John Lang

Brisbane Easts legend John Lang was one of Australia's finest hookers in the 1970s, playing eight Tests and making two trips to Britain and France with the Kangaroos, while also playing 23 matches for Queensland.

When he was talked out of retirement to play with Sydney Easts in 1980, he represented New South Wales, and was selected for Australia's mid-season tour of New Zealand, before being an automatic selection as Queensland hooker for the inaugural State of Origin match.

Later in the year he featured in the Sydney grand final, with Easts losing 18-4 to Canterbury-Bankstown at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He still had plenty of football left in him, but chose to return to Brisbane, where he took on the job of coaching his beloved Easts Tigers. As a player, the former Camp Hill High School student won BRL premierships with Easts in 1972, 1977 and 1978.

As a coach, he took the Tigers to premierships in 1983 and 1991, as well as guiding Easts to the State League title in 1983. In 1994, John moved to Cronulla, taking the Sharks to the 1997 Super League grand final, which they lost to the Broncos. That same year he coached the Australian Super League side to a 2-1 series win over Great Britain in England.

John Lang, the best hooker in the game until the emergence of Cameron Smith.

Greg Adermann QRL historian

Lang switched from Cronulla to Penrith in 2002, and coached the Panthers to a memorable grand final victory over the Roosters in 2003, with his son, Martin in the front row. Martin had previously carried on the Lang legacy at Origin level, representing his state between 1998 and 2000.

Lang finished at the Panthers in 2006 and coached South Sydney in 2010 and 2011. He later became a member of the NRL Competition Committee.