Darren Lockyer

[Twizzle]

Lockyer is a mere shadow of his former self.

Watching trying to run down Benji's intercept try yesterday, it looked like he was running backwards. He has no pace anymore.

Whether it is past injuries, old age or a combination of both, he is no where near the player he used to be.

We just lost an ashes series because the selectors played people with very good test records, but no current form.

If the Aussie selectors pick Lockyer at 5/8, with his current form I fear that our League players might be heading down the same road as our cricketers, in the tri-nations.

Its time for a changing of the guard and he should be the first to go imo.

 

[Scott]

I'd say he needs a good break. He has played non stop for the last 5 years!

He is badly burnt out.

 

[JJ]

he's had injuries etc, and is down on form.

Thje selectors will almost certainly pick him, unless he is ruled out with injury. A couple of weeks might do him the world of good.

Johns has showed everyone that champions should be ruled out at your peril - while I've never thought Lockyer is in the Johns class, he is still a champion...

 

[Mr Saab]

In your opinion of course.
The current climate of international league is nothing like cricket.
Lockyer sure has had an average (some would say below avg) past 12 weeks
Lockyer is all of 28 yrs of age....28! Its not like he is 34 like what Mal Meninga was when he led his country (with distinction) on the 1994 Roo tour. Is 28 that old? I dont think so.
As for running down Benji, Lockyer is coming back from a hamstring injury...sure his "fit" but how fit was he really?

 

[Jono078]

Barrett will surely get the spot. Been in great form as a leader, kicking game etc.

 

[lockyno1]

NO. Not when he is the skipper anyway. Look it is EXTREMELY diffcult to look good behind a beaten pack. Why don't you have a look at the games where the Broncos won 10 in a row. He was sensational back then! Does that mean he is a worse player now, NO! It just means he is playing behind a beaten pack. Barrett looked ordinary when the Dragons pack was getting beaten in the first 5-6 rounds or whatever it was. Look he will tour, and so should he. He is the captain.

 

[innsaneink]

1. Hodgson
2. Minichiello
3. Cooper
4. Gaz
5. King
6. Barrett
7. Prince

No 1-2 series loss here imo.

??

 

[jamesgould]

Looked like he had just given up chasing Benji, if that is his top pace then that's a concern. Although giving up chasing is even more of a concern, what sort of an attitude is that!?

On form there's no way he would make the Aussie side at fullback or five-eighth, ahead of Barrett or Minichiello. But if Johns is still playing Superleague for the first test then I'm guessing he'll stay there simply because he's captain.

Plus if you look at the train-on sides named so far they're about as predictable as a ham sandwich, Bennett isn't going to pull any surprises.

 

[Jono078]

I didnt think Lockyer was sensational back then either, sure he was playing better...

But he needs the break, for Australia and the Broncos sake.

And im all for if they are in form choose them, thats Barrett.

 

[Misty Bee]

Lockyer at 5/8 is a failed experiment. This is odd, because at fullback, he was always playing 5/8!

I think he is playing with a vastly overratd team. He did his best, and Webcke was outstanding in the first half, as was Darren Smith and Petero. Bazza Berrigan - a toiler at best, toiled his arse of. Tate put in a big effort. The rest were crap - nothing more than trumped up nuffies. There was no support play - that ain't Lockyer's fault. However, it's obvious that he has rrached his talent's peak - he is now a Kevin Walters - and desperately needs a Steve Renouf to compliment him.

He has none in Brisbane, nor in SOO. This year, his form doesn't warrant selection in the touring side.

Scary thought - his club coach is yesterday's man with yesterdays ideas, and is also national coach and selector. If Bennet picks sh*t like S. Berrigan, Carroll, Thorn etc in the test side, and leaves Joey out of the equasion, we are doomed.

 

[Pierced Soul]

All of a sudden he cant play anymore? he was carving teams up asat eyar and when the broncos were leading the comp no one has a prob but they lose some games and all of a sudden he cant play?

marshall is very quick, not many players in the NRL let alone lockyer would catch him.

Johns first few games this year were tragic but history tells us that he's till able to play well....having some abd games doesnt mean you're not going to improve

 

[The Colonel]

Lockyer has shown the biggest difficulty has been the switch from fullback to five eight. The Broncos need to get him back in the number 1 as quickly as possible to take the pressure of him defensively at least. The try he scored was a brilliant fullback's try with him working off the opportunity created rather than him having to create and take advantage of the opportunity. He lacks the creative passing game of a dominant five eight - that much was highlighted in the Origin series and now in the finals.

There is no doubt he has done well at no. 6 but he is a great fullback and only decent as a five eight.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

It doesn't help having someone as useless as Seymour outside him.

 

[Jono078]

All of a sudden he cant play anymore? he was carving teams up asat eyar and when the broncos were leading the comp no one has a prob but they lose some games and all of a sudden he cant play?

marshall is very quick, not many players in the NRL let alone lockyer would catch him.

Johns first few games this year were tragic but history tells us that he's till able to play well....having some abd games doesnt mean you're not going to improve

Everyone expected that, especially Daley who had the injury himself, he said it take about a month to get over. After a month we saw what Johns done to the Warriors and we know the rest of the season...

 

[JJ]

NO. Not when he is the skipper anyway. Look it is EXTREMELY diffcult to look good behind a beaten pack. Why don't you have a look at the games where the Broncos won 10 in a row. He was sensational back then! Does that mean he is a worse player now, NO! It just means he is playing behind a beaten pack. Barrett looked ordinary when the Dragons pack was getting beaten in the first 5-6 rounds or whatever it was. Look he will tour, and so should he. He is the captain.

I wouldn't say that the Brisbane pack was a "beaten pack" in the first half... quite the opposite, they were breaking the line repeatedly - it was lack of vision and skill in the backs, and an inability to support that was the problem

 

[The Colonel]

I wouldn't say that the Brisbane pack was a "beaten pack" in the first half... quite the opposite, they were breaking the line repeatedly - it was lack of vision and skill in the backs, and an inability to support that was the problem

Very true. They strolled through the line on countless occassions down the right side and almost every time they had no support. The only time they did have support Tate ran towards the sidline and butchered the try....

 

[JJ]

I'd also suggest that playing outside Johns is a bit different to playing outside Seymour... with the pressure of being the only playmaker off, Lockyer could be devastating with Johns - so too could Barrett of course)

 

[lockyno1]

I wouldn't say that the Brisbane pack was a "beaten pack" in the first half... quite the opposite, they were breaking the line repeatedly - it was lack of vision and skill in the backs, and an inability to support that was the problem

The thing is it shouldn't be up to Lockyer all the time to do all the work. The outside backs should be the ones chasing but Berrigan is down on form, Tate is past his best, Hodges was coming back from knee surgery, and Minto is only fractionly faster than Luke Covell! They are the ones that should be supporting the breaks! Remember Lockyer was 2 games back from a hamstring injury and even blind freddy could work out he was playing injured. You will see a much better Lockyer next year. The pack was beaten severely in the 2nd half! Webcke/Civonoceva/Darren Smith no-one else could say they played better than their opponent. Brisbane miss David Stagg! Lockyer will tour!

 

[Mr Saab]

The outside backs should be the ones chasing but Berrigan is down on form, Tate is past his best, Hodges was coming back from knee surgery,

tate is not past his best...he is the only outside back that looked threatening.

 

[Jono078]

Agreed with CS, he was enthusiastic and tried his best imo, and has been doing so for a months straight now.