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DIEHARD
06-07-10, 04:51 PM
Lockyer, Civoniceva tell Maroons they'll be back next year

MAROONS captain Darren Lockyer and prop Petero Civoniceva have ruled out retiring from representative football in a boost to Queensland's hopes of extending their five years of Origin domination.

The pair have told teammates they want to continue playing Origin and Test matches next season and have no intention of standing down from representative duties to concentrate on club commitments.

''Locky has said he will put his hand up for another year and there is no sign of Petero slowing down at all, so that is great to see,'' star centre Greg Inglis told the Herald.

Hooker Cameron Smith, who will take over the captaincy reins of both Queensland and Australia when Lockyer retires, said AFL-bound winger Israel Folau was likely to be the only member of the history-making Maroons side to be unavailable next year.

''We'll more than likely have the same team again next year,'' Smith said. ''I was speaking to Pet [Civoniceva] and I know he wants to go around again. Locky is not saying anything to anyone, so we're not sure, but the way he's playing why not go around again?''

Lockyer makes his 33rd Maroons appearance tomorrow night - one off Allan Langer's record - and by playing on next season he will have the opportunity to become the most-capped Queensland player in Origin history.

He already holds the record for the most Test appearances for Australia with 51 and should equal former New Zealand captain Ruben Wiki's mark of 55 Tests during the Four Nations tournament in October and November in Australasia.

The 33-year-old Brisbane five-eighth last month eclipsed Cronulla great Andrew Ettingshausen's mark of most first-grade games for one club with his 329th appearance for the Broncos.

Civoniceva, a long-time team-mate of Lockyer's at club and representative level before moving to Penrith three years ago, has played 26 Origin matches for Queensland - equivalent to the total for the nine forwards chosen in the NSW squad for tomorrow night's match.

''He has done the job so many times for Queensland so it is good to have him back after he missed the last game,'' prop David Shillington said.

''It has always been well documented that Steve Price and Petero would wrap up their Origin careers soon because they are both about 40 years old [they are 36 and 34] but I want to play alongside [Civoniceva] for as long as I can.

''In the last four or five years he has dominated the comp.''

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au