Darren Lockyer has announced that 2011’s NRL season would be his last. As one of the greatest players to ever take the field, it marks a terrible loss for league. But over at Broncos HQ, there is a bigger dilemma: who will fill his shoes? Lockyer is a living league legend.
As a one club player, his stellar career has seen him break the record for most tries scored for the Australian team; he’s played in Queensland’s State of Origin team 32 times and won the series five times as captain; he’s a four time premiership winning player; and thus, rightly so, his name has been thrown this week right next to Arthur Beetson as the next inductee of the ‘Immortals’.
These are just a selection of many flattering statistics about Lockyer. And he still has a whole year of representative and club duties to go.
In this long and successful career, Lockyer has avoided major off field controversies and has been a lead-by-example role model for many of the young players coming through the NRL.
To his credit, after sixteen years training and competing at the elite level, he has kept up with the increasing physicality and professionalism of the game.
So it begs the question: what will he do with his time now?
He’s said family time is his only focus now, but after years and years of hard work and dedication (a hard thing to switch off), surely he’ll get a day job.
Having barked at players for so long, his husky voice probably rules out a career in broadcast media, which is unfortunate as his insight in the game would be a refreshing change from the Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler staple we’re force-fed each week.
Or maybe he’ll have a year off and then have one last crack at the Super League?
In previous years, he did throw about the idea of making the move to Europe, describing the experience of a different culture in a different country as “appealing”. Despite his age, his talent as a player would certainly be a drawcard for league fans in England.
Whatever he chooses, it’s not hard to predict that his send-off later this season – whether that be in the finals or not – WILL be a sell-out crowd.
For Broncos fans, however, Lockyer’s retirement will leave a gaping hole in the team. As one of their most senior players, his worth for the club as five-eighth and captain has been priceless.
Paul White the Broncos chief executive, realised this yesterday, telling the Sydney Morning Herald that: “we will never have another player like Darren Lockyer.”
Peter Wallace will probably slip into the five-eighth position, while a handful of younger Broncos will be jostling for the number 7 position. Kurt Baptiste, Dane Gagai, and Corey Norman are in the mix, but I’d tip Ben Hunt to take the half-back spot, in place of Wallace.
But will the fans turn out week after week with a bunch of rookies taking the field without Locky?
Two thirds of their thirty-four man squad are twenty two or under.
It’s becoming clear after his decision to leave the Broncos just how important to the team Lockyer is. After his departure, the Broncos can expect a shaky period next season.
For the club’s sake, though, they’ll be hoping they do find another player like Lockyer.
Or at least the next best thing.
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