NRL legend Wally Lewis on how he wants to be remembered – as he opens up on father’s dementia battle

NRL great Wally Lewis has revealed how he wants to be remembered by footy fans once he dies: laid to rest in the Queensland jersey he helped make famous.

Lewis isn’t at death’s door but is putting plans in place after watching his father Jim struggle with dementia.

‘The King’ is bracing himself for a similar personal diagnosis, having suffered a number of head knocks during his storied rugby league career.

Tellingly, from the list of 13 rugby league Immortals, just three are still alive. At 63, Lewis is the oldest, ahead of Mal Meninga (62) and Andrew Johns (48).

Rugby league great Wally Lewis (pictured, playing for the Kangaroos) also doesn’t want dementia to be a taboo topic for Australians

Lewis has already spoken with his family – and confirmed he wants to be wearing his Queensland State of Origin jersey (pictured in 1990) when he passes

The likes of Norm Provan and Johnny Raper have passed in recent years – and both suffered from dementia.

It is precisely why Lewis doesn’t want the topic to be taboo, with an estimated 500,000 people living with the disease as of July 2022, according to Dementia Australia.

The all-time great said he and his siblings noticed their father was repeating himself a few years ago.

‘We used to go around there and he’d say ‘how’s Jacqui and the kids?’ And I’d say ‘they’re good, Dad’,’ Lewis told news.com.au.

‘He’d say ‘do you want to watch TV, do you want a cup of tea?’ Then he’d say ‘how’s Jacqui and the kids?’

‘He’d ask me 150 times.’

Lewis is regarded as one of the greatest ever rugby league players, with ‘The King’ a dominant force in the State of Origin arena for Queensland

From the list of 13 rugby league Immortals, just three are still alive. At 63, Lewis is the oldest, ahead of Mal Meninga (62) and Andrew Johns (pictured left)

Lewis said although conversations about death are tough to have, once the date does come around, the wishes of loved ones can be fulfilled by laying everything out on the table.

Lewis has already had the chat with his family – and confirmed he wants to be wearing his Queensland State of Origin jersey when he’s laid to rest.

It comes after he also had surgery on his brain after suffering a seizure while reading the news in 2006 – and played with epilepsy during his footy career.

Over the next few years, the Channel Nine identity also wants to see concussions kept to a minimum in the NRL – and illegal contact to the head outlawed immediately. 

‘Don’t wait around. It needs to be done to make sure that the game is enjoyable, not just for the people in the stands, but those that are providing the entertainment in the jerseys out there on the field,’ he said.

Lewis added his former teammates feel privileged to have played the sport at the highest level, but many ‘wish that they could have done so without suffering severe head knocks.’