The man, the magazine, the magic: A tribute to Geoff Prenter

The name Geoff Prenter will forever be synonymous with Rugby League Week, the magazine he launched in 1970 that went on to become the game's 'Bible', a must-read for league fans every Wednesday for five decades.

With Prenter today awarded an OAM for his service to print media as a sports journalist, it is timely to reflect on a legendary career that commenced with The Sun in the 1960s and included 11 years as editor of the magazine that commanded a special place in the rugby league landscape.

During Prenter's time at the helm, Rugby League Week generated remarkable circulation figures in excess of 100,000, with its fearless approach proving a huge hit with its loyal audience.

Apart from coverage of the premiership, RLW informed readers of the game in country NSW and Queensland and more remote areas.

It was the first to introduce player ratings, recognising the performance of every player on a weekly basis.

In the final edition of RLW in 2017, the man affectionately known as 'Pinky', said this of his bold move to leave his job at The Sun and take a punt on starting a rugby league newspaper.

"Forty-seven years ago I dreamt a dream. A dream of having my own newspaper devoted entirely to the sport I loved most," Prenter wrote.

"In 1970 I pitted myself against the full financial force and fury of the Fairfax and Murdoch empires. My colleagues at The Sun newspaper said I was crazy to think I could compete against such media luminaries.

"My idea to 'make a go of it' was to produce a newspaper that the players would enjoy. RLW was the players' paper.

I knew that if the players liked it, so, too, would the punters

Geoff Prenter in 2017

How right he was.

When Prenter decided the time was right to move on from RLW, he passed the baton to another giant of the industry, NRL Hall of Fame member Ian Heads.

Heads famously established the Immortals in 1981 and guided RLW's fortunes for seven years before Norman Tasker stepped into the chair for the next 13 years.

Three icons. Three legends of the craft.

As Heads wrote in that final edition of RLW in 2017, Prenter had "bedded down the title as a racy, colourful, expert, controversial and much anticipated weekly event" before Tasker "steered the ship so soundly and intelligently through the stormy waters of the Super League War and its ugly aftermath".

Come 2003 and I was fortunate enough to take over as editor of RLW, the role of a lifetime, and one made all that much easier by the unwavering support of Prenter, Heads and Tasker.

I had nine years as editor of the iconic publication and those three men were only ever a phone call away as I looked to carry on their legacy.

Always forthright and always candid, 'Pinky' returned to RLW as a contributor in later years and was still writing a hard-hitting column when the magazine closed in 2017.

Prenter returned to The Sun in the early 1980s and later held a media liaison role with the NSWRL.

He also had roles as media manager for the World Sevens and was media manager for the ARL during the Super League war before John Brady came on board.

A legendary career that will always be linked to the birth of Rugby League Week has now been recognised with King's Birthday honours and the game doffs it cap to you, 'Pinky'.