Sheens awaits medical report on Lockyer

[DIEHARD]

Sheens awaits medical report on Lockyer

Australian Rugby League coach Tim Sheens is anxiously awaiting a full medical report on captain Darren Lockyer ahead of next month's clash with New Zealand and the Four Nations tour.

Lockyer declared he still had petrol in the tank to finish his stellar career in the green and gold after Brisbane's 26-14 loss to Manly on Friday night ended his NRL career.

The 34-year-old said he would have played in next weekend's grand final if the Broncos had made it, despite fracturing his cheekbone in the semi-final win over St George Illawarra.

Sheens, though, is taking a cautious approach ahead of the October 16 Test against the Kiwis in Newcastle and the Four Nations tournament also featuring NZ, England and Wales.

"Darren would be first picked," Sheens told AAP on Saturday. "It just comes down to whether or not he's healthy and everything looks right there.

"Normally those sorts of things can be upwards of six weeks but every one of those is different."

Kangaroos medical staff will receive a detailed report from the Broncos this week, with the side for the Newcastle match and the 24-man touring squad to be named after the NRL grand final.

The Test has been promoted as Lockyer's last game on Australian soil but ARL boss Geoff Carr conceded Lockyer was in some doubt.

"There's no doubt in my mind he'll be right for the Four Nations but we'll wait on his medical advice and his own intuition to see what his position will be on the 16th of October," Carr said.

"Obviously we'd love to see him play his last Test on Australian soil but his health is important, particularly with the Four Nations so close."

Sheens said having Lockyer finish his career in the UK would provide similar inspiration to league great Mal Meninga's exit on his record fourth Kangaroos tour in 1994.

"It would be fantastic for the touring group, it would be great to have him on board," Sheens said.

"A similar thing would be Big Mal in `94 when he finished his career in England on a tour.

"You'd like all great players to finish the way they want to finish rather than finish through injury or finish through non-selection.

"It will be great to be working with him right until the last game."

Australia and Queensland are well placed with Melbourne's Cooper Cronk in the wings as a future replacement for Lockyer as Johnathan Thurston's halves partner.

Sheens, though, said true greats would always be missed.

"The game has replaced every great champion and yet those same champions still leave a legacy that won't be replaced," he said.

"There's elements of their personality and their ability that are never the same.

"The next player can do the job but it's not necessarily the same player."

Carr said there had been preliminary discussions about Lockyer taking on an off-field role with the Kangaroos set-up once his career is over.

Source: http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

I dearly hope Darren plays and leads the Kangaroos to glory. Watch out New Zealand, England and Wales!