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Darren Lockyer Face View
Darren Lockyer Face View

Photographs supplied by Diane Watson

The sculpture commemorates Rugby League player Darren Lockyer. 

Darren Lockyer is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. On 28 March 2011, Lockyer announced his retirement stating that the 2011 season was his final year in the National Rugby League.  He was captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his NRL club, the Brisbane Broncos.

Lockyer played in the five-eighth position, having moved there from his previous position of fullback in 2004. He has played more games and scored more points for the Brisbane Broncos than any other player in the club's history. He is a multiple-premiership winner, a Clive Churchill Medallist and also became only the second player to have won the Golden Boot award twice.

During the 2009 Four Nations tournament, in which Lockyer captained Australia to victory, he also broke records for most-capped Australian player and most games for Australia as captain. During the end of season 2010 Four Nations tournament, Lockyer broke the Australian national team's all-time try scoring record of 33 set by Ken Irvine, scoring his 34th against Papua New Guinea in Australia's opening match.

In Round 22 of the NRL competition on 7 August 2011, Lockyer played his all-time record-equalling 349th club game against the New Zealand Warriors at Suncorp Stadium. Brisbane won the game 21-20 thanks to a field-goal slotted in by halfback Peter Wallace. The following Friday, on 12 August, Lockyer officially broke the record for most NRL games played at 350 with a win over the North Queensland Cowboys in front of a capacity crowd at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

 

 

 

Location

Address:Caxton Street, Suncorp Stadium, Northern Plaza, Milton, 4064
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -27.463339
Long: 153.009708
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Sport
Designer:Phillip Piperides

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 9th March, 2012
Front Inscription

Darren Lockyer

Darren Lockyer was a champion of his era, incomparable in the sport of Rugby League for his longevity and continued excellence at the highest level.  He held the following records upon his retirement in 2011.

Most tests for Australia : 59 (1998 - 2011)
Most tests for Australia as Captain : 39 ( 2003 - 2011)
Most State of Origin games for Queensland : 36 ( 1998 - 2011)
Most NRL / ARL appearances : 355 ( 1995 - 2011)
Most points for the Brisbane Broncos : 1277 ( 1995 - 2011)
Most appearances for the Brisbane Broncos : 366 ( 1995 - 2011 - 355 ARL/NRL, 11 WCC and Super League WCC ) 

To add to his illustrious list of achievements, he was 

Captain of Queensland during the Origin record six series victory :
2006 - 2011
Queensland Origin captain in 22 games : ( 2004 - 2011 )
Dally M fullback of the Year three times : ( 1998, 2000, 2002)
Dally M five-eighth of the year twice : ( 2006, 2007)
Golden Boot Award winner (world's best player) twice : ( 2003, 2006)
Clive Churchill Medal winner in 2000
Captained the Broncos to a premiership (2006) and played in three other Broncos grand final wins ( 1997, 1998 and 2000)
Queensland Team of the Century fullback (2008)

Beyond the records, Darren Lockyer was one of the greatest ambassadors for Rugby league in its history, among the most popular and respected players the sport has seen. He played the game hard, in the greatest spirit and with remarkable natural brilliance and grace. For that alone, he is an icon of Queensland and Australian sport whose affinity with this Stadium is momentous.

This tribute was made possible by readers of the Sunday Mail and the Queensland Government. It was officially unveiled by the Queensland Premier, Hon Anna Bligh MP on Friday 9 March 2012.

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au