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When Darren Lockyer was a kid in short pants, he played backyard rugby league in Roma wearing Wally Lewis’ No 6 jersey, cut to size. He idolised The King, The Emperor of Lang Park.
Before the year is out there will be two bronze statues side-by-side at Suncorp, the old Lang Park – Wally Lewis, and Lockyer – testimony to their greatness.
And the inevitable comparisons will be aired over umpteen beers, for umpteen years.
It’s an argument no-one can win. Comparing footballers a generation apart can only be subjective in the eyes of the beholder.
If it’s cold hard statistics, Lockyer romps in. If it’s how one footballer single-handedly changed the face of rugby league, especially at Origin level, Lewis reigns supreme.
One thing for sure, both Lewis, and Lockyer, will be revered as rugby league icons on and off the field for as long as the 13-man code is played.
Lewis is rightfully one of seven Immortals with Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Bobby Fulton, Graeme Langlands, and Artie Beetson.
Lockyer thoroughly deserves to join them for posterity.
The cold hard facts – * denotes record:
* Kangaroo caps – Lockyer 55* – Lewis 33.
* Kangaroo captain – Lockyer 34* – Lewis 23.
* Tries scored for Kangaroos – Lockyer 34* – Lewis 11.
* Kangaroo Team-of-the-Century – Lewis named five-eighth – Lockyer not named in 17-man squad, nor was any current player.
* Golden Boot – International Player-of-the-Year – Lockyer 2* (2003 and 2006) shared with Andrew Johns 1999 and 2001 – Lewis 1, inaugural winner in 1984.
* State of Origin caps – Lockyer 36* – Lewis 31.
* Queensland captain – Lewis 30* – Lockyer 22.
* Most Origin series victories – Lockyer 9* – Lewis 9*.
* Most Origin Man-of-the-Match awards – Lewis 8* – Lockyer 4.
* Most club games – Lockyer 350* to be set tonight against the Cowboys at Townsville, all with the Broncos – Lewis 301 with Fortitude Valley (135), Wakefield Trinity (10), Wynnum-Manly (76), Broncos (46), and Gold Coast 34.
* Premierships – Lockyer 4* with Broncos – Lewis 1 with Wynnun-Manly.
Quotes from the subjective:
On Lewis:
“Lewis has to be number one because he is the only bloke who dominated the game at the highest level over a long period,” Ray Warren, veteran television caller.
“Lewis is the greatest at representative level I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some greats – I was there with Gaz (Reg Gasnier), and Chook (Johnny Raper) at the end of their careers,” Artie Beetson – Immortal.
On Lockyer:
“The manner he’s played his football, week in, week out, to me is just about unsurpassed. To play 350 games, the guy has never had a bad season. Even when he’s playing bad, he still looks good,” doyen coach Wayne Bennett.
“Locky’s earned the right to be an Immortal – absolutely. If there is one person I’ve admired over many years in rugby league, it is Darren Lockyer,” Terry Lamb, whose 349 first grade games Lockyer surpasses tonight.
The comparisons have just begun.