NRL: Lockyer fine on 'Godfather' voice

[Queenslander]

Lockyer fine on 'Godfather' voice
By Ainsley Pavey
October 15, 2006 12:00am

FOOTY fans had better get used to listening to Darren Lockyer impersonating Marlon Brando in The Godfather, because the Kangaroos skipper is in no hurry to fix his dodgy voice.

The 29-year-old league star has revealed he has ignored advice to have an operation to remove a chipped bone in his throat which is pressing against his vocal cords every time he speaks.

"I don't really want to sound like the Godfather, but I don't really mind," Lockyer told The Sunday Mail from New Zealand recently.

"I guess if I went to a karaoke bar I would probably only be able to do Joe ****er.

"I know it is a husky voice and people make the odd joke, but I don't get upset about it. It is just part of me."

Lockyer said he first noticed trouble with the voice after being hit in the throat during a game with the Broncos in 2004. The knock left him almost unable to speak and his throat was sore for days.

But 18 months ago an X-ray on a broken cheekbone uncovered the severity of the throat injury.

"The doctor said, 'You've also got a small broken bone in your throat and it is pushing on your vocal cords'."

Despite advice to undergo an operation, Lockyer saw no "real point" to have it done during his football career.

"I have been to a specialist and they said they could fix it last year. I don't think I will ever get it fixed.

"It is often at its worst after a game, but it's never been an issue on the field."

However Lockyer could be at serious risk.

Leading Australian Sports doctor Anita Green said a fractured larynx ? which is the wishbone-shaped bone in the throat ? was potentially life-threatening.

"They are not very common and to have anything ongoing is even less common," Dr Green said.

"Most people who get blows to their throat in football get ho****ness or irritation in their throat and find it hard to swallow, but it usually settles down.

"It is very unfortunate that he has had it happening now for over 18 months."

Union star Sam Scott-Young, who suffered a similar setback in 1994, urged Lockyer to have surgery.

The Wallaby forward had to have fat from his belly-button injected into his vocal chords after suffering nerve damage during an operation on his spine. He almost lost his voice permanently.

"I was speaking in a very breathy voice, worse than Lockyer's, for a year and thought my little boy would never hear me speak," Scott-Young said.

"I spent almost two years in speech therapy to get my ability to speak back."

Lockyer's brother Matt, 26, who led Brisbane club Easts to a premiership this year, said constant yelling wasn't helping his sibling.

"It's the constant screaming and yelling on the field and it takes a toll at the end of 80 minutes," he said.

"Maybe after he finishes playing he may get a bit worried and do something."

Lockyer remains focused on football after enjoying the best year of his career, leading the Broncos, Queensland and Australia to victory.

But he's also looking forward to life after football. He has been with girlfriend Loren Pollock for three years, turns 30 on March 24 next year and is looking forward to fatherhood.

"I have another three years with the Broncos and I am not thinking about any exit strategies yet," he said.

The Sunday Mail

[novacastrian_panther]

Oh, I always thought he was a chain smoker.

[BrisbaneBroncosRule]

I love his voice, its awesome

[Enzo]

From memory it was Billy Slaters high shot that did it.

I wonder what he would sound like without it...

[Darren Lockyer]

it sounds shocking and he should get it fixed

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

agreed darren.

[jenny]

He may wait until his footy days are over then get it done!
poor guy :')

[Robbie_Dee]

:eek: I've always thought it was becuase of his on field yelling. very interesting. I think he should leave it like that at least until his footy career is over, i like it, its unique to darren lockyer.

[jenny]

Alot of them do...eg: broken noses etc.

[~Wild Child~]

It says in the article that he could be at serious risk :') :')
It would be safer for him to have the surgery asap :')

[Boofhead]

Additional unnecessary (Yes it is unnecessary) surgery is a big no no, put down by the clubs.

[Poida]

gees thank god i never seen the godfather then lol

[Capital_Shark]

This is the crap that makes news now? What about Jason Smith, he's 20x worse than Lockyer, you struggle to understand the bloke when he talks. He also smoked a fair bit too though.

I stick by my original comment though, and this is a dud article, this reporter must have drawn the short straw and everyone else got to cover the real stuff like the game he played last night.

[~Wild Child~]

This is the crap that makes news now? What about Jason Smith, he's 20x worse than Lockyer, you struggle to understand the bloke when he talks. He also smoked a fair bit too though.

I stick by my original comment though, and this is a dud article, this reporter must have drawn the short straw and everyone else got to cover the real stuff like the game he played last night.

:lol!:
Hope you're right!

[HodgoBerro]

that bone they are talking about is what evolved us to talk instead of making sounds

should go and get it fixed before its too late.

i ruined my voice by singing with laryngitis.