View source for Wally Lewis

{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer and coach (born 1959)}}
{{about||the rugby union player|Wally Lewis (rugby union)|the singer|Wally Lewis (singer)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name               = Wally Lewis<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AM}}}}</small>
|fullname           = Walter James Lewis 
|image              = Wally Lewis Australia.jpg
|caption            = Lewis in 2009
|position           = {{Rlp|FE|LK}}
|birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1959|12|01|df=y}}
|birth_place        = [[Hawthorne, Queensland]], [[Australia]]
|height             = {{convert|182|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight             = {{convert|95|kg|lb stlb|abbr=on}}
|retired            = yes
|club1              = [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|year1start         = 1978
|year1end           = 83
|appearances1       = 111
|tries1             = 71<!-- Includes 61 three point tries. -->
|goals1             = 11
|fieldgoals1        = 4
|points1            = 249
|club2              = [[Wakefield Trinity]]
|year2start         = 1983
|year2end           = 84
|appearances2       = 10
|tries2             = 6
|goals2             = 0
|fieldgoals2        = 0
|points2            = 24
|club3              = [[Wynnum-Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|year3start         = 1984
|year3end           = 87
|appearances3       = 55
|tries3             = 26
|goals3             = 9
|fieldgoals3        = 2
|points3            = 124
|club4              = [[Brisbane Broncos]]
|year4start         = 1988
|year4end           = 90
|appearances4       = 46
|tries4             = 20
|goals4             = 11
|fieldgoals4        = 0
|points4            = 102
|club5              = [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast]]
|year5start         = 1991
|year5end           = 92
|appearances5       = 34
|tries5             = 6
|goals5             = 3
|fieldgoals5        = 0
|points5            = 30
|teamA              = [[Brisbane rugby league team|Brisbane]]
|yearAstart         = 1979
|yearAend           = 87
|appearancesA       = 
|triesA             = 5<!-- Includes 3 three point tries. -->
|goalsA             = 5
|fieldgoalsA        = 0
|pointsA            = 27
|teamB              = [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]]
|yearBstart         = 1980
|yearBend           = 91
|appearancesB       = 38
|triesB             = 7
|goalsB             = 1
|fieldgoalsB        = 2
|pointsB            = 30
|teamC              = South Queensland
|yearCstart         = 1981
|yearCend           = 
|appearancesC       = 1
|triesC             = 1
|goalsC             = 1
|fieldgoalsC        = 0
|pointsC            = 5
|teamD              = [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]]
|yearDstart         = 1981
|yearDend           = 91
|appearancesD       = 34
|triesD             = 11
|goalsD             = 0
|fieldgoalsD        = 2
|pointsD            = 45
|coachteam1         = [[Wynnum-Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|coachyear1start    = 1986
|coachyear1end      = 87
|coachgames1        = 32
|coachwins1         = 25
|coachdraws1        = 1
|coachlosses1       = 7
|coachteam2         = [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast]]
|coachyear2start    = 1992
|coachyear2end      = 93
|coachgames2        = 44
|coachwins2         = 7
|coachdraws2        = 1
|coachlosses2       = 36
|coachteamA         = [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]]
|coachyearAstart    = 1993
|coachyearAend      = 94
|coachgamesA        = 6
|coachwinsA         = 2
|coachdrawsA        = 0
|coachlossesA       = 4
|source             = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/wally-lewis/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/wally-lewis/summary.html |title=Rugby League Project Coaches |access-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207015228/http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/wally-lewis/summary.html |archive-date=7 December 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Brad|last=Walter|title=Let Joey go for the good of the game|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/let-joey-go-for-the-good-of-the-game/2005/08/02/1122748643738.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=3 August 2005|access-date=30 April 2007}}</ref>
}}

'''Walter James Lewis''' [[Member of the Order of Australia|AM]] (born 1 December 1959) is an Australian former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and [[Coach (sport)|coach]]ed in the 1980s and 1990s. He became a commentator for television coverage of the sport. A highly decorated [[Australia national rugby league team|Australian national]] captain, Lewis is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever players of rugby league.<ref>{{cite news
|last = Crawford
|first = Sarah
|title = King Wally upstages even Santa
|work = Sunshine Coast Daily
|publisher = APN News & Media Ltd
|date = 13 December 2009
|url = http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/12/13/only-the-king-could-upstage-santa/
|access-date = 17 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|last = Tsitouris
|first = Helen
|title = Wally Lewis's waiting game
|work = The Sunday Mail
|publisher = Queensland Newspapers
|date = 21 July 2007
|url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22111015-5003422,00.html
|access-date = 17 December 2009}}</ref> His time as a player and coach was followed by a career as a sports presenter for the [[Nine Network]].

Nicknamed '''The King''' and also '''[[Suncorp Stadium#Popular culture|The Emperor of Lang Park]]''',<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|first=Sam|last=Strutt|title=Can surgery save Wally Lewis?|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21040893-5001021,00.html|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]|date=11 January 2007|access-date=29 April 2007}}</ref> Lewis represented Queensland in thirty-one [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] games from 1980 to 1991, and was captain for thirty of them. He also represented [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] in thirty-three international matches from 1981 to 1991 and was national team captain from 1984 to 1989. Lewis is perhaps best known for his State of Origin performances, spearheading Queensland's dominance in that competition throughout the 1980s and winning a record 8 man of the match awards.

