It's the fifth tackle, thirty five metres out in Golden Point extra time, Darren would like the ball, as all legends do when the game is on the line. Only problem is he has a broken jaw, somehow mustering the strength to call for the ball, talking from the one side of his mouth that is holding together. Lockyer receives the ball under heavy pressure and releases an almighty kick that scrapes over the posts.
Euphoria sets in for the home team, and agony for the blokes who came from south of the border to spoil the party.
Wayne Bennett and Mark Gasnier become new victims in the Darren Lockyer farewell Road Show.
It will be remembered as one of the greatest semi-finals in NRL history, a night all supporters and all clubs will remember dearly. In many areas of life it's often stated that "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" and that has been the case of numerous former great footballers. Looking back we failed to value just how great they are.
However Darren Lockyer is a different story; we have known for years his greatness, and what a pleasure it's been to enjoy watching a player that can only be described as "greatness incorporated".
To understand Lockyer's determination and will to succeed you only have to look at the 70th minute of the game where his jaw was broken and he rose to feet amidst the roaring pain that would have been pulsating profusely through his body. Lockyer was able to compose his emotions and go and win the game in front of 48,000 roaring fans.
Without being disrespectful to any footballer from any other team in the NRL, I wonder whether the Medicab would have stretchered them off with such a facial medical condition after a lengthy delay to the game. "Greatness" is synonymous with Darren Lockyer.
On a side note you cannot take anything away from the Dragons performance, the Broncos threw an absolute perfect game at them and their defence stood tall all night, to lose in Golden Point must have been heartbreaking. In the end both teams deserved a victory but unfortunately there can only be one winner.
The Lockyer road train rolls on to Sydney this week to face Manly in a preliminary final, the Broncos will travel to the Airport early in order to get Darren Lockyer through in time to catch the plane. There's a rumour buzzing around the league that Darren is going to try and smuggle three metal plates somewhere on his body through security!
