One man is poised to dominate the 2011 Four Nations Series, regardless of his performances.
Kangaroos captain on his final lap as retirement looms
One man is poised to dominate the 2011 Four Nations Series, regardless of his performances on the pitch.
Darren Lockyer has already experienced a series of farewells - his last appearance for Queensland, a final match at the Suncorp Stadium for the Broncos and a last Test appearance on Australian soil - but this really will be the end of the road for one of the game's true ambassadors.
The Kangaroos captain is already guaranteed a place in rugby league folklore as a result of his legendary achievements, but it would be fitting if he were to hang up his boots having led Australia to victory in the Elland Road final on November 19 to win back the Four Nations crown they surrendered in Brisbane a year earlier.
Fortunate
Much will be said and written about the Brisbane Broncos stalwart over the next month and, even if the next chapter in his prolific career has yet to unfold, what is certain is that the great man will take it all in his stride.
"I'll always remind myself I've been fortunate to have had a long career at a high level," said the modest Lockyer, whose high standing in Brisbane has been recognised by a decision to name a stretch of road after him.
An 85-kilometre stretch of the Warrego Highway will be known as Darren Lockyer Way, while the State Government is also having a bronze statue of one of their favourite sons erected at Suncorp Stadium.
It is little wonder, then, that British clubs failed over the years to tempt Lockyer away from his beloved Brisbane, for whom he made his debut in 1995, securing the club's rookie-of-the-year award in his first season to provide a hint at what was to follow.
He holds the club records with 1,190 points and 355 appearances and won premierships at full-back in 1997, 1998 and 2000 before captaining his side to victory in the 2006 Grand Final, by which time had made a sublime move to stand-off.
Lockyer, now 34, has won every available piece of silverware he has been eligible for and has twice won the Golden Boot as the world's best player, uniquely in two positions.
Rebel
When he returns to Wembley for the game against England on November 5, it will be 14 years almost to the day since he made his first international appearance in this country at the old stadium as a 20-year-old.
He was full-back in the Australian representative team drawn from the rebel Super League competition which beat Great Britain 38-14 in 1997.
Lockyer made the first of a record 36 State of Origin appearances for Queensland in 1998 and has played for both his state and country in every season apart from 2007 when injury prevented him turning out for the Maroons.
His appearance in the recent Tasman Test in Newcastle enabled him to break Ruben Wiki's world record of 55 caps and he will finish on 60 if he plays in all four matches of the Four Nations Series.
The total does not include his four international appearances in the Super League era while Lockyer also played twice for the NRL All Stars.
He has sought advice from former Broncos greats Shane Webcke and Gorden Tallis, from whom he inherited the captaincy in 2005, about retirement and believes he has come to terms with the finality of it all.
Missing
"I think things through a lot and I know it's not going to be a walk in the park," he said.
"There will be a lot of aspects that I'll enjoy about retirement but there will be times when I feel like there's something missing in my life.
"You don't have to talk to retired players to know it's not easy. I've got a plan in place to help me adjust.
"I announced it at the start of the year so I've had a good six months to get my head around it."
Lockyer, whose wife is expecting their second child in January, opened up about the gambling habit that almost wrecked his early career in his recently-published autobiography but generally gives the impression of a man happy with with his lot.
"I've achieved everything I wanted to achieve," he said. "I've never been a goal-setter.
"Playing one match for the Broncos was my dream. Once that happened, I never set out to play 30 games for Queensland and 50 Tests. Having that in the bank does make it feel like you are more content."
