Wally Lewis has been named the Five-Eighth for the Rugby League Team of the Century.

The final nominations for five-eighth included: Brian Clay, Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Bob Fulton, Vic Hey, Brett Kenny, Terry Lamb, Wally Lewis
Darren lockyer, Ernie Norman, Arthur Summons and Eric Weissel.

Notes on the Five-Eighth of the Century

Wally LEWIS

Clubs: Brisbane Valleys 1978–83; Wakefield Trinity 1983–84; Wynnum-Manly 1984–87; Brisbane Broncos 1988–90; Gold Coast 1991–92
Club landmarks: Won Brisbane premierships with Valleys 1979, Wynnum 1984, 1986
Games for Qld: 38 (1979–91; includes 31 State of Origins 1980–91)
Tests for Australia: 33 (1981–91) — 23 as captain
World Cup matches: One (1988 — as captain)
Representative landmarks: Kangaroo tours 1982, 1986 (captain); World Cup 1988

Lewis embodied State of Origin football. A young lock forward in the inaugural Origin game in 1980, he made 30 appearances as five-eighth and captain between 1981 and 1991, winning eight man-of-the match awards. No one could control a big match like ‘The King’.

Lewis made his Test debut in 1981 and was unchallenged as Australian captain from 1984 to 1989. He also dominated Brisbane club football in the ’80s, with Valleys and then Wynnum-Manly before being the Brisbane Broncos’ first captain then finishing his career on the Gold Coast.