Wally Lewis

Wally Lewis transitioned from one of rugby league’s dominant players and captains to a respected sports presenter, embodying enduring leadership and influence. After making an immediate impact by scoring three tries in his senior debut for the Valleys Diehards in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1978, Wally Lewis went on to lead the Valleys to a premiership victory in 1979. He also gained early international experience with a short stint at Wakefield Trinity in England during the 1983-1984 season. Lewis’s command of the game was evident from his State of Origin debut in 1980, a series that defined an era of Queensland dominance and earned him the moniker ‘The King.’ Lewis captained Queensland for an extraordinary ten years, securing numerous victories and eight man-of-the-match awards in the State of Origin series.

He received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, was recognized as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland in 2009, and earned a Queensland Greats Award in 2011. In 2016, he was honored as a Legend of Australian Sport at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. A bronze statue at Lang Park stands as a permanent testament to his unparalleled career and lasting influence on the sport.