Lewis has since been inducted into the [[Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame]] and in 1999 he became the sixth member of '[[The Immortals (rugby league)|The Immortals]]'. In 2000, he was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wally Lewis|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/972663|publisher=Australian Honours Database|access-date=29 April 2007}}</ref>

In February 2008, Lewis was named in the list of Australia's [[Australian rugby league's 100 greatest players|''100 Greatest
Players'']] (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the [[National Rugby League|NRL]] and [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]] to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.<ref>{{cite web
|website=[[National Rugby League|NRL]] & [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]] 
|title=Centenary of Rugby League – The Players 
|url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true 
|access-date=23 February 2008 
|date=23 February 2008 
|url-status=dead 
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080226180521/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true
|archive-date=26 February 2008
|df=dmy 
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Cassidy|publisher=Macquarie National News|title=Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players|url=http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|access-date=23 February 2008|date=23 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225164807/http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|archive-date=25 February 2008|df=dmy }}</ref> Lewis went on to be named in the [[rugby league positions#stand-off half|halves]] in the [[Australian Kangaroos|Kangaroos']] ''[[Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century|Team of the Century]]''. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panel's majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players.<ref>{{cite news|first=Todd|last=Balym|publisher=Fox Sports Australia|title=Johns, Meninga among Immortals|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907035412/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2012|access-date=17 April 2008|date=17 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=[[National Rugby League|NRL]] & [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]]|title=Team of the Century Announced|url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx|access-date=17 April 2008|date=17 April 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521122127/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx|archive-date=21 May 2010|df=dmy}}</ref> In June 2008, he was also chosen in the [[Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century]] at [[rugby league positions#half backs|five-eighth]] and captain.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23843448-10389,00.html|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|date=10 June 2008|title=Locky named No.1 but Wal's still King|access-date=20 May 2009|first=Steve|last=Ricketts|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702003008/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23843448-10389,00.html|archive-date=2 July 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy }}</ref> In October 2016, he became the 38th Legend of Australian Sport at the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame Awards|Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=King Wally becomes a Legend as Michelle Payne rides off with the{{sic|hide=y|reason=double 'the'error in source title}} 'The Don'|url=https://sahof.org.au/king-wally-becomes-a-legend-as-michelle-payne-rides-off-with-the-the-don/|access-date=13 July 2020|website=Sport Australia Hall of Fame website|date=14 October 2016 }}</ref>

In 2009 as part of the [[Q150]] celebrations, Wally Lewis was announced as one of the [[Q150 Icons]] of Queensland for his role as a "sports legend".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=Premier Unveils Queensland's 150 Icons|last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref>

In 2011, Lewis was a recipient of the [[Queensland Greats Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2011-recipients/|title=2011 Queensland Greats recipients|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531055259/https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2011-recipients/|archive-date=31 May 2017|url-status=live|access-date=31 May 2017}}</ref>

==Early life==
Lewis was born in [[Hawthorne, Queensland]]<ref>{{cite book
|last = Meares
|first = Peter
|title = Legends of Australian sport: the inside story
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 2003
|page = 130
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aMw_Zpew2OgC
|isbn = 9780702234101}}</ref> on 1 December 1959.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Toby Creswell and Samantha Trenoweth
|title = 1001 Australians You Should Know
|publisher = Pluto Press
|year = 2006
|location = Australia
|page = 683
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QqtinbjO0oEC&q=rugby
|isbn = 9781864033618}}
</ref> His father, Jimmy, played first grade [[rugby league]] at {{rlp|wg}} or {{rlp|fb}} for Brisbane clubs [[Wests Panthers|Wests]] and [[Souths Logan Magpies|Souths]], later becoming coach of the [[Wynnum-Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]] club. His mother, June, was a Queensland representative netball player.<ref>{{cite book 
|last = Gallaway
|first = Jack
|title = Origin: Rugby League's greatest contest 1980–2002
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 2003
|location = Australia
|page = 8
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3nDbsx3Hk7QC
|isbn = 9780702233838}}</ref> When he was six years old, Lewis was playing rugby league with Cannon Hill Stars, usually at lock forward. He played in junior Queensland school teams, at times representing his state against New South Wales before a State or Test match at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]].

Lewis attended [[Brisbane State High School]] during the 1970s. In 1977 while still in high school, Lewis also played representative [[rugby union]] as a [[Inside centre|Centre]], touring Europe and Japan with the [[Australian Schoolboys rugby union team|Australian schoolboys team]] alongside the likes of [[Tony Melrose]], [[Michael O'Connor (rugby)|Michael O'Connor]], and all three Ella brothers [[Mark Ella|Mark]], [[Glen Ella|Glen]] and [[Gary Ella|Gary]], all of whom went on to represent the [[Australia national rugby union team]], while O'Connor would become a dual international when he played alongside Lewis for the Kangaroos.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ella|first1=Mark|author-link1=Mark Ella|title=Follow the Australian Schoolboys' advice: don't kick the ball|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/follow-the-australian-schoolboys-advice-dont-kick-the-ball/story-e6frg7po-1226523050156|website=The Australian|access-date=3 November 2016|date=24 November 2012}}</ref>

The 1977 Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union tour of Great Britain would see the first of three times Lewis would make undefeated tours of Britain with Australian national teams.

According to Lincoln Lewis, Wally and his brother [[Scott Lewis (rugby league)|Scott]], who played alongside him in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership|BRL]], are butchers by trade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/hells-kitchen-australia/episodes/s4-e11 |title= Hell's Kitchen Australia |website=www.tvnz.co.nz |access-date=2023-03-08}}</ref>

==Rugby League career==
{{BLP sources section|date=June 2021}}

===Fortitude Valley===
Following his return to Australia from the 1977 Schoolboys tour, Lewis faced discrimination in the [[Queensland Rugby Union]] fraternity due to his rugby league background. After being told he would no longer be selected for any representative teams if he continued to play league, he immediately decided his future lay with rugby league,<ref>{{cite web|last=[[Sean Fagan]]|title=Wally Lewis - Rugby League Hall of Fame|url=http://www.rl1908.com/Hoffame/Wally-Lewis.htm|work=rl1908.com|access-date=15 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207060151/http://www.rl1908.com/Hoffame/Wally-Lewis.htm|archive-date=7 February 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> playing in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership]] with Valleys Diehards from 1978. Also in 1978, Lewis (and another young Brisbane based lock from [[Wests Panthers|Wests]] named [[Paul Vautin]]) turned down an offer to play in the [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|Sydney premiership]] with the [[North Sydney Bears]].

While Lewis would remain for the [[1979 Brisbane Rugby League season]], Vautin would go on to sign with [[1978 NSWRFL season|1978 Sydney premiers]] the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]]. In 1979 Lewis made his senior début for [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]] from the bench in games played under the old '''State of Residence''' rules, and also during the [[1979 Great Britain Lions tour]], was selected to play for the Maroons as well as a [[Brisbane rugby league team]] against the touring [[Great Britain Lions]]. With former [[Australian Kangaroos|Australian]] halfback [[Ross Strudwick]] now captain-coach of the Diehards, Lewis helped Valleys to premiership victory over the [[Wayne Bennett (rugby league)|Wayne Bennett]]-coached [[Souths Magpies]] side in the BRL [[Grand final|Grand Final]] at [[Lang Park]]. Playing in the centres for the Magpies that day was a 19-year-old cadet [[Queensland Police Service|policeman]] who would become a long serving Queensland and Australian teammate of Lewis in the coming decade, [[Mal Meninga]].

