There is a lot of talk lately about the poor form Darren Lockyer finds himself in early this season.
While the Broncos have been a bit up and down this year, despite the fact they keep finding a way to win, Lockyer had really only shown a few glimpses of his usual for and thats leading some to suggest he may struggle to gain selection in the Australian and Queensland sides over the next few months.
He’d be the first player I’d pick.
Lockyer has played over 300 first grade games as well as a heap of Origin and Test matches. He is the most experienced player in the game today and there is nothing he has not done on the field.
Darren Lockyer and the Brisbane Broncos coaches know they don’t need Lockyer at his best right now. At his age its not Lockyers job to drag this team kicking and screaming to wins. Lockyer is just icing on the cake right now. The younger players put in the hard yards, they go out and do their thing, but when its needed, Lockyer can chime in and add that bit of finish to win a game.
Everyone within the Broncos wants Lockyer at his best in September, not now, so they won’t be worrying at all right now.
Now, the Australian team gets selected before the Queensland side, and there are a few changes that need to be made in the Australian team because now we are chasing the Kiwi’s and our last lineup didn’t work well enough.
Queensland meanwhile are in the middle of a dynasty that looks like it should continue for at least a few more years. They proved last year they can win the series without Darren Lockyer.
You still have to pick him for both sides though.
Lockyer will be right at home at rep level this year. He has nothing more to prove, and just as the doubters came out about other great player, Lockyer will be listening and waiting for his chance to prove these people wrong.
Lockyers playmaking ability is still second to none. He might not have the same zip he once had, but where as in the past you might see him break the line and go all the way, now he breaks the line and sets up his support players and sends them to score the tries.
You still can’t charge out of the line to put pressure on Lockyer, he will still carve you up. He is as fast as he needs to be.
I think at most Lockyer will play out this season and maybe the next, but at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised if he announced his retirement just after the Origin series has ended.
He can do anything on a football field. He had led teams to wins at every level consistently for well over a decade.
Darren Lockyer has nothing to prove to anyone any more…..but watch him do it anyway.
