Lockyer to End Record-Breaking Rugby League Career After 17 Seasons at Top
Australia rugby league captain Darren Lockyer will retire at the end of the 2011 National Rugby League season, ending his record-setting 17-year career at the sport’s elite level.
Lockyer, who holds the record for the most tries, appearances and Tests as captain for Australia, said he’s ready to “move on to the next stage of my life.”
“I know the timing is right,” Lockyer, who turned 34 last week, said in a statement on the Brisbane Broncos website.
Lockyer has scored 34 tries in 54 Tests for the Kangaroos and also played 336 NRL games for the Broncos since his debut in 1995, helping the team win four premiership titles. He’s also played 33 matches for Queensland in Australia’s State of Origin interstate series.
After playing most of his career at full-back, Lockyer switched to stand-off in 2004. He’s the only man to have won the Golden Boot award as the world’s best player twice while playing in different positions.
Lockyer said he hadn’t decided what he will do at the end of the season and has no plans as yet to stay involved in rugby league once he stops playing.
“Of course I will observe the game and watch what is going on,” he said, “but at this point I am going to take a complete break from the day-to-day grind of the NRL.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net.
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