Lewis made the run-on side for Queensland in the [[1980 State of Origin game|inaugural State of Origin match in 1980]] at lock forward alongside his hero [[Arthur Beetson]] who at the age of 35 was playing in his first ever game for his home state. There were some in the press who questioned his selection, claiming he should have started from the bench with well performed Brisbane Wests lock [[Norm Carr]] in the starting side. {{Citation needed|date=June 2013}} Lewis however had a hand in Queensland's first ever State of Origin try scored by [[Kerry Boustead]]. The following year [[1981 State of Origin game|a second State of Origin match]] was played, and captain-coach Arthur Beetson was a late withdrawal due to injury. In what proved to be a master stroke, Beetson coached the team from the sidelines and handed the captaincy over to 21-year-old Lewis who had moved from lock to play {{rlp|FE}}.

His form for Queensland in both the two games played under the old residence system, and the one Origin game in which he scored one of four Qld tries, saw him selected to make his [[Test match (rugby league)|Test]] début for Australia in 1981, playing five-eighth in a 43–3 win over [[France national rugby league team|France]] at the SCG. At the Australian team's first training session (at Lang Park), coach [[Frank Stanton (rugby league)|Frank Stanton]] wasn't impressed with Lewis' fitness after he lagged behind in a set of 400 metre runs, though it was reported that Lewis wasn't alone and only lock forward [[Ray Price (rugby)|Ray Price]] had completed the runs without too much trouble. During the game Lewis had a chance to score his first test try. Backing up a line break, Lewis received the ball only 15 metres out with a clear path to the line. Hearing someone closing in from behind he passed the ball to his {{rlp|HB}} partner [[Steve Mortimer]] to score before he could be tackled. After scoring Mortimer questioned Lewis as to why he passed as there was no French player near him. Lewis later saw a television replay which showed it was in fact the match referee who he could hear behind him. Ironically, the try was Mortimer's first test try in what was also his début test for Australia.

In the [[1982 State of Origin series]] Lewis got his second Origin try and his first man-of-the-match award in Origin and later that year was a member of the [[1982 Kangaroo tour]] as tour vice-captain. The 1982 Kangaroos became the first side to go through Great Britain and France undefeated, earning themselves the nickname '''[[The Invincibles (rugby league)|The Invincibles]]'''. The tour raged with selection controversy as for the opening game of the tour against [[Hull Kingston Rovers]], Stanton chose [[Parramatta Eels|Parramatta]]'s [[1982 NSWRFL season#Grand Final|Winfield Cup Grand Final]] winning halves [[Brett Kenny]] and [[Peter Sterling (rugby league commentator)|Peter Sterling]] (though Lewis actually played from the bench), who went about cementing their selection for the first test. Lewis was left out of the first [[The Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes]] test against [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] at [[Boothferry Park]] in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] and coach Frank Stanton had been less than impressed with his attitude to training and his off-field habits which had seen him actually gain weight. Stanton then challenged him to get back into shape and force his way back into the test team and Lewis did just that. He began training harder to lose the weight, including jogging back from training to the team base, the Dragonara Hotel in [[Leeds]]. His form also improved and he became a vital player from the bench in the final two tests at [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]] and [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley]]. Lewis' finest moment on the tour came in the second half of the second test in [[Wigan]]. After coming on as a replacement for injured winger [[Eric Grothe, Sr.|Eric Grothe]] (he come on to play 5/8 with Brett Kenny moving to the centres and Mal Meninga to the wing), Lewis fired a bullet-like 20 metre cut-out pass to Meninga who then scored in the corner. Although the Kangaroos had soundly beaten Great Britain until that point of the series, Lewis' pass had a psychological effect on the Lions who were left wondering just how good the Australian's really were if they could afford to leave someone on the bench who could pass like that. Those long cut-out passes (something he learned playing junior rugby union and playing backyard football with his brothers) would become a feature of Lewis' game over the next 10 years.

During the tour, Lewis captained his first game for Australia in an international when the Kangaroos defeated [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]] in a "non-test" at [[Ninian Park]] in [[Cardiff]]. Playing in the {{rlp|CE}}s, Lewis was one of four try scorers in a 37–7 win for the Kangaroos, with fullback [[Steve Ella]] leading the way with four. Wally also kicked four goals with the game played in driving rain.

Wally was selected at five-eighth for the first test against France on the [[France|French leg]] of the tour, but missed the second test after again dislocating his shoulder in a minor game between the tests which ended his tour as a player.

In the first and third games of the [[1983 State of Origin series]], Lewis was named man-of-the-match. In 1983, Lewis also regained his test five-eighth spot from Brett Kenny for the two tests against [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] at [[Carlaw Park]] in [[Auckland]], and at Lang Park.

Lewis captained [[Queensland]] [[1983 Queensland rugby league tour of Papua New Guinea and England|as they toured Papua New Guinea and England]] part of the [[1983–84 Rugby Football League season]]. He played in their 8–6 defeat against [[Hull Kingston Rovers]] followed up by a 40–2 victory over [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan RLFC]] and a 2–58 win over [[Leeds Rhinos]].

Lewis played for English First Division side [[Wakefield Trinity]] for a short spell during the [[1983–84 Rugby Football League season]] and he remains a favourite of Trinity fans, who named their [[fanzine]] ''Wally Lewis is Coming''. Trinity won 5 of 10 games during Lewis's stay, including a win over [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] in which Lewis scored a hat-trick. After his last match on 12 February, Trinity did not win another game and were relegated to the second division. Initially, Lewis had been reluctant to sign with Wakefield after having played both club and representative football almost non-stop since the start of 1982, including the Kangaroo Tour and Queensland's three game tour of England at the end of 1983, when he came to the attention of Wakefield. The club asked him to name his price and, not believing that they could afford it, Lewis told them it would cost [[Pound sterling|£]]30,000 for him to play in England (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £140,100 in 2016).<ref name="Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds">{{cite web|url=http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/|title=Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds|publisher=Measuring Worth|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015}}</ref> What he did not know was that a wealthy [[Wakefield]] businessman financially supported the club and was bankrolling their attempt to sign Lewis (who by the end of 1983 had been rated the best player in rugby league). Good to his word and despite being jaded and in need of a break, Lewis signed to play his only season of English club football and became the highest paid player in England at the time.

