NRL: Cleary weary of Lockyer farewell factor

Darren Lockyer and Simon Mannering pose with the NRL trophy ahead of the finals. Photo / Getty Images

Darren Lockyer is going through his own version of The Long Goodbye.

The decorated Brisbane, Queensland and Australian league player is retiring at the end of the season after 17 years at the top and 2011 has become like a season-long valediction. There was the 28-page supplement dedicated to his life in the local paper, the 30-minute television show, celebrity tributes, the recent launch of his autobiography and the over-the-top Origin farewells.

He might be tiring of the attention himself.

Ivan Cleary is weary of it already and he lives on the other side of the Tasman.

"How much emotion can you have?'' Cleary quipped. "It seems like it's been going on for 10 weeks. Hopefully they're all emotioned out - surely they won't be. I just reckon he's [Lockyer] had enough fairytales.

"He's deserved all of them, but I think it might be time for us to have one.''

To do that the Warriors not only need to win on Saturday night but they also need to keep winning. As the sixth qualifiers for the top eight, they might get a second bite if they lose to Brisbane but they don't want to take that chance.

Last year they finished fifth and were tipped out after the first weekend of the finals, after upsets involving teams placed lower than them.

They won't fear a trip to Suncorp Stadium. The Broncos are undoubtedly a good side, with plenty to play for with Lockyer's retirement, but the Warriors will take considerable confidence into the match.

Not only have they won seven of their last nine games but they have also historically done well against the Broncos and lost narrowly 21-20 in Brisbane the last time the two side five weeks ago.

The only other loss in the last nine matches was to the Dragons.

"I think we learned a lot out of them,'' Cleary said of those defeats. "Playing for 80 minutes, you can't drop your guard at any stage.

"We understand the McIntyre system. It's all designed that you need to win because, if you don't, you put your hands in the lap of the gods.

"I think we're more ready this year. We're a better team in almost all areas.''

It has meant some difficult decisions in team selections, with the unlucky Krisnan Inu making way for the returning Manu Vatuvei despite scoring two tries in the 18-6 defeat of the Cowboys last weekend.

Centre Shaun Berrigan, however, has failed to overcome a hip injury and his place in the starting side is taken by utility Lewis Brown, who played in that position against the Cowboys.

One who will suit up is fullback Kevin Locke, who will be playing his 50th NRL game. He was sporting a shiner under his eye this week _ which prompted team-mates to nickname him Avatar after the animated movie characters _ but he would play through the pain barrier.

He was cleared of any serious damage after banging heads with team-mate James Maloney during the defeat of the Cowboys but admitted he didn't want medicos to run too many tests on the injury in the danger of being ruled out of the match.

"It's really sore,'' he said with a rueful smile, "but I will be OK. I don't want to miss this one.''

Locke has been one of the standouts of what has been a good Warriors side of late and his form has prompted comparisons with Melbourne fullback Billy Slater and a young Darren Lockyer.

"Lockyer was my idol growing up,'' Locke said before adding later, "I think he's had enough goodbyes.''

A Warriors' win on Saturday will help bring that a bit closer.