with South Sydney between 1967 and 1971, before shifting to Eastern Suburbs and winnings two more in 1974 and 1975.
He was man of the match in the 1971 decider, and is one of only five players to have featured in nine grand finals.
Such was his stature, the great Arthur Beetson once labelled Coote as "the greatest grand-final player in the world".
Coote was judged Australia's best player in the 1970 Ashes and scored 13 tries in 23 Tests for the Kangaroos.
South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters still play off for a trophy in his name, the 79-year-old one of the finest players in the history of both clubs.
But after Wednesday night he can now have the equally significant honour of being one of rugby league's 14 Immortals.
“As a Hall-of-Famer and multiple premiership winner, Ron Coote was already an icon and a legend," ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said.
"Tonight, in becoming an Immortal, he has joined the most elite club in Australian sport.
“Ron was talented, tough and stood tall against the peerless players of his era - fellow Immortals like Johnny Raper and Graeme Langlands."
Coote's appointment came as the NRL officially inducted all of its new Hall of Fame members including Smith, Thurston, Slater, Cooper Cronk and Benji Marshall.
Natalie Dwyer, Katrina Fanning, Tarsha Gale, Veronica White, Karyn Murphy and Tahnee Norris also became the first women's inductees, while Wayne Bennett and Jack Gibson were added as coaches.
RUGBY LEAGUE'S 14 IMMORTALS:
Clive Churchill (1981), Bob Fulton (1981), Reg Gasnier (1981), Johnny Raper (1981), Graeme Langlands (1999), Wally Lewis (1999), Arthur Beetson (2003), Andrew Johns (2012), Dally Messenger (2018), Dave Brown (2018) Frank Burge (2018), Norm Provan (2018), Mal Meninga (2018) and Ron Coote (2024).
