Harragon, Johns Proud To Be Among Newcastle's Greatest

Sun Herald

Sunday February 10, 2008

By James Gardiner

KNIGHTS premiership-winning captains Paul Harragon and Andrew Johns were humbled to be chosen in the Newcastle Rugby League Team of the Century.

Harragon won a front-row spot and Johns was halfback, but both were overlooked as captain in favour of West lock Wally Prigg.

National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop and his Australian Rugby League counterpart Geoff Carr were among the crowd of more than 500 at Wests leagues club on Friday night to see the team unveiled.

Players had to have played junior and senior league in Newcastle.

Immortal Clive Churchill was the first name announced in a list comprised entirely of internationals.

John Sattler only made it to the bench, while legends Terry Pannowitz and Father John Cootes missed out altogether.

Matthew Gidley (bench) was the other Knight and only active player to make the side. Gidley is playing for St Helens in England and was represented by his father, Geoff.

Six of the eight players still alive were on hand for the presentation.

"To be up here among these players is very humbling," Johns said. "Growing up in the coalfields, Don Schofield was a legend. I remember how big a thrill it was to be coached by one of his sons.

"John Sattler at Kurri Kurri, these are the men you aspired to. I was brought up in a league family and to be included alongside these great players makes me incredibly proud."

Harragon was a member of the Lakes United team which won the final Newcastle Rugby League premiership before the Knights were born in 1988.

"I played in the last year when Newcastle was Newcastle," he said.

"Before then you had to go away [Sydney] to play at the top.

"We were lucky to come through when we did. Other players had to make great sacrifices."

Johns sat beside former Central pivot Bob Banks on stage in what would have been the halves pairing.

"I watched him play every game," Banks said of Johns. "I would have loved to have played alongside him."

The team was dominated by players from the 1930s through to the '60s, a period in which Newcastle produced 40 of its 64 internationals.

West had the largest respresentation with three players. The 17 picked racked up 189 international games.

Tom Gustard was named Referee of the Century.

The team: 1 Clive Churchill (Central), 2 Eddie Lumsden (Kurri Kurri), 3 Ron Bailey (Waratah-Mayfield), 4 Brian Carlson (North), 5 Johnny Graves (Maitland), 6 Bob Banks (Central), 7 Andrew Johns (Cessnock), 8 Paul Harragon (Lakes United), 9 Allan Buman (West), 10 Jim Gibbs (South), 11 Don Schofield (Cessnock), 12 Herb Narvo (North), 13 Wally Prigg (West). Res: 14 John Sattler (Kurri Kurri), 15 Albert Paul (Lakes United), 16 Matthew Gidley (West), 17 Les Johns (South).

© 2008 Sun Herald

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