Should Darren Lockyer be picked for the ANZAC test?

[Billy Gunn]

It was Stuart who said "no one is safe,the side will be picked on form".
Well Sticky lets see the size of those cajoulies,because on form Locky misses out.

Sticky may be saying that he doesn't want Locky but he might not be referring to him exclusively but he is not a selector he can ask for specific players and I am sure he will but the selectors will choose ultimately

 

[CharlieF]

THANK YOU! Amen! I get so tired of seeing fanboys ranting about players who have strung some good football together deserving representative selection. First of all, I am a huge fan of Thurston and truly believe he is a class act. But his time will come. Show me the last time Lockyer performed poorly in a test match, and I'll show you examples of players who were picked purely on form and went missing in rep games (Watmough anybody?)

The media bandwagon is riding Lockyer for all it's worth at the moment and you're all jumping on board. Get over it!

Watmough was only given 7 or 8 minutes in the SOO game one last year. He would never dissapoint if he was actually given proper game time. I remember Lockyer's first test in 1998, it was a shocker against the Kiwis and he directly gifted them a try. The Aussies also lost that match. Going on your formula, Lockyer should never have played rep football again.

 

[Raider_69]

on form, not a chance
however lockyer is captain and he has never let us down in the green and gold, im happy either way, stick with him as he is a classy player, and as the old saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent. But id fully understand given his form if he was over looked

 

[balmainbenny]

Lockyer is a great player.

However, he should not take Minichello or Thurston's place.

Sad, but he shouldn't be there.

 

[CharlieF]

If the team is chosen on class, then the Aussies will be beaten 9 times out of 10 every time. Remember that the 2 classiest players for the Kiwis last year never played and look what happened, the Kiwis still won. Class does not beat determination and enthusiasm. There are more than enough examples of this.

 

[Mr Saab]

And remember 2 of australias best were not there either...Johns and Lockyer.
If they both play and at 100% fitness they dont lose that test match

 

[CharlieF]

And remember 2 of australias best were not there either...Johns and Lockyer.
If they both play and at 100% fitness they dont lose that test match

I'm not saying that Lockyer should not be in the team. He is still playing good enough to keep his position.

 

[Azkatro]

Watmough was only given 7 or 8 minutes in the SOO game one last year. He would never dissapoint if he was actually given proper game time. I remember Lockyer's first test in 1998, it was a shocker against the Kiwis and he directly gifted them a try. The Aussies also lost that match. Going on your formula, Lockyer should never have played rep football again.

No, what I am saying is that Watmough had a good run and wore a sky blue jumper purely because he strung some good footy together. He is not a class player, while it is clear that Lockyer is very much so and was clear from day one. I remember that game and the feeling was it was just an off day from Locky and all knew he had bigger and better things to come.

 

[Bowhunter]

The Kangaroos have had a policy of incumbency for as long as I can remember. It was fine 20 years ago when we were light years ahead of the kiwis and poms, but it doesn't seem so viable these days.
Because there's so much depth in the NRL, players seem to think getting selected is the real battle, and then the rest will just take care of itself. In the tri-series final, they seemed to forget that winning would actually require firing up and putting their nuts on the line. I was pretty embarrassed as an Aussie to see them get belted up like that, and I'd like to see that team pay the consequences. Blooding Thurston will bring some enthusiasm which was sorely lacking the last time the two sides met.
Having said that, I'd be very surprised to see the selectors change their ways.

 

[CharlieF]

No, what I am saying is that Watmough had a good run and wore a sky blue jumper purely because he strung some good footy together. He is not a class player, while it is clear that Lockyer is very much so and was clear from day one. I remember that game and the feeling was it was just an off day from Locky and all knew he had bigger and better things to come.

Well the great footy he has strung together continues to this day. He may not be classy in your eyes, but he is one hell of a good football player. I believe that he should be given a chance in rep football and I am not talking about just 7 minutes of game time.

 

[ngunity]

Lockyer to wear the #6 and captain, if he has a nothing year there'll be plenty of chance to drop him for the tri-nations, but you can't leave one of the best players in league on the bench just because his club is a bit up and down. People were probably gripeing about Fittler being picked in seasons gone past, due to his tendency to go missing in some games and he won the most over-rated player in league vote in the last 5 years of his career too, yet as his legacy would indicate great players will show form and stamp their authority on the game of league, they can't be brilliant 100% of the time

As CharlieF said a little earlier Lockyer first (?) test for Australia was one of the worst games by an individual in living memory, people still talk about as an example of terrible football
Similarly Hodges Origin debut would have to be the worst game of Origin football anyone has ever played

But in both players cases I think they both belong in rep football, they're class players who have proven to be in the NRL elite

 

[The Observer]

Just a little point, but Lockyer played brilliantly in four SL Australia tests in 1997 (one against NZ Kiwis, 3 against GB Lions), before the 1998 ANZAC Test where he played a mistake ridden game for the combined Kangaroo team.

 

[macavity]

Who here thinks that Buderus has been THE form hooker of the year?

anyone who has watched Knights games this year.... :|

 

[macavity]

put simply, Lockyer can't defend well enough to play in the front line vs. the Kiwis. he will get steamrolled and we will lose because of his missed tackles. its that simple. For this alone he should be left out, with Joey taking back his rightful place as captain, and Buderus captain into the future.

he works well at 6 for the Maroons though... ;-)

 

[skeepe]

Buderus has been good, but definately not THE form hooker. Priddis and Payne have shaded him, from what I have seen.

 

[Kiwi]

put simply, Lockyer can't defend well enough to play in the front line vs. the Kiwis. he will get steamrolled and we will lose because of his missed tackles. its that simple. For this alone he should be left out, with Joey taking back his rightful place as captain, and Buderus captain into the future.

he works well at 6 for the Maroons though... ;-)

Say you wouldn't happen to be a knights fan by chance? One couldn't tell from your post :roll:

 

[The Observer]

put simply, Lockyer can't defend well enough to play in the front line vs. the Kiwis. he will get steamrolled and we will lose because of his missed tackles. its that simple.

Under this hokey logic, Stacey Jones and Robbie Paul would never have played for NZ (they always defend out in the centres), and without Jones NZ would not have won the tests they did AND the Tri Nations Final.

It isn't that simple.

For this alone he should be left out, with Joey taking back his rightful place as captain, and Buderus captain into the future.

Buderus as captain? LoL. In case you are as biased as you appear, perhaps you'd like to recall Buderus' captaincy record?
narrow win vs GB 2004 - 12-8
LOSS vs GB 2004 - 12-24
LOSS vs NZ 2005 - 0-26

Buderus lead Australia to its first series defeat in decades. I think his spectacular missed tackle at 1st marker, which allowed Nigel Vagana to score a run away try, said it all about his performance.

Case closed.

 

[Mr Saab]

Thankyou observer for pointing out his record as captain.
I knew it was not too flash.

 

[Meanie]

Funny how in discussions like this people point out Lockyer's failings, but act as if anyone they mention to replace him has no failings.

 

[Razor]

Buderus lead Australia to its first series defeat in decades.

You must remember Bennetts shockingly bad gameplan, as even identified by Channel 9 commentators early in the match, and by newspaper columns the next day.

Also with some of the team selections, where Bennetts mates were chosen over more worthy players.

It's funny how Broncos fans think whenever Lockyer loses a game as captain it isn't his fault, but when anybody else does it's the captains fault.