Is it too early to right Benji off? He is only 28. People once wrote Lockyer off as well (see the most embarrassing article in the history of Rugby League below). Worth noting after Gus wrote this article Lockyer went on to win a premiership, captain 6 Origin winning series in a row, captain numerous tests, break records, win a golden boot and cement himself as a certain immortal.
By Phil Gould
May 28, 2006
Darren Lockyer Age: 29
First-grade games: 245
Tests: 30
Origins for Queensland: 22
Record: Played in Brisbane's premiership-winning teams 1997, '98 and 2000
Clive Churchill medallist, 2000
Golden Boot award for best player in the world in 2003
THESE statistics don't do Darren Lockyer's career justice. The brilliance and skill of his play can't be described in mere numbers. He's been a great player for club, state and country.
That's what makes my next comment so hard to make.
It's time for Queensland to ask Darren to step down from their State of Origin team. It's always dangerous to criticise a champion and I'm not going to.
I wouldn't drop him, either, but I'd have a serious talk to him about his future and the future of the Queensland team.
The Maroons need to think long and hard about the development of their team and I can't see Lockyer being part of this process. I have many reasons to support this suggestion but consider these:
Lockyer looks stressed. He's trying but not much is working. I know he threw a couple of good passes late in the game on Wednesday night but it wasn't one of his better performances.
Lockyer's presence gives the Queensland team an air of predictability. It seems their plan on Wednesday was a couple of hit-ups before throwing the ball two passes wide to Lockyer.
He's a great player but he has only a couple of tricks in his game. NSW players know them well and that makes it very difficult for him to have an impact. The bad passes, dropped ball and gang tackles on his ball-runners all came from his being heavily marked.
His kicking game is also predictable and easily pressured.
Lockyer's presence restricts the other creative players. We didn't see enough of Cameron Smith probing out of dummy-half or Matt Bowen getting his hands on the ball at first receiver. The Johnathan Thurston/Bowen combination failed to materialise. Thurston is a much better five-eighth than halfback and Scott Prince is their best No.7 option.
The Maroons' kicking game was poor. Prince can fix that and provide his own style of creativity. Aaron Payne's speed and craftiness out of dummy-half would suit these instinctive players.
People suggest Lockyer should be moved to fullback. I've said this in past years but I think that move is now beyond him. It would be unfair on Lockyer to play him at fullback at Origin level after he's played so long at five-eighth. Queensland have younger and faster men to return the ball from the back.
Bowen, Greg Inglis, Rhys Wesser, Billy Slater and Karmichael Hunt appear more representative of what the modern-day fullback is all about.
The past doesn't equal the future. When Queensland develop their next great team, I don't think Lockyer will be part of it. So bite the bullet. The Maroons need to modernise their game.
Payne, Prince, Thurston, Bowen and Inglis are the Origin stars of the future. Find them some big, mobile, aggressive young forwards to play behind and watch them go.
It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.
Many great players have had to retire. Who knows, maybe in two years, with the series on the line, Lockyer could make a brief comeback, as Allan Langer, Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns did, and produce the fairytale finish the greats truly deserve. It's a tough call but it needs to be considered.