===Wynnum-Manly===
Back in Australia, Lewis left Valleys and ultimately signed with the [[Wynnum-Manly Seagulls]] after initially considering an offer from [[Past Brothers]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Durkin |first=Tony |date=21 March 184 |title=KOUGARI'S KAMIKAZES |magazine=Rugby League Week |page=30 |publisher=Bauer Media Group}}</ref> In 1984 Lewis captained an Oceania team's 54–4 victory over an Anglo-French selection in an exhibition match Paris, returning to Brisbane after the match to continue playing for Wynnum-Manly.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sport digest|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&id=QTdWAAAAIBAJ&pg=2866|access-date=3 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=19 April 1984}}</ref> He gained the national captaincy for the first time in the 1984 Ashes series against Great Britain, winning a well publicised battle with Parramatta and NSW captain [[Ray Price (rugby)|Ray Price]] and becoming the 12th Queenslander to captain Australia.<ref>{{cite book |last=Price |first=Tony |date=2020 |title=More Than Just a Game: A History of Rugby League in Queensland |location=Alexandra Hills |publisher=Tony Price |page=197 |isbn=9780994580269}}</ref> Lewis was the first Queenslander to captain an Australian team to an Ashes victory.<ref>{{cite book |last=Price |first=Tony |date=2020 |title=More Than Just a Game: A History of Rugby League in Queensland |location=Alexandra Hills |publisher=Tony Price |page=205 |isbn=9780994580269}}</ref> Wally was also named player of the series for his performance as captain of the [[Brisbane Rugby League team]] that won the [[1984 National Panasonic Cup]] Final against Sydney's [[Eastern Suburbs Roosters]] club. Lewis was named man-of-the match in the first two games of the [[1984 State of Origin series]], making it three consecutive Origin man-of-the-match awards. That year, he also won the Brisbane Rugby League premiership's grand final against Souths. The following year, Lewis was awarded the inaugural [[Rugby League Golden Boot Award|Golden Boot Award]] as the world's best international player in 1984.

Lewis was man-of-the-match for Game II of the [[1985 State of Origin series]], becoming the second player, after Mal Meninga in Game 1 1982, from the losing team to win the award. He then played in Wynnum-Manly's 1985 BRL grand final loss to a Souths Magpies team which included [[Gary Belcher]], [[Mal Meninga]] and [[Peter Jackson (rugby league)|Peter Jackson]]. The Australian side toured New Zealand [[1985 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand|that year]], winning the test series 2–1. The New Zealand tour was an unhappy one though, with coach [[Terry Fearnley]], who had just led [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] to their first ever State of Origin series win, not getting along with captain Lewis or the other Queensland players and seemingly favoring NSW players, especially tour vice-captain [[Wayne Pearce]]. After winning the first two tests, Fearnley dropped four players from the team, all Queenslanders, in what [[Queensland Rugby League]] boss [[Australian Senate|Senator]] [[Ron McAuliffe]] called a "Football Assassination". The changes to the team proved to be a disaster as the Kiwis defeated a disjointed Australia 18–0.

The following year, internal problems between the Seagulls club board and its head coach [[Des Morris]] saw Lewis installed as Captain-coach of Wynnum-Manly. Lewis would lead the team, which included rep players [[Colin Scott (rugby league)|Colin Scott]], [[Gene Miles]] and [[Bob Lindner]], to a 14–6 win over Brothers in the 1986 BRL Grand Final at Lang Park. He then became the first Queenslander since [[Tom Gorman (rugby league)|Tom Gorman]] in [[1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain|1929–30]] to be named as captain for a [[Kangaroo tour]]. Following the successful [[1986 Kangaroo tour]] which the Australians went through undefeated to earn themselves the nickname '''The Unbeatables''', 1985 Australian coach [[Terry Fearnley]] wrote an article for ''[[Rugby League Week]]'' that was highly critical of Lewis' captaincy based on his experiences during the 1985 New Zealand tour.<ref>{{cite news
|last = Tait
|first = Paul
|title = Now Abbot attacks Fearnley
|work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
|place =Australia
|page = 31
|date = 28 February 1986
|url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s2MUAAAAIBAJ&pg=5363,8454667
|access-date = 21 April 2010}}</ref> [[Don Furner]], who took over as Australian coach in 1986 before the [[1986 Trans-Tasman Test series|mid-season test series]] against New Zealand, later told that while initially weary of working with Lewis based on Fearnley's public comments and Lewis' battles with Frank Stanton on the 1982 Kangaroo Tour, he encountered no problems with the Australian captain and the two formed a good personal and working relationship.

Although Queensland lost the [[1986 State of Origin series]] 3–0 to NSW, the first clean sweep in Origin history, Lewis led the Australian's to a clean sweep of New Zealand in the [[1986 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea|mid-season test series]], scoring a try in the 29-12 second test win at the SCG and the 32–12 win in the final game at Lang Park. Australia also won the opening test of the series 22–8 at [[Carlaw Park]] in [[Auckland]].

In [[1987 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia)|1987]] Lewis was honoured as a [[Member of the Order of Australia]] "for service to rugby league football".<ref name=":0">{{cite news|date=8 June 1987|title=THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY 1987 HONOURS|page=1|newspaper=[[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Special]]|issue=S117|location=Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article240701834|access-date=29 July 2022|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news|date=8 June 1987|title=QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST 1987|volume=61|page=8|newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|issue=18,875|location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118296666|access-date=29 July 2022|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Also that year ''King Wally'', a biography of Lewis written by Adrian McGregor was published.<ref>{{cite web
|last = Headon
|first = David
|title = Up From the Ashes: The Phoenix of a Rugby League Literature
|work = Football Studies Volume 2, Issue 2
|publisher = Football Studies Group
|date = October 1999
|url = http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0202i.pdf
|access-date = 7 July 2009
|archive-date = 21 July 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120721094047/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0202i.pdf
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> Lewis was also inducted into the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/wally-lewis/|title=Wally Lewis|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref> 1987 saw Lewis lead Queensland to a 2-1 [[1987 State of Origin series|Origin series]] win over NSW, though NSW won a fourth exhibition game played at the [[Veterans Memorial Stadium (Long Beach)|Veterans Memorial Stadium]] in [[Los Angeles]]. The Australians only played one test in 1987, suffering a shock 13–6 loss to New Zealand at Lang Park in July. It was the second time in succession that the Kangaroos, fresh from an unbeaten Kangaroo Tour, had lost a test to the Kiwis in Brisbane.

===Brisbane Broncos===
Several [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership]] clubs had attempted to lure Wally Lewis south during the 1980s, including the [[Bob Fulton]] coached [[Manly Sea Eagles|Manly-Warringah]] which came closest to contracting him in 1986. However, the QRL, fearing they were going to lose Lewis (easily their biggest star) and possibly his Wynnum-Manly, Qld and Australian teammate [[Gene Miles]] to Manly soon after losing Souths players [[Gary Belcher]] and Mal Meninga to the [[Canberra Raiders]], blocked the move to Sydney and Lewis stayed with the Seagulls. In 1988, Lewis finally got to play in the Sydney premiership when he was signed by the [[Brisbane Broncos]] as inaugural captain of the side upon their inception in [[1988 NSWRL season|1988]], leading the new club to a 44–10 win over defending NSWRL premiers Manly at Lang Park in their first ever game. Lewis was the Broncos' top try-scorer in their [[Brisbane Broncos 1988|first season]] and also later had the honour of scoring the club's first [[hat-trick]].

During the season Lewis was awarded the [[Harry Sunderland Medal]] as Australia's player of the [[1988 Ashes series]] against Great Britain, whose 26–12 win in the [[dead rubber]] third test at the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]] (SFS) was their first test victory over Australia since 1978. Lewis and teammate [[Sam Backo]] also joined [[Ken Irvine]] as the only Australian players to score a try in each test of an Ashes series. On 20 July 1988 Lewis played for Australia in their record 62-point win over [[Papua New Guinea national rugby league team|Papua New Guinea]], scoring a [[Try (rugby)|try]].<ref>{{cite news|title=O'Connor helps set Test records|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r3BVAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512,275171|access-date=18 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=21 July 1988}}</ref> At the end of the season he captained Australia to victory over New Zealand in the final of the [[1985 - 1988 Rugby League World Cup]]. Australia won the game 25–12 in front of 47,363 fans at [[Auckland]]'s home of rugby union [[Eden Park]], though Lewis broke his right forearm in the 15th minute of the game while tackling Kiwi winger [[Tony Iro]]. After receiving treatment, he bravely played on for a further 20 minutes, making a number of one armed tackles despite being an obvious target in defense. Late in the first half when it became clear that with a 21–0 lead Australia would win the game, coach [[Don Furner]] replaced Lewis with [[Terry Lamb]].

Lewis won another man-of-the-match award in the second game of the [[1989 State of Origin series]]. Lewis scored a famous try in the second half of the game played at the SFS, when he went on a 40-metre cross field run to the line where he outpaced a much younger [[Laurie Daley]], and held off NSW fullback [[Garry Jack]]'s tackle over the last 10 metres to score in the corner. From there Lewis was captain of the Australian team for their [[1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand|mid-season tour]] of New Zealand.

At the end of the 1990 season, due to salary cap restrictions, Lewis was not made a large enough offer to keep him at the Broncos, with Bennett citing the need to retain younger talent.<ref>{{cite book
|last = Harms
|first = John
|title = The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 2005
|location = Australia
|page = 103
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OFE2EZ7JyEkC
|isbn = 9780702235368}}
</ref>

===Gold Coast Seagulls and coaching===
Following the souring of his relationship with the Broncos, Lewis was unwilling to move to Sydney for family reasons and in [[1991 NSWRL season|1991]], he joined the [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast Seagulls]] and was appointed as captain by coach [[Malcolm Clift]]. He won his eighth and last man-of-the-match award in the first game of the [[1991 State of Origin series|State of Origin series]] that year, before playing both his last match for Queensland and Australia by the end of the season. He captained and coached Gold Coast during the [[1992 NSWRL season]] but again finished the season in last place. In their last match under Lewis as [[player-coach|captain-coach]], the Gold Coast defeated Penrith, thus denying the Panthers a place in the finals play-offs. The following year he stopped playing but continued coaching the Seagulls, but departed after a third consecutive [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]]. In his time coaching Seagulls, the club had won just 7 games out of 44 played, losing the last 16 in a row.<ref>{{cite web|title=Custom Match List
|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/MjItLTQtLS0tLS0tLTg5Mi0tLS0tLS0tLQ==|access-date=7 July 2011|publisher=Rugby League Project}}</ref>

Wally Lewis played his last game for the Seagulls in a match against a [[South Australian Rugby League|South Australian]] 'Select' team (which included his longtime friend [[Paul Vautin]], as well as [[St George Dragons]] players [[Ricky Walford]] and [[Jeff Hardy (rugby league)|Jeff Hardy]]) at the [[Adelaide Park Lands|Thebarton Oval]] in [[Adelaide]] on 7 November 1992, the night before the [[1992 Australian Grand Prix|Australian Formula One Grand Prix]].

Lewis also coached the [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland State of Origin side]] in 1993 and 1994 but never won a series.

===Legacy===

[[File:Statue of Wally Lewis at Lang Park, Milton, Brisbane 02.jpg|thumb|Wally Lewis statue outside Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane (2022)]]

Wally Lewis is remembered for his creative, playmaking football and great on-field confrontations, most notably one in the 1991 State of Origin series with [[Mark Geyer]]. Years before that his and [[Brett Kenny]]'s likenesses were put onto the State of Origin winner's shield. The [[Wally Lewis Medal]] has been awarded to the Queensland player of the series in State of Origin from 1992 to 2003. Since 2004, it has been awarded to the player of the series from either side.

A bronze statue of Wally was raised at the entrance to [[Lang Park]]. The statue text reads:<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Wally lewis forever the king cover.jpg|right|thumb|{{deletable image-caption|Friday, 14 July 2017|F7}}]] -->

<blockquote>
''WALLY LEWIS''<br>
''The Emperor of Lang Park''<br>
<br>
''This honour was bestowed upon Wally Lewis by the former Chairman of the [[Queensland Rugby League]], Senator and acclaimed father of State of Origin, the late Ron McAullife, in recognition of the impact Wally had on matches played at this ground across three decades.''

''Lewis is arguably the greatest [[rugby league]] footballer of all time. He is one of only a handful of players to be named a [[The Immortals (rugby league)|Rugby League Immortal]] and was one of the six inaugural members of the [[Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame]].''

''He achieved the greatest honour in Rugby League: the captaincy of his country, but it was his feats as Queensland skipper and playmaker in State of Origin that he achieved legendary status. He played 31 Origin games (30 as captain) and a record 8 Man of the Match awards over a 12-year period.''

''The name Wally Lewis is synonymous with State of Origin and Queensland Rugby League and continues to be an inspiration to future generations of footballers''.<br>
</blockquote>

Wally Lewis has also appeared in numerous advertisements during and after his football playing career. Examples include promotions for [[Castlemaine XXXX|XXXX]] beer and [[Burger King]].

During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Lewis.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dekroo|first=Karl|title=Still the king|work=The Courier-Mail|place=Australia|publisher=Queensland Newspapers|date=9 May 2007|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21701434-10389,00.html|access-date=8 December 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070512101607/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21701434-10389,00.html|archive-date=12 May 2007 }}</ref>

In December 2009 Lewis was inducted into the Queensland Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news
|last = Murdoch
|first = Alex
|title = Greg Inglis caps off stellar season with award
|work = The courier Mail
|place =Australia
|publisher = Queensland Newspapers
|date = 4 December 2009
|url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,26440852-5003409,00.html
|access-date = 5 December 2009}}</ref>

====Quotes====
*"Lewis has to be number one because he’s the only bloke who dominated the game at the highest level, in State of Origin, over a long period."<ref>{{cite web
|last = Webster
|first = Andrew
|title = A few Drinks with Ray Warren ''Inside Sport''
|date = April 2004
|url = http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=adrenalin&spg=drinks/drinks_ray_warren.htm
|access-date = 3 July 2009}}</ref> [[Ray Warren]], Australian sports commentator
*"Certainly he's the best I've ever seen in the [[rugby football|rugby]] codes, and my memory goes back to [[Johnny Raper|Raper]] and [[Reg Gasnier|Gasnier]], [[Ken Catchpole|Catchpole]] and [[Phil Hawthorne|Hawthorne]]."<ref>{{cite book
|last = Meares
|first = Peter
|title = Legends of Australian sport: The Inside Story
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 2003
|location = Australia
|page = 130
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aMw_Zpew2OgC
|isbn = 9780702234101}}
</ref> [[Peter Meares]], Australian sports commentator and writer.
*"Lewis is the greatest player at representative level I've seen – and I've seen some great players, I was there when [[Reg Gasnier|Gas]] and [[Johnny Raper|Chook]] were at the end of their careers."<ref>{{cite news
|last = Sarno
|first = Tony
|title = The King abdicates with a whimper, not a bang
|work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
|page = 39
|date = 9 August 1992
|url = http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=%22gold+coast+fan%22&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news920809_0124_1838
|access-date = 6 October 2009}}</ref> [[Arthur Beetson]], Australian former national team coach
*"...all great players, but I haven't seen anyone step past or ahead of Wally Lewis. You've got the right bloke in at No. 1."<ref>{{cite news
|last = Rothfield
|first = Phil
|title = Phil Rothfield names his 50 greatest Origin players
|work = [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]
|place =Australia
|publisher = Herald and Weekly Times
|date = 26 May 2010
|url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/phil-rothfield-names-his-50-greatest-origin-players/story-e6frfgbo-1225871315740
|access-date = 26 May 2010}}</ref> [[Steve Mortimer]], former New South Wales captain.
*"For what it is worth, I rate him as the best footballer I ever laid eyes on."<ref>{{cite book|last=[[Bill Harrigan]] with Daniel Lane|title=Harrigan: the referee in a league of his own|date=2003|publisher=Hachette|location=Australia|isbn=9780733627743|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJeJKEu5GyEC}}</ref> [[Bill Harrigan]], leading referee
*"I've got to say here and now Wally is the greatest footballer I've seen, and all those great players knew that Wally was the greatest."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Mallory|first1=Greg|title=Voices from Brisbane Rugby League|date=2010|publisher=Boolarong Press|location=Australia|page=49|isbn=9780975770412|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2IhAwAAQBAJ|access-date=9 September 2014}}</ref> [[George Lovejoy]], Queensland rugby league commentator

==Personal life==
[[File:Wally Lewis Aus.jpg|thumb|left|Lewis in 2008]]
In November 1984, Lewis married Jacqueline in [[St John's Cathedral (Brisbane)]]; however, they separated in 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/lincoln-lewis-spills-on-father-wallys-messy-and-public-marriage-split/news-story/6d17b4e9e5be6b8f47cfbd2903702f37 | title=Lincoln Lewis spills on father Wally's messy and public marriage split | date=21 May 2021 }}</ref> Together, they have two sons and one daughter: Mitchell, [[Lincoln Lewis|Lincoln]] and Jamie-Lee.<ref name=allys/>

Wally's son, [[Lincoln Lewis|Lincoln]],<ref name="Edwards">{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=Lincoln+Lewis&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=NCH070622AE79427CT1N|title=Home or away he's marooned|last1=Edwards|first1=Amy|last2=Beaumont|first2= Anita|date=22 June 2007|work=[[Newcastle Herald]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|page=14|access-date=13 November 2011}}</ref> was a full-time actor on the [[Seven Network]] television drama, ''[[Home and Away]]'', winning a TV Week [[Logie Award]] for best male new talent. His other son, Mitchell is a presenter on the [[Nova (radio network)|Nova FM]] radio station, [[Nova 106.9]] in Brisbane as the station's sports reporter and assistant producer on the ''[[Ash, Luttsy & Nikki]]'' breakfast show.<ref name=Mitchell-son>{{cite web|title=Wally Lewis hopes to be at Origin after surgery|url=http://www.novafm.com.au/article/wally-lewis-hopes-be-origin-after-surgery|publisher=Nova FM|access-date=7 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220152025/http://www.novafm.com.au/article/wally-lewis-hopes-be-origin-after-surgery|archive-date=20 February 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> His daughter Jamie-Lee was born profoundly deaf. The family got confirmation of this on the day of the final State of Origin game of the [[1991 State of Origin series|1991 series]], prompting Wally's decision to retire from Origin football following the game. Jamie-Lee is a [[water polo]] player who is currently on a scholarship to the [[Queensland Academy of Sport]] who has represented [[Australia women's national water polo team|Australia]], and is the first{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} deaf person in the world to ever represent her country's national hearing team.

In May 2010, Lewis was rushed to hospital and had his [[gallbladder]] removed.<ref name="gall bladder">{{cite news|title=Rugby league legend Wally Lewis recovering after surgery|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/rugby-league-legend-wally-lewis-recovering-after-surgery/story-e6frf7jx-1225870154901|access-date=7 June 2012|newspaper=Herald-Sun|date=23 May 2010|agency=AAP}}</ref>

Wally Lewis completed his autobiography, ''Out of the Shadows: A Champion's Return to the Spotlight'', in 2009.<ref name=allys>{{cite news|title=King Wally Lewis' tell-all book|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/king-wally-lewis-tell-all-book/story-e6frexnr-1225776994648|access-date=7 June 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=20 September 2009}}</ref>
[[File:Wally Lewis (29 April 2004, Brisbane).jpg|thumb|right|Wally Lewis "The King" in 2004]]
Lewis is well known as a big fan of ''[[The Phantom]]'' comic series.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CVAVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UuQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3084,5275570]{{dead link|date=June 2013}}</ref>

Following his retirement from the sport, Lewis became a television sports presenter, first on ''[[Seven News#Brisbane|Seven Nightly News Brisbane]]'',<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gNZch3Solo|title=BTQ7 Seven Nightly News & Today Tonight (QLD) January 27, 1998|publisher=[[YouTube]]|first=Dan|last=Martin|date=17 May 2012|access-date=16 August 2017}}</ref> before moving to the higher-rating ''[[Nine News Queensland]]'' where he remained until he stepped down from the role, citing health concerns, at the beginning of January 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/01/23/exclusive-wally-lewis-steps-down-as-sports-presenter-at-9-news-brisbane-effective-immediately/|title=EXCLUSIVE &ndash; WALLY LEWIS steps down as sports presenter of 9NEWS Queensland – effective immediately|publisher=TV Blackbox|first=Robert|last=McKnight|date=23 January 2023|accessdate=23 January 2023}}</ref>

===Epilepsy===
During the nightly news broadcast of 16 November 2006, Lewis previewed the sports segment but was not onscreen when the program returned from the commercial break, with newsreader [[Bruce Paige]] instead presenting the sports segment. A similar event occurred two weeks later, on 30 November, when Lewis appeared onscreen and began to read the autocue, saying "Good evening" before seeming distressed. A scheduled report was then played, with Paige delivering the rest of the bulletin. Following these events, Lewis was given medical leave for the rest of the year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wally Lewis on leave after on-air mishap|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1801798.htm|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=1 December 2006|access-date=29 April 2007}}</ref> The following night, Lewis revealed that he had [[epilepsy]]. Lewis has revealed in his book that his on-air disorientation was caused by the condition.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wally Lewis reveals he has epilepsy|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Wally-Lewis-reveals-he-has-epilepsy/2006/12/01/1164777790633.html|publisher=[[The Age]]|work=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]]|date=1 December 2006|access-date=29 April 2007}}</ref>

On 21 February 2007, Lewis underwent brain surgery to help his epilepsy at [[Austin Hospital, Melbourne|Austin Hospital]] in Melbourne. The surgery was reported as a success by Gavin Fabinyi, Director of Neurosurgery.<ref>{{cite news|title=King Wally's brain surgery a success|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-02-21/king-wallys-brain-surgery-a-success/2200030|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=21 February 2007|access-date= 8 June 2012}}</ref> He has since made a full recovery.

Lewis was not expected to make a return as a TV reporter until 29 January but delivered a flawless report alongside new sports presenter Steve Haddan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/league-great-lewis-back-on-air/news-story/ca2a5454889c2b343c96484c80ae207d|title=League great Lewis back on air|publisher=news.com.au|first=Steve|last=Connolly|work=AAP|date=29 January 2007|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> In September 2007, Lewis appeared on-air for the first time since the surgery, and by 2009 had returned to presenting on weeknights.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/the-king-back-at-his-desk/news-story/7bce9df6a3ebebd4b306c3b229865814?sv=5580242321ff35348571bed3b62910ac|title=The King back at his desk|newspaper=The Australian|first=Dan|last=Koch|date=7 September 2007|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref>

Lewis is quoted as saying that "People come and ask me now about things (from his rugby league career) and I just don't remember them at all – that's absolutely frightening."<ref name="Telegraph"/>

Lewis said he wanted to work with epilepsy organisations and raise awareness about the condition.<ref name="Telegraph"/> He is also the vice patron of the Hear and Say Centre,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hear and Say Centre Board Members|url=http://www.hearandsaycentre.com.au/our-board.html|publisher=Hear and Say Centre|access-date=29 April 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829072447/http://www.hearandsaycentre.com.au/our-board.html|archive-date=29 August 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> becoming involved with the charity organization after his daughter, Jamie-Lee, was born profoundly deaf.<ref name=allys/>

==Statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|†
|Denotes seasons in which Lewis won a [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership|BRL premiership]]
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="2%" |Season
! width="8%" |Team
! width="2%" |Matches
! width="2%" |T
! width="2%" |G
! width="2%" |F/G
! width="2%" |Pts
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1978
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|22
|10
|0
|0
|30
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1979†
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|20
|19
|0
|1
|58
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1980
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|21
|16
|2
|0
|52
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1981
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|18
|11
|0
|1
|34
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1982
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|15
|5
|0
|2
|17
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1983
|{{leagueicon|Valleys|16}} [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|15
|10
|9
|0
|58
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1983–84
|{{leagueicon|Wakefield|16}} [[Wakefield Trinity]]
|10
|6
|0
|0
|24
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1984†
|{{leagueicon|Wynnum|16}} [[Wynnum Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|17
|11
|0
|0
|44
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1985
|{{leagueicon|Wynnum|16}} [[Wynnum Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|16
|7
|0
|2
|30
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1986†
|{{leagueicon|Wynnum|16}} [[Wynnum Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|14
|6
|8
|0
|40
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1987
|{{leagueicon|Wynnum|16}} [[Wynnum Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
|8
|2
|1
|0
|10
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1988
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brisbane Broncos|Brisbane]]
|19
|15
|8
|0
|76
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1989
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brisbane Broncos|Brisbane]]
|18
|4
|2
|0
|20
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1990
|{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brisbane Broncos|Brisbane]]
|9
|1
|1
|0
|6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1991
|{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Seagulls|16}} [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast]]
|14
|3
|2
|0
|16
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1992
|{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Seagulls|16}} [[Gold Coast Chargers|Gold Coast]]
|20
|3
|1
|0
|14
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan="2" |Career totals
!301
!155
!45
!12
!654{{efn|Tries were only worth three points until 1983.}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book
|last = McGregor
|first = Adrian
|title = Wally Lewis: Forever the King
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 2004
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VfqlAAAACAAJ
|isbn = 9780702234347}}
*{{Cite book
|last = McGregor
|first = Adrian
|title = Wally Lewis
|publisher = Tandem Press
|year = 1993
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=xNrUAAAACAAJ
|isbn = 9780908884353}}
*{{Cite book
|last = McGregor
|first = Adrian
|title = Wally and the Broncos
|publisher = [[University of Queensland]] Press
|year = 1989
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=uRehAAAACAAJ
|isbn = 9780702221828}}
*{{Cite book
|last = Lewis
|first = Wally
|title = Out of the Shadows: A Champion's Return to the Spotlight
|publisher = HarperCollins Publishers Australia
|year = 2009
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=v7LLPgAACAAJ&q=out+of+the+shadow+wally+lewis
|isbn = 9780732288808}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|6928392}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061005135312/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/general.aspx?id=62593 Wally Lewis profile at National Nine News]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061113211403/http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p36a.html Wally Lewis at eraofthebiff.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070214021615/http://www.rl1908.com/Legends/Wally-Lewis.htm Wally Lewis at rl1908.com]
*[http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2008/04/28/2229149.htm Wally Lewis interview at abc.net.au]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140114111429/http://nz.leagueunlimited.com/news.php?newsid=16380 ''Queensland Team of the Century named'' – article at nz.leagueunlimited.com]

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Billy Johnstone]]<br>1988-1990
| after = [[Brent Todd]]<br>1993
| title = Captain<br>{{leagueicon|gold coast seagulls|size=18}}<br>[[Gold Coast Seagulls]]
| years = 1991–1992
}}
{{Succession box
| before = team created
| after = [[Gene Miles]]<br>1990–1991
| title = Captain<br>{{leagueicon|brisbane broncos|size=18}}<br>[[Brisbane Broncos]]
| years = 1988–1989
}}
{{succession box
| before = David Green<br>1983-1985
| after = Doug Belford<br>1988
| title = Captain<br>{{leagueicon|Wynnum}}<br>[[Wynnum Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]
| years = 1986–1987
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Max Krilich]]<br>1982-1983
| after = [[Mal Meninga]]<br>1990-1994
| title = [[Australian national rugby league team#Captains|Captain]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}}<br>[[Australian national rugby league team|Australia]]
| years = 1984–1989
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Ross Strudwick]]<br>1977-1981
| after = Russell Klein<br>1984
| title = Captain<br>{{leagueicon|Fortitude Valley}}<br>[[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
| years = 1982–1983
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Arthur Beetson]]<br>1980
| after = [[Mal Meninga]]<br>1992–1994
| title = [[Queensland rugby league team#Captains|Captain]]<br>{{leagueicon|queensland|size=18}}<br>[[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
| years = 1981–1991
}}
{{S-media}}
{{Succession box
| before = Sean Lawson<br>[[Ian Healy]]
| after = [[Ian Healy]]<br>[[Jonathan Uptin]]
| title = ''[[Nine News Queensland]]''<br>Weeknight sports presenter
| years = 1998–2006<br>2009–2023
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Fortitude Valley squad - 1979 BRL premiers}}
{{Wynnum-Manly Seagulls squad - 1984 BRL premiers}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Australia squads
| bg=#005100
| fg=#FFCC33
| bordercolor=#FFCC33
|list1=
{{The Invincibles (rugby league)}}
{{1985 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand squad}}
{{1986 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{Australia squad - 1985-88 World Cup champions}}
{{1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand squad}}
{{Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame - 2002 Inductees}}
{{The Immortals (rugby league)}}
{{The Australian Rugby League Team of the Century}}
}}
{{Brisbane Broncos captains}}
{{1988 Brisbane Broncos}}
{{Gold Coast Chargers coaches}}
{{Rugby League Golden Boot Award Winners}}
{{Queensland Maroons - Inaugural State of Origin team}}
{{The Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century}}
{{Queensland State of Origin coaches}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Wally}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team captains]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league coaches]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league commentators]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Brisbane Broncos captains]]
[[Category:Brisbane Broncos players]]
[[Category:Brisbane rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Fortitude Valley Diehards players]]
[[Category:Gold Coast Chargers coaches]]
[[Category:Gold Coast Chargers players]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Australian television newsreaders and news presenters]]
[[Category:People from Redland City]]
[[Category:People educated at Brisbane State High School]]
[[Category:People with epilepsy]]
[[Category:Queensland Greats]]
[[Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin captains]]
[[Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin coaches]]
[[Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Rugby league five-eighths]]
[[Category:Rugby league locks]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane]]
[[Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Wakefield Trinity players]]
[[Category:Wynnum Manly Seagulls players]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]