Darren Lockyer Announces His Retirement

[Blazertaser]

Darren Lockyer has today announced that the 2011 season will be his final year in the National Rugby League.

Lockyer, who turned 34 last week, said he was pleased and comfortable with his decision to retire after 17 seasons of top-grade football.

He will leave the game holding nearly every record of note.

Lockyer, who became a father last year, said today he felt the time was right to move on to the next chapter of his life.

?I am still enjoying playing and am really excited about the Broncos and rest of the 2011 year,? he said.

?Of course it will be hard to leave my teammates and the Broncos? organisation at the end of the season, but I know the timing is right.

?I have had a wonderful career as a rugby league player, but I just feel it is time to move on to the next stage of my life.?

Lockyer said he had no concrete plans for future involvement in the game at this point in time.

?Of course I will observe the game and watch what is going on, but at this point I am going to take a compete break from the day-to-day grind of the NRL,? he said.

NRMA Insurance Broncos chief executive Paul White said today was a historic day for the club as the Broncos began the transition into life without Darren Lockyer.

?We appreciate the integrity that Darren has shown and the way he has decided to make this announcement now, which will allow our fans to celebrate his achievement for the rest of the season,? he said.

?I think it is fair to say that we will never have another player like Darren Lockyer.

?He has driven success here at the Broncos, has been a tremendous achiever at both club and representative level, and has been the epitome of professionalism for not only our club, but our game.

?Darren?s historical place in the very fabric of the game of rugby league is assured and he has deserved every accolade he has received.?


Source: Nrl.com

[TITAN PETE]

Thought he should've done it last season but well done on Locky for announcing it nice & early in this season , hate the Donkeys but can't help and admire what he's done in his career & Rugby League ;)

[Mushi]

Good on him for getting it out of the way nice and early. The broncos will be looking for a big year to send him out too! You can see it in him - he is still an awesome playmaker but just doesn't have the "rest" of it anymore. Someone has big shoes to fill in Brisbane next year!

[Blazertaser]

In a way, i want the donkeys to do really well in the season just to send locky out the way he deserves...... but to bad if they made the grand final the Titans would beat them :P

[titansrawesome]

well that is awful news for every other team in the comp becuase they sent shane webke out with a GF win and lockyer has a way bigger legacy than old shane

[Coaster]

True legend of the game, we have been blessed to watch him, our childrens- children will ask about him.

[DIEHARD]

So sad to see him wind up his career, but Im glad that it is on his terms with a season, Origin and internationals ahead.

Coaster is right, he will be held up there with Churchill, so enjoy what is left of his career as he knocks down those few records that aren't his.

Hopefully that means we can win Origin and the Four Nations.

And also get a massive, sold out turn out at the Test Match on the Gold Coast.

[DIEHARD]

When Lockyer retires, the Broncos will have no redeeming qualities. LOL

[DIEHARD]

I'd like to be remembered fondly: Lockyer

Record-breaker Darren Lockyer could be rugby league's next immortal but the humble Broncos champion says being remembered as a player who always gave his best would be enough.

There hasn't been an addition to the Immortals club since Arthur Beetson, who like Lockyer also hailed from the Queensland town of Roma, was inducted as the seventh member in 2004.

"It's been coming. You can't play on forever," said Lockyer, who on Monday announced he would retire at the end of 2011.

"I have no regrets.

"I've always given my best whether it's for club, state or country.

"I'll hang my hat on that rather than what the stats say."

But those stats are impressive.

No rugby league player has captained his country more times (33) or scored more Test tries (34) in the history of the game.

And he's not finished yet.

In the next six months he could break Allan Langer's record of 34 Origins, claim Kiwi Ruben Wiki's world record of 55 Tests and eclipse the NRL record of 349 games currently shared by Steve Menzies and Terry Lamb.

If the farewell gods are smiling, he could also lead Queensland to a sixth consecutive State of Origin series win, help the Kangaroos reclaim the Four Nations in the UK and possibly claim a fifth premiership with Brisbane for whom he's played every one of his 336 NRL games since 1995.

Lockyer captured the premiership-Origin-Tri Nations treble in 2006.

But has never played for records.

Before making Monday's announcement he told teammates he didn't want his final season to turn into a tribute year for him.

"I've spoken to the boys already and that's not how I want it to be," said Lockyer.

"In `06 it was the perfect outcome for Webbie (Webcke) and I'd love to have another outcome like that.

"But as players we do it for ourselves, each other, our fans and our club."

The Broncos have had a philosophy of not being about one player but chief executive Paul White acknowledged that Lockyer's contribution over 17 seasons was special.

"As a club you don't replace players like Darren Lockyer, you simply work hard at preparing for life after them," said White.

"Darren's stature in the game, his place in the game will be there forever."

Lockyer decided in January after talking to his wife Loren and his parents that he would retire at season's end.

He spoke to his longtime coach Wayne Bennett about his plans during last month's All Stars camp on the Gold Coast.

"The roller coaster ride your emotions take with football ... at least my wife won't have to deal with my moods after a loss," he said.

"You think as you get older and more experienced you'd handle them (loses) better but as I've gotten older, losses still change my mood a bit.

He conceded the thought of playing one season too many had crossed his mind.

"I thought a little bit about that and put myself in a position of being back here this time next year ... whether I'd have the same motivation," he said.

"I was questioning whether I would so I knew it was the right time to finish up.

"I didn't want to delay it and go down the path of constant speculation about my future.

"It's out there now, the fans know and it gives the Broncos a chance to plan their playing roster for next year."

As one high profile coach said: rugby league will only realise how much it misses Darren Lockyer once he stops playing.

Lockyer knows he will miss rugby league but accepts it's time to be a husband and father.

"That feeling in the dressing room after you win a game, that's a high I'll miss. I won't miss the losses," he smiled.

He hasn't made any decision on his future but a career in the media or coaching are obvious career paths.

"There's a few things on the table but I just really want to take 12 months off, gather my thoughts and work out exactly what it is I want to do," he said.

Source: http://www.nrl.com