Last updated at 11:44, Thursday, 12 July 2012

I WASN’T privileged to see Gus Risman play but he is acknowledged to be one of the greatest to grace the game of rugby league.

Which is why the late lamented Augustus John is on the short list of five legends vying to be immortalised in bronze as one of only two Wembley statutes to celebrate the stadium’s association with sport.

He’s in contention with Risman to stand beside the late Bobby Moore are Billy Boston, Eric Ashton, Martin Offiah and Alex Murphy – or there could be a compromise, a group statue because how on earth do you choose one from five icons.

Just look at who failed to make the short-list from the original nominations: the likes of Ellery Hanley, Shaun Edwards, Neil Fox, Clive Sullivan, Jim Sullivan and Barrow’s Willie Horne.

Making the cut means having left an indelible mark on the old Wembley turf – Boston, Risman, Ashton, Offiah and Murphy certainly have – but you won’t please all the people all the time.

A massive pubic vote has left us with this Famous Five. There’s still a chance to have your say before the RFL Board make the final decision on July 27.

The universally popular Billy Boston was the choice I made months ago, just ahead of Alex Murphy – on the basis that I was privileged to see them play but it wouldn’t bother me if it went to Ashton, Offiah or Risman.

Gus was Welsh but he will always be a son of Workington. Speak his name today among the older generation of Town fans and you receive attention and due reverence.

A living legend for his deeds with Salford and Great Britain long before he came to Workington supposedly in the twilight of his illustrious career, Gus not only led his beloved Workington to the League Championship in 1951 but Challenge Cup triumph on the hallowed turf the following year. He became the oldest ever Challenge Cup winner at the ripe old age of 41.

So if it’s Gus – already a member of Rugby League’s Hall of Fame – it will be great for an awful lot of folk, particularly in West Cumbria, Wales and down Salford way. His Hall of Fame eulogises “Risman was an artist, a personality and, withal, an athletic genius.”

My one regret is that Tom Van Vollenhoven, who is also in the very select Hall of Fame along with the ‘discarded Hanley’, has failed to make the short list.

For me, Tom Van vies with Martin ‘Chariots of Fire’ for scoring the greatest ever Wembley Cup final try and the flying Springbok is probably the finest classical wingman I’ve seen. I’d have Boston on the other wing!

The aim is to have the statue cast and up in time for next year’s RL World Cup and unveiled at the Wembley semi-final double header in the November.

On the subject, while sad to see Kiwi Sonny Bill Williams turn his back on the All Blacks, many will rejoice in his return to Australian rugby league next year.SBW is a modern day superstar - and, boy, if he turns out for New Zealand’s RL side in the World Cup what a box office boost it will be.Sonny Bill is also New Zealand’s heavyweight boxing champ - he certainly packs punch and power on the rugby field. Is he rugby’s best player of either code? - more on this later.

First published at 11:09, Thursday, 12 July 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk