Rugby League Immortal Mal Meninga and decorated Jillaroo Renae Kunst are the special guests at 2026 Ross Livermore Memorial Lecture to be held at QRL Headquarters at Milton on Saturday, July 25.
The Lecture topic is Rugby League World Cups with the 2026 tournament to be held in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in October / November.
Meninga and Kunst will discuss the importance of international rugby league at a time when public interest in the State of Origin series and the NRL and NRLW competitions is at an all-time high.
'Big Mal' played 46 Tests for Australia, 24 as captain, and is the only man to have made four Kangaroo tours of Britain and France. Renae featured in three World Cups for the Jillaroos.
Meninga was Australian coach from 2016 to 2024, only stepping aside after he was appointed inaugural coach of the Perth Bears franchise which enters the NRL next year.
Kunst is the Mackay-based QRL North Region Manager.
The Livermore Lecture has been held annually since 2010 and is named after former QRL Managing Director, the late Ross Livermore.
Previous speakers include Wayne Bennett, Wally Lewis, Tony Currie, Michael Hagan, Jo Barrett, Adrian McGregor, John Grant, Hugh Lunn, Ben Ikin, John Ribot, Geoff Mines and John Lang.
The event is conducted by the QRL History Committee headed by former Courier-Mail Chief League writer, Steve Ricketts.
Fellow committee member and broadcasting media icon John McCoy will MC the lecture which takes place from 10am to noon. Doors open at 9.30am and morning tea will be served after the speeches.
The event is free but those planning to attend should notify qrlreception@qrl.com.au or telephone 07 3367 6000 for catering purposes.
