The King of Rugby League — Australia's greatest player and the man who single-handedly made State of Origin the most intense rivalry in Australian sport. His extraordinary ability to read defences, create space for teammates and perform under extreme pressure made him the standard against which all Australian halves are measured. Six-time Queensland State of Origin Player of the Series, he defined a golden era for Australian rugby league.
Walter James Lewis was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1959. He is universally regarded as Australia's finest rugby league player. His dominance in State of Origin — leading Queensland through his formative winning era — made him a Queensland icon beyond sport. He was known for his extraordinary skill at five-eighth: vision, passing and the ability to read a defensive line. He was appointed Queensland's first State of Origin captain. He suffered multiple concussions during his career and revealed later in life that he had been diagnosed with focal cortical dysplasia — a brain condition. He was the first player inducted into the Queensland Rugby League Hall of Fame.
State of Origin 8x Queensland
Career Honours
- State of Origin 8x Queensland
- Rugby League World Cup 1975
- Queensland captain record