Last week the whole of St George stopped to pay tribute to the late Norm Provan who passed away at age 88.
Provan was a towering figure for the St George Rugby League team in their record run of premiership wins, and in the 18 tests he played for Australia.
There is a push on by Dragons fans to have the grandstand at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah renamed the Norm Provan stand in his honour. This is a great idea and has my complete support. I encourage Georges River Council to get also behind this idea. It is a fitting way to remember one of Rugby League's Immortals.
Norm Provan was a captain, coach, father and grandfather with a commitment to excellence in sport. He led the dragons to 10 of 11 premierships, a feat that will likely never be matched in first class professional sport anywhere in the world.
The famous photo of Provan and Arthur Summons after the 1963 Grand Final remains rugby league's most enduring image, and is recreated in today's NRL trophy. There is irony in the fact that the toughest game in the world is represented by a trophy with two blokes hugging. But that's why we love rugby league and that's why it's great.
He bowed out in 1965 with a win by the Dragons over Souths, in front of 78,000 spectators in the Sydney Cricket Ground, although many more claimed to be there. His career brought enjoyment to St George, Sydney and Australia, delivering a lifetime of memories to thousands of Australians who support the mighty Dragons.
Norm Provan described the qualities he associated with the St George Dragons - the club from Kogarah - as friendship, fair play, ambition and loyalty. Having the grandstand named after Norm Provan will inspire all of us to pursue these qualities in our own lives.