Every member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame as six new inductees are announced

Ben Olawumi 09 Sep 2024 1:55 PM

Jamie Peacock (left) and Paul Sculthorpe (right) have been selected among the latest inductees to the Rugby League Hall of Fame

Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Peacock and St Helens great Paul Sculthorpe will be among six new stars from years gone by inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame next month.

Set up in 1988, the Hall of Fame recognises the all-time greats of the sport, with players added into it every two years.

To be considered, players must meet the following criteria:

Have an outstanding record of achievement at the highest level
Have a reputation that transcends the player’s respective era
To have made a contribution to the sport that will last as long as rugby league is played
To have have played rugby league in the UK for at least 10 years
To have made their last UK playing appearance at least five years before the date of induction

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Leeds Rhinos legend and St Helens great among six new inductees into the Rugby League Hall of Fame

Alongside Peacock and Sculthorpe, who were named Man of Steel three times between them, late greats James Lomas and Alan Prescott will be inducted in October.

One of the brightest talents in the game following the birth of the Northern Union in 1895, Lomas – who died aged 80 in 1960 – enjoyed a 24-year career which saw him make 535 senior appearances with 304 tries scored and 700 goals kicked.

The outside-back donned the shirts of Bramley, Salford, Oldham and York as well as captaining the Northern Union side in the first-ever international rugby league game in 1904, becoming RL Lion Number 1.

Prescott meanwhile made 404 appearances for St Helens between 1949 and 1960 having started his career with Halifax.

Leading Saints to Wembley glory in the 1956 Challenge Cup final against former club Fax, the 11-time England international – and 28-time Great Britain international – earned the Lance Todd Trophy with a man of the match showing.

The prop died aged 71 in September 1998.

Elsewhere, both Jane Banks and Michelle Land will be inducted next month as the fourth and fifth women in the Hall of Fame.

Capped 19 times by Great Britain, Banks – who played in a number of different positions during an illustrious career – was an integral part of the Ashes-winning Lionesses squad in 1996.

A Wigan St Pats junior, she went on to play for Warrington Ladies, Hindley Pumas, Bradford Thunderbirds and Warrington.

Fellow inductee Land captained Wakefield Panthers for 14 years, with the West Yorkshire outfit the most successful club in women’s rugby league history.

A hooker or half-back, she represented Great Britain on 16 occasions and was the side’s co-captain in the 2000 World Series.

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Every member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame

In 2022, to recognise the increased inclusiveness of the sport with the concurrent running of the men’s, women’s and wheelchair Rugby League World Cups, the RFL and Rugby League Cares agreed to relaunch and reshape the Hall of Fame – including the induction of the first three members of the Women’s Rugby League Hall of Fame.

35 players have now been inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame with the tally to be taken up to 41 when the six new chosen stars are formally inducted at a dinner on Tuesday, October 22.

Below is a full list of the 35 inductees to date with the year they were inducted in brackets: