Lockyer key to Maroons' future
13.07.2009
By: Dan Koch
AS speculation mounts that Wednesday may be Darren Lockyer's State of Origin swansong, Maroons coach Mal Meninga has revealed plans to have his champion skipper take up the baton of teaching, guiding and moulding the next generation of Queensland players.
In The Weekend Australian, Lockyer, 32, admitted the chance to lead the Maroons on home soil for a game in which they could cap their history-making fourth consecutive series victory by also sealing Queensland's first 3-0 clean sweep since 1995, had all the hallmarks of a potential fairytale finish to his stellar Origin career.
Certainly he has nothing left to prove. Once fearful he would retire with an Origin record that would not stack up to other legends, Lockyer has compiled a list of achievements that compares favourably with any of his teammates in Queensland's team of the century.
Wednesday will be his 30th Origin appearance. Only Wally Lewis, Meninga and Allan Langer have played more games.
His 16 matches as skipper is second only to Lewis, he is Queensland's second-highest point-scorer, has three man-of-the-match awards and was captain in four of the five series wins he has played in.
They are the sort of credentials Queensland simply could not afford to waste. So, while desperate to have Lockyer in the team for as long as possible, Meninga said the champion pivot was set to remain a key part of the Maroons' plans well beyond his playing days.
``He has grown enormously as a leader over the time I have worked with him,'' Meninga said. ``He is always looking to improve as a player which sets a great example for all young blokes coming in.
``But he is a humble guy and I think it has taken some time for him to understand the influence he can have over other guys in the team.''
Meninga said having Lockyer work with him and assistant Neil Henry, in both camp and on-field planning, had been part of a process to prepare him for future role.
``We make sure he is involved in a lot of the decisions that are made, which is a bit of an empowerment thing for him,'' Meninga said.
``I would really like to keep him involved beyond his playing days and watch him evolve within this program we have started.
``I think he can be instrumental with moulding the next generation of players and I am looking forward to seeing him take up that challenge.''
The program Meninga refers to is the structure he has put in place since taking over as coach in 2006.
On the back of the massive overhaul Wayne Bennett implemented in 2001, which saw pathways from junior to senior representative football mapped out and linked, Meninga introduced a number of strategies designed to monitor all potential Origin candidates throughout the season.
He appointed legends of Queensland rugby league as mentors for groups of players throughout the competition. He also visits every club coach himself in the lead-up to each series and uses pre-season camps and meetings to ensure players are familiar with each other and have an open line of communication to him.
Then there are the team values Meninga and his men established as their foundation back in 2006 -- ideas Meninga, Lockyer and the rest of the Maroons brains trust believe will be key to maintaining Queensland's success.
``The idea was initiated by Mal and we put down on paper a set of values and principles we thought we needed to create something special here,'' Lockyer said.
``That we were able to taste victory in that series was really all the confirmation anyone needed. I think since then we have kept most of the group together and anyone who came in seemed to buy into the values probably because the more success we have had the stronger our belief has become in them.''
Veteran prop Steve Price backed the moves to keep Lockyer heavily involved. ``The greatest thing with Locky is that no matter what is going on around him or how much pressure he's under, he just does the best job he can and is one of the most normal blokes you'll meet,'' Price said.
