65 Facts About Darren Lockyer

Darren James Lockyer was born on 24 March 1977 and is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer.

Darren Lockyer was named in Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century at fullback.

Darren Lockyer switched positions to five-eighth in 2004 and went on to win a fourth grand final with the Broncos, a further five State of Origin series with Queensland, and a second Golden Boot Award.

Two years later, Darren Lockyer started playing Aussie rules for Springwood, finishing runner-up in the best and fairest award in his first season.

Darren Lockyer played rugby league for school and club in Wandoan for four years before moving to Roma and playing for the Cities Gladiators.

Darren Lockyer made his first grade debut at 15 and played Five Eight for his Roma club.

In 1990 Queensland Rugby League Development Officer, Glenn Bayliss, spotted the young Darren Lockyer while visiting Roma.

Darren Lockyer worked as a bartender at the Broncos Leagues Club to make ends meet.

Darren Lockyer went on to be named the 1995 Brisbane Broncos season's rookie of the year, playing 11 games at centre, five-eighth and off the bench, scoring 3 tries and kicking 4 goals in a game where primary goal kicker Julian O'Neill was injured.

Darren Lockyer played most of the 1996 ARL season from the interchange bench, but played fullback, wing, centre and five-eighth, finishing with 20 games played, scoring 7 tries and kicking 13 goals.

Darren Lockyer was moved permanently to the fullback position by coach Wayne Bennett at the beginning of the 1997 Super League season, replacing Australian former international winger Willie Carne, who had played fullback for the Broncos in 1996, with Darren Lockyer taking over the full-time goal kicking duties from Carne.

Darren Lockyer first gained representative honours for Queensland that season in the second Super League Tri-series match against New South Wales.

Darren Lockyer kicked 10 goals from 13 attempts across those 2 matches, bringing his season tally to 8 tries and 70 goals.

Darren Lockyer kicked two goals and one field goal during the series, which was won by Australia.

Darren Lockyer made his debut for the Australian team against New Zealand, becoming Kangaroo No 661.

Darren Lockyer was again top point-scorer for Brisbane that year, smashing the club record of 193 for most points in a season by scoring 272, coming from a career high 19 tries and 90 goals.

Darren Lockyer made his official State of Origin debut, playing all 3 games in Queensland's series victory.

Darren Lockyer was not selected in the first 2 Origin matches, but returned for the 3rd ahead of Robbie O'Davis, whose 22 game suspension the previous season was why Darren Lockyer had been selected.

Darren Lockyer scored his first Origin try to help Queensland to a 10-all draw, which was enough for the Maroons to retain the shield.

Darren Lockyer featured in all 4 of Australia's matches in 1999, and was even sin-binned in the Kangaroos' win against the Kiwis in the final of the post-season 1999 Tri-nations tournament, having scored 2 tries to help them qualify for the match with a big win over Great Britain.

Darren Lockyer pioneered the ball-playing fullback, the No 1 who can play like a second or third five-eighth.

FC, for the 2001 World Club Challenge, with Darren Lockyer playing at fullback in Brisbane's loss.

In March 2001, Darren Lockyer was approached by the Australian Football League club Essendon regarding an unprecedented switch of codes, and was offered a contract subsequent to a successful trial.

Darren Lockyer walked away with a bevy of awards for his performances, including Dally M Fullback Of The Year and Dally M Representative Player Of The Year.

Darren Lockyer played at fullback in all three Ashes tests, scoring tries in the last two.

Darren Lockyer was Queensland's fullback in all three games of their successful 2002 State of Origin series, playing a key role in the drawn series.

Darren Lockyer did win his 3rd and final Dally M Fullback Of The Year award.

Darren Lockyer led Australia to victory over Great Britain in what would be the last time rugby league's Ashes series was contested until a projected tour in 2021.

Darren Lockyer collected a host of awards in his first season as five-eighth, including Dally M Five-Eighth Of The Year, the Provan Summons Medal, and the RLIF Back Of The Year for his work in Australia's dominant Tri Nations success.

Also in 2004, during a game for the Broncos, Darren Lockyer took a hit to the throat which caused damage to a small bone in his larynx.

Darren Lockyer captained Australia at five-eighth in the 2005 ANZAC Test, scoring two tries.

Darren Lockyer then captained Queensland at five-eighth in all three games of their unsuccessful 2005 State of Origin series.

In 2005 Darren Lockyer was the Broncos' top point-scorer as they led the comp for a majority of the season, only for 2 losses at the end of the season consigning them to a 3rd place finish.

Darren Lockyer's position was again debated, with new Queensland coach Mal Meninga at one point telling Lockyer he wanted to pick him at fullback for Game 2, but strong performances against the Bulldogs and the Warriors resulted in his retention in the Queensland side.

Darren Lockyer was then responsible for sealing the series victory for Queensland in the deciding match.

Darren Lockyer was the Broncos' top try-scorer for the 2006 season.

Darren Lockyer was named Dally M five-eighth and representative player of the year, the Broncos' best back, and people's choice player of the year, as well as being a finalist in the Queensland Sports Star of the Year award.

In round 1 of the 2007 NRL season, Darren Lockyer injured his right ankle and was initially ruled out for 6 weeks.

Darren Lockyer injured his ankle again in Round 9 against the Sharks but he recovered in time to play in Game I of the 2007 State of Origin series and defeat the New South Wales Blues.

On 27 October 2007, Darren Lockyer married Loren Pollock, his girlfriend of three years, coincidentally on the same day his immediate predecessor as Australian Test captain, Andrew Johns tied the knot.

Darren Lockyer was named Australian captain and was considered one of the 2008 World Cup 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live.

Darren Lockyer scored two tries and was awarded the player of the match medal in the losing effort against the Kiwis at the World Cup final.

Darren Lockyer sustained a knee injury in the dead-rubber Game 3, which sidelined him for 3 weeks.

Around the start of the 2010 NRL season, there was massive media speculation about whether Darren Lockyer would retire from representative football.

Darren Lockyer opted to continue making himself available to selectors and continued captaining the Kangaroos, taking Lockyer in 2010, captained Queensland to their record-breaking fifth straight series win.

In round 16 Darren Lockyer played his 329th game for the Broncos, breaking Andrew Ettingshausen's record for most games played at a single club.

Darren Lockyer suffered a rib injury three weeks out from the finals series with the Broncos teetering in 8th place.

Brisbane went on to miss the 8 for the first time in 18 years, Darren Lockyer's injury was the main factor in this as he did not play a single game after it and Brisbane failed to win another game.

Darren Lockyer was however, unable to secure the trophy for Australia, with New Zealand coming out victors in their third consecutive final of a major tournament against the Kangaroos.

On 28 March 2011, Darren Lockyer announced his retirement stating that the 2011 season will be his final year in the National Rugby League after deciding not to go to the Super League with the promoted Widnes Vikings.

Darren Lockyer was selected in Game I of the 2011 State of Origin series at five-eighth and as captain, making 34th appearance for Queensland, equalling the all-time record of Allan Langer.

Darren Lockyer set up and made the final pass for Billy Slater's match winning try.

Darren Lockyer played through the pain, but missed a tackle which helped set up a game tying Dragons try through Brett Morris.

Darren Lockyer underwent surgery to repair the cheekbone and tried everything to ensure he played the Preliminary Final- even flying from Brisbane to Sydney by helicopter so he could stay at a low altitude.

Darren Lockyer was named the 2011 Brisbane Broncos season's player of the year.

Darren Lockyer ended his career captaining the Australian national team to victory in the 2011 Four Nations.

Darren Lockyer's last match was the Four Nations final at Elland Road against England; he scored a try with the last play of the match, and his final touch was a rather embarrassing one- an unsuccessful conversion attempt from in front of the posts.

In February 2008, Darren Lockyer was named in a list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia, the only current player to make the list.

In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, Darren Lockyer was named at fullback in the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.

Darren Lockyer had a second son on 14 January 2012 called Flynn Martin.

Darren Lockyer joined the Nine Network's rugby league commentary team in 2012, acting as a sideline commentator.

Darren Lockyer had a third son born on 29 May 2013 called Hugo David.

In 2012, Darren Lockyer signed a three-year contract with Origin Energy's Australia Pacific coal seam gas project.

Darren Lockyer will be their safety ambassador and to gain support for a mining operations called Coal Seam gas or CSG.

On Origin's website Darren Lockyer is investigating the coal seam gas industry for himself.