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The dusty archives of the defunct Rugby League Week magazine have revealed the long-forgotten stunning fact that the first four Immortals of 1981 were ranked, and at the top of the list was John Raper.

NRL.com received a tip-off about the Immortals being initially placed in order and contacted Ian Heads, the former editor of RLW and league historian, to determine whether there was any substance to it.

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Acknowledgement of Country

St George Illawarra Dragons respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples, where our games are played, our programs are conducted and in the communities we support.

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