Three `Immortals' and seven Test captains were included in the NSW Country rugby league Team of the Century announced at a gala function in Wollongong.

Centre Graeme Langlands, five-eighth Bob Fulton and fullback Clive Churchill all won positions while Immortal-in-waiting and fellow Australian Team of the Century member, halfback Andrew Johns, was also picked in the Country team.

Selection in the 13-man Country side is just reward for Langlands and Fulton who were both relegated to the interchange bench by Queensland's Mal Meninga and Wally Lewis for the Australian team.

Winger Brian Carlson, lock Wally Prigg and hooker Ian Walsh were the other players announced to have also captained Australia.

There are no current NRL players in the team, although Walsh only just out-polled current Newcastle, Country and NSW skipper Danny Buderus when the votes of the eight-man panel were tallied.

However, the team has a modern flavour with Johns, centre Michael Cronin and props Glenn Lazarus and Steve Roach having played in the last 22 years.

Clyde, chosen in the second row after the panel preferred Prigg, a three-time Kangaroo from Newcastle at lock, said he was "deeply honoured" to be in the side.

"Just to be considered among the quality players Country has produced over a century is a huge honour," he said.

"I used to listen to the radio and watch on TV the great players of the late '70s and '80s and obviously had a great attachment to those who had gone to Sydney from the bush. That sparked my great passion for rugby league.

"But at no time did I ever consider I would be among their company in such a line-up as this."

The panel that selected the side comprised celebrated coaches Warren Ryan and Brian Smith, ex-Country coach and Australian skipper Arthur Summons, journalists Barry Toohey and George Piggford, historians David Middleton and Sean Fagan and Rugby League Week deputy editor Phil Mitchell.

Players to miss out include champions such as fullbacks Les Johns, Keith Barnes, Graham Eadie and Garry Jack; five-eighths Laurie Daley, Eric Weissel and Summons; halfbacks Peter Sterling, Steve Mortimer, Ricky Stuart and Tom Raudonikis and front-rowers John Sattler, John O'Neill, Paul Harragon and Craig Young.

Team (1-13): Clive Churchill (Central Newcastle), Brian Carlson (North Newcastle), Michael Cronin (Gerringong), Graeme Langlands (Wollongong), Eddie Lumsden (Kurri Kurri), Bob Fulton (Wests Wollongong), Andrew Johns (Cessnock), Glenn Lazarus (Queanbeyan United), Ian Walsh (Condobolin), Steve Roach (West Wollongong), Herb Narvo (North Newcastle), Bradley Clyde (Belconnen United), Wally Prigg (West Newcastle).

(Note: initial clubs listed)

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