January 18: Joey's second Golden Boot; JT says he's done
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.
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.
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.
