By Steve Jancetic
November 16th 2009 @ 6:31am
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Lockyer no closer to representative decision
If it was the end, it was a fitting farewell, but Australian skipper Darren Lockyer says he just doesn’t know.
Lockyer remained coy about his representative future after Australia’s 46-16 Four Nations final rout of England in Leeds, only to say he was 99.9 per cent sure this was his last time wearing the green and gold in the northern hemisphere.
“I’m not going to rush into any decisions,” said Lockyer, who became the first player to notch up 50 Tests for Australia on Saturday night.
“Over the last four weeks I’ve ummed and ahhed about it all.
“I’ll put an off-season in and just see where I’m at.
“If I do decide to finish up with it, it’s a nice way to finish. That’s one of the things I’ll have to weigh up. At the moment I don’t know.”
A Suncorp Stadium farewell in the mid-year Test a-la Andrew Johns or even one last Four Nations tournament are both possibilities, but it remains to be seen whether Lockyer is willing to put his body through the torture test yet again.
The chance to go out a winner is a compelling one, particularly now that he has erased some of the pain of last year’s World Cup loss and Australia’s Four Nations final defeat to New Zealand at Elland Road in 2005 when Lockyer was sidelined with an ankle injury.
“It (winning) is a big difference in terms of how it would have been tonight, how the offseason would have been, the reception we would have got when we got back home,” Lockyer said.
“It’s a long way to come, a long way home.
“The last time Australia played here they got beat by the Kiwis. We were aware about that earlier in the week and the World Cup last year.
“We were in this room after the (2005) game, it was a totally opposite atmosphere to what it is now.
“The first feeling is relief. I think with about 15 minutes to go we had the game won and there was a lot of excitement amongst the boys.”
Coach Tim Sheens said he was hopeful Lockyer would remain available for representative football, admitting the prospect of building a side around a new No.6 was a difficult to contemplate.
“The pressure on Australian rugby league now is to find a five-eighth who can replace him,” Sheens said.
“We’ve got good halves, but to find a true six who can play second receiver. He’s not so much old school, but he’s one of the last true second receivers.”
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Bronx said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:13pm | Report comment
I hope he does so he can focuss on bronx and most of all prolong his career
Bronx said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:18pm | Report comment
Tim smith to sign with broncos Scott anderson ben barbar oh and JT has annouced he will give thought to joining broncos to play along side locky
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
I hope Lockyer isn’t going for personal glory in an attmept to have all the records in International RL. Prince has effectively been kept out of QLD/AUS his whole career by Lockyer and Thurston. If Hindmarsh can retire now, especially when he would most likely gain a NSW recall, so can Lockyer. Give Prince or Cronk a go, I would rate them higher now anyway.