A second rower who could dominate lineouts, cover-defend like a number eight and even kick goals if needed, John Eales was regarded as the best all-round player in the game when he was handed the captaincy in 1996.

While there were some doubts over whether the world's best player could become the world's best captain, Eales soon dispelled them, beginning a glittering 55-Test reign.

By the time he retired in 2001, Eales had led the Wallabies to just about every honour in the game: the 1999 World Cup, Bledisloe and Tri-Nations victories and, in his last season, a first-ever series win over the British and Irish Lions.

But for all that and all the hours of first-class rugby he played, he will probably always be remembered for just one moment — the last minute goal-kick to break the All Blacks' hearts and win the 2000 Bledisloe Cup in Wellington.

Other Queensland players to captain Australia in rugby union Tests: David Wilson, Tim Horan, Michael Lynagh, Rod McCall, David Codey, Andrew Slack, Tony Shaw, Mark Loane, Paul McLean, Geoff Shaw, Bill McLean, Tom Lawton Snr, Chilla Wilson, Nev Cottrell, Des Connor, Frank Nicholson, Allen Oxlade, Arch Winning.

Adored in Queensland but a pariah south of the border, King Wally made a success of one of the hardest jobs in sport — moulding the warring NSW and Queensland camps into a cohesive Australian team at the height of State of Origin rivalry.

 By far the most influential player of his generation, Lewis played 33 Tests, 23 as captain, in a decade-long international career beginning in 1981.

 Vice-captain on his first Kangaroo tour in 1982 and captain in 1986, he sensationally failed a fitness test to be ruled out of his third tour.

The furore over his omission was one of many controversies surrounding Lewis in his long career, but nothing could detract from his status as one of the greatest and most entertaining footballers ever to play the game.

Other Queenslanders to captain Australia in Test and World Cup rugby league: Gorden Tallis, Allan Langer, Mal Meninga, Greg Veivers, Arthur Beetson, Peter Gallagher, Barry Muir, Brian Davies, Bill Tyquin, Mick Madsen, Herb Steinohrt, Tom Gorman, Bill Heidke.

Although born and bred on Sydney's North Shore, "AB" became a proud Queenslander from the moment he moved north in 1980.

A young Test veteran at that stage, he gave sterling service to his adopted state for the next 15 years.

When handed the thorny crown of the Test captaincy in 1984-85, he transformed a team of easybeats into the toughest outfit in the world. Time after time in those early days Border played a lone hand, almost shaming his team-mates into valuing their wickets as much as he did.

 In a world record 156-Test career — 93 as captain — Border scored more than 11,000 runs and led his team to the 1987 World Cup, regaining the Ashes in 1989 and successfully defending the urn on two occasions, before retiring from Test cricket in 1994.

He stayed in the game to help Queensland win its first Sheffield Shield and played a significant role in that historic victory.

Other Queensland players to captain Australia in cricket Tests: Greg Chappell, Ray Lindwall, Bill Brown.

Despite being limited to just one Test and 54 one-day internationals, Stuart Law established himself as the most successful domestic cricket captain in Australian history, leading Queensland to Shield and Pura Cup wins in 1994-95, 1996-97, 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, and one-day titles in 1995-96 and 1997-98. In 2001-2002, he overtook Sam Trimble to become Queensland's greatest ever run-maker.

 It was fitting that the first time he played every match in a season, Michael Voss led the Brisbane Lions to the club's first AFL premiership in 2001.