Two of New Zealand’s greatest ever players – Stacey Jones and Ruben Wiki – will join Danny Buderus and Craig Young as the latest to enter the NRL Hall of Fame.
The governing body on Monday announced the four former champion players would be formally inducted at a ceremony in Sydney on Wednesday night.
They were selected by a panel of 24 judges.
“Our … inductees will stand proudly alongside the 106 players who they will join in the Hall of Fame,” NRL boss Todd Greenberg said.
“These are some of the best players of their generations, and they will now join the best of the best.
“They each dominated their respective eras and commanded enormous respect. They still do.”
Mark Graham became the first Kiwi to be recognised for his playing achievements when he was among six entrants last year.
However Jones and Wiki, who are both included in New Zealand’s team of the century, are arguably more well-known than the former Kiwis captain.
Jones is largely remembered as the country’s best playmaker, scoring 160 points in 46 Tests for the Kiwis, and leading Auckland to their first grand final in 2002.
He played 261 games for the Warriors before retiring in 2009.
Wiki is regarded as one of the toughest players of his era, beginning in the centres in Canberra before transitioning into front-row.
He was part of the Raiders’ premiership triumph in 1994, playing the majority of his 311 games in the nation’s capital before playing four seasons with the Warriors.
His 55 Tests is still the record for most games for New Zealand.
Both Jones and Wiki remain involved with the Warriors to this day.
Buderus is a Newcastle legend who was part of the club’s famous 2001 premiership alongside eighth Immortal Andrew Johns.
He played 257 NRL games for the Knights, 24 Tests for Australia and 21 Origins for NSW, where he remains a part of the coaching set-up with Brad Fittler.
Young played 234 games for St George between 1977-88, and was a key part of their historic grand final replay in his rookie season.
He won a second premiership with the club two years later, before going on to coach the side for two seasons in 1989-90 without success.
Young also played 20 Tests for Australia and five Origins for NSW, while his son Dean also won a title with the St George-Illawarra Dragons joint venture in 2010.
