The anger over Penrith players disrespecting the premiership trophy spoke of the lasting admiration for the former St George captain-coach and rugby league Immortal, who has died after a long battle with dementia.
Back in 2012, when a panel of esteemed rugby league minds assembled to cast their votes for the eighth Immortal, the room fell silent as legendary Dragon John Raper rose to extol the virtues of his former captain Norm 'Sticks' Provan.
The man behind one half of the game’s most iconic image played more than 250 matches for the Dragons during one of the most dominant eras in sporting history.