Not content with comparing sporting champions from different eras, ourbrisbane.com took on the challenge of comparing champions from different eras, sports and genders. Oh, and we even included a horse!
The hotly contested list of nominees caused quite a ruckus around the water cooler, but we finally narrowed it to a very talented top ten. If you dispute any of our choices, or have a nominee of your own, then let us know by leaving a comment below.
Rod Laver (tennis)
He was born in Rockhampton, but ‘Rocket’ Rod Laver moved to Brisbane as a boy to pursue a tennis career.
The Grand Slam of tennis (simultaneously holding the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles) is considered the ultimate achievement in the sport. It is a feat that only two men have ever achieved, and Laver did it twice (in 1962 and 1969). Many, if not most, consider him to be the greatest male tennis player of all time.
Mick Doohan (motorcycle GP)
Born in Brisbane, Mick Doohan was world champion MotoGP rider for five years in a row (1994–98). During this period, Doohan competed in 70 grand prix and won 44 of them.
In 1999, he suffered a serious injury in qualifying and retired from the sport.
Greg Norman (golf)
Aspley High School’s most famous student, Greg Norman, kicked off his golfing career under the tutelage of Charlie Earp at the Royal Queensland Golf Club at Eagle Farm.
‘The Shark’ was a dominating figure on the world golf scene throughout the 80s and 90s, and spent 331 weeks as the world’s number one player.
Wally Lewis (rugby league)
Brisbane sporting icons don’t come much bigger than Wally Lewis. The boy from Brisbane State High played both rugby codes as a junior, but committed to the 13-a-side game when told that his interest in league would make him ineligible for union.
State of Origin football was where Lewis shone brightest, winning an astonishing eight man of the match awards at this level (the next closest is Andrew Johns with four).
Recognised by many as the greatest player of all time, the ‘Emperor of Lang Park’ was recently named as five-eighth in Australia’s team of the century.
Tracey Wickham (swimming)
Educated at All Hallows’ School in Brisbane, Tracey Wickham set world records in the 400m and 800m freestyle events when she was just 16 years old. Both of these records stood for ten years.
As the reigning World Champion in both events, Wickham boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. In 1982 she won gold in the 400m and 800m events at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, and retired shortly thereafter at the tender age of 20.
Neville Sellwood (horse racing)
Born and raised in Hamilton, Neville Sellwood won all of Australia’s major horse races, including six Derbies in Australia and two Melbourne Cups.
Often referred to as the complete jockey, Sellwood spent considerable time racing overseas, winning races in the United States, Great Britain and France. In 1962 he returned to Europe, winning the English Derby and amassing an astonishing 102 winners in France in one season. In November of that year, he was killed in a race fall at Maison Lafitte racecourse near Paris.
Allan Border (cricket)
Sydney-born, Allan Border moved north and represented Queensland from 1980 to 1996.
Border reluctantly took the reins as captain of the Australian test team following the tearful retirement of Kim Hughes, and steered the side through our lowest ebb in world cricket.
Upon his retirement, Australia was the dominant force in the game and remains as such to this day.
Kieren Perkins (swimming)
Kieren Perkins took up swimming as rehabilitation after running through a plate glass window as a child. He went on to dominate the 1500m freestyle event, winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 1992 and 1996. His victory in 1996 was particularly astonishing, after scraping into the final by 0.24 seconds and swimming from the outside lane.
Many expected Perkins to retire after 1996, but the lure of one last swim in front of a home crowd at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney kept him in the sport. Perkins finished second in Sydney, handing the distance swimming crown to rising superstar Grant Hackett.
Libby Trickett (swimming)
Based at the Fortitude Valley pool, Trickett is the current world record holder for the 50m and 100m freestyle.
In 2007 she won five gold medals at the World Championships, and is one of Australia’s brightest prospects for Beijing.
Vo Rogue (horse racing)
Trained out of a stable at Hendra by larrikin trainer Victory ‘Vic’ Rail, Vo Rogue was Australia’s most popular racehorse in the late 1980s.
His unique racing style, leading races by 10–20 lengths throughout, made him a true personality of the sport. Vo Rogue seemed to save his best performances for Melbourne, where he was afforded hero status.
Like many great Queenslanders, he retired to the Gold Coast, with career earnings of more than $3,000,000.
Find out who was voted Brisbane's greatest sports star in our Best of Brisbane poll.
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For those who grew up watching the Australian cricket team through the 80s being hammered by the West Indies and others and then growing into the power house of cricket, Allan Border would have to be on the list.