When nine-year-old Lachlan Hannagan Brown visited his great great grandfather's grave for the first time, it was one of the most poignant moments in rugby league's centenary year.

It came 100 years after Dinny Lutge captained the first Kangaroo side to England in 1908 and coincided with the year his young descendent started playing league with the Narellen Jets.

Going to Lutge's grave nestled amidst the peaceful setting of the Macquarie Park Cemetery was both a spiritual pilgrimage for young Lachlan and the chance to pay tribute to one of the games's sadly forgotten heroes.

"It's pretty awesome," the proud youngster said as he read the inscription on Lutge's gravestone. Lachlan is one of the few people to actually know Lutge's story. When he had to do a school project on "My Hero", he had no hesitation in choosing the Australian football pioneer as his subject.

While Lutge played a major role in the history of both union and league, he has never received the recognition he deserved.

Thanks to author Jeff Hewitt, who researched Lutge's life for his book Two Blues 100 Years of Mosman Rugby, his legacy is finally being recognised.

Lutge played in Australia's first rugby Test against New Zealand in August 1903 and in all three Tests against Great Britain in 1904.

In 1908 he became a foundation member of the North Sydney Rugby League Football Club and played in the first official Test series against New Zealand.

During the six-week journey to England with the first Kangaroos aboard the RMS Macedonia, Lutge was elected tour captain by his teammates. The legendary Dally Messenger was vice-captain. He only played five of the 45 games after breaking his arm and Messenger took over as skipper.

Lutge died in 1953 aged 73. In a situation which did neither rugby code any credit, our first Kangaroo skipper and rugby Test pioneer was buried in an unmarked grave.

"It was very sad. He was forgotten and died a pauper," said Hewitt, who, after a painstaking search, found Lutge's plot and successfully lobbied the Bears to erect a long overdue memorial.

Now Lachlan intends to keep Lutge's memory alive by following in his footballing footsteps. He scored 34 tries for the Jets in his debut season and his school, St Clare's at Narellen, made the State championships semi-finals.