Lockyer: the inevitable Immortal?
It’s rugby league’s most exclusive club. Seven Australian players from more than a century of the game deemed far enough beyond great to be called ‘Immortals’. The names read like a wish list from a fantasy team beyond imagination: Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis and Arthur Beetson.
Convention suggests a player has to be five years retired to be even considered; Brisbane’s Darren Lockyer has yet to even tie up his bootlaces for the last time – so is it premature to call him the inevitable Immortal?
The Broncos five-eighth sure has some compelling claims though. World Cup winner, dual Golden Boot recipient, four-times premier and six-times State of Origin series winner – he has achieved absolutely everything a player could hope for during a sparkling 17-season career.
He also has some other handy attributes. Lockyer’s had a mostly clean image and has been requisitely humble. Indeed he told Sportingbet when asked about being spoken of as an Immortal: “I don’t get into that debate because, really, it’s not up to me who I think should be in there. There are so many great players that, if you nominate one, you’re missing another. I just get flattered; I pinch myself, that people even talk about that potentially I could be one of those. I’m sure whoever they pick to go in there that they deserve it and, look, if I don’t get there, I won’t be disappointed because I’m more than happy and content with what I’ve been able to do in the game.”
While there aren’t that many who would question Lockyer eventually achieving the status, how does he compare to others that already qualify? Should former Australian, Queensland and Canberra great Mal Meninga get a gong first? And what about Andrew Johns? The former Newcastle maestro had his share of off-field dramas and couldn’t match Locky for longevity but some would argue he shaded his northern counterpart for pure brilliance. Would you pick Lockyer as the next Immortal? And if so would you make him wait another five years?
8 views
Recent Comments