The Bye Round With James Graham PART 3 | James Graham & Peter Sterling Rank The 99 Greatest Players Of The NRL Era - 50-26
Sep 22, 2026
Peter Sterling, Australian rugby league Immortal, former Parramatta and NSW halfback, joins James Graham to debate the NRL era’s greats ranked 50 to 26. They tackle Reece Walsh’s controversial placement, Benji Marshall’s influence, Alex Johnston’s try-scoring feats, elite middle forwards, immortal status, and the legacies of players from Jared Hayne to Cameron Munster.
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Three Finals Games Cannot Define A Career
- James Graham ranked Reece Walsh 50th because three extraordinary finals performances demonstrated a uniquely high peak.
- Peter Sterling rejected that placement, arguing a career ranking requires sustained excellence rather than brilliance across only three games.
The Tackle That Defined Craig Fitzgibbon
- Peter Sterling remembered Craig Fitzgibbon sprinting roughly 100 metres to make a try-saving tackle from a scrum.
- That extraordinary effort captured Fitzgibbon’s desire and convinced Sterling he was built for a long, successful career.
Dale Finucane Made Reserve Grade Look Elite
- James Graham described Dale Finucane and Josh Jackson dominating reserve-grade scrimmages so impressively that they looked like England’s best players.
- Finucane’s relentless commitment included rattling George Burgess before insisting he could keep defending despite being unable to see.