On this day, 'Raging Bull' Gorden Tallis joins the NRL Board, 'Joey' Johns wins his second Golden Boot and Johnathan Thurston announces he's retiring from rep football.

January 18 is also the anniversary of the passing of two players greatly loved by the rugby league community.

2001

The Australian Rugby League announces that the first Kangaroo tour of Britain, France and Papua New Guinea for seven years has been scheduled for October and November.

2002

Newcastle halfback Andrew Johns is named winner of the prestigious Golden Boot award for the second time, by British magazine Rugby League World.

2005

Retired Brisbane captain Gorden Tallis is appointed to the NRL board. The former Queensland and Australian second-rower replaces John Brass, one of three News Limited appointees on the NRL’s six-man board of directors. "I have never been in a board meeting; I don't really know what to wear," Tallis said.

Former Broncos captain Gorden Tallis ©NRL Photos

2010

Castleford’s Australian-born coach Terry Matterson loses a finger when his wedding ring snags on a wire fence during a bizarre training ground accident in France.

2011

'Team of the Century' prop forward Duncan Hall dies in Brisbane, aged 85.

2013

Cronulla and Parramatta forward Jon Mannah loses his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 23. The Sharks and Eels now honour his memory by playing for the 'Jon Mannah Cup' each year.

Former Sharks and Eels forward Jon Mannah ©NRL Photos

2017

Veteran superstar Johnathan Thurston reveals he will retire from representative football at the close of the 2017 season but will play on with North Queensland for another year.

 

This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.