Graeme Langlands - Accolades After Retirement

Accolades After Retirement

He retired in 1976 at age 34 after 235 matches (all grades) for St George. He suffered the embarrassment in the 1975 Grand Final loss of a pre game pain-killing injection going wrong, deadening his leg nerves and his ability to play. Though regarded as having played one season too many, he finished his career as one of most respected men to ever play the game. In his retirement year he was awarded a Member of the British Empire, (MBE) medal for his contribution to Rugby League and club life.

In 1985 Rugby League Week nominated an Australian 'Masters' side picking its 13 best players since 1970. Amongst them were eight former Australian captains. Dressing in their Australian strip for a commemorative photo at the Sydney Cricket Ground Langlands was late to take his seat. He arrived to find one spot left – front row, centre seat. These legendary players had spontaneously selected him as their Captain.

In 1999 he and Wally Lewis became the fifth & sixth selected post-war "Immortals" of the Australian game with Churchill, Raper, Gasnier and Fulton. In 2002 he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame.

In February 2008, Langlands was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. Langlands went on to be named as an interchange player in Australian rugby league's Team of the Century. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panel's majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players. In 2008 New South Wales announced their rugby league team of the century also, naming Langlands at centre.