NRL: Lockyer helpless as career ends

The legendary Darren Lockyer. Photo / Getty Images

The monumental NRL career of rugby league champion Darren Lockyer is over and all he could do to attempt to prolong it was readjust his seating position.

For the entire season Lockyer had played to a perfectly written script.

Even missing Friday night's preliminary final against Manly with a fractured cheekbone smelt like a dramatic Hollywood twist to be resolved with a Herculean return in next week's grand final.

But instead of another week of sporting drama to cap his too-good-to-be-true farewell tour, Lockyer became the helpless onlooker as his Broncos went down 26-14 at the hands of the ruthless Sea Eagles.

In time Lockyer can look back at his match-winning effort in golden point in last weekend's semi-final against St George Illawarra as a fitting way to have said goodbye to the game he dominated for 17 years.

But not for some time; it will hurt too much.

As Manly got to an early lead and never relented, Lockyer could barely watch.

He squirmed in his seat, moving forward in his chair and then back, for 80 minutes.

At halftime with the Broncos down 16-4, he jumped through a railing and into the tunnel so quick you thought maybe he could have played.

He was the first man into the sheds, and the last man out, returning to his seat after play had resumed.

As the Sea Eagles celebrated and the Broncos commiserated on the field after fulltime, Lockyer was already back in the dressing rooms, watching a television screen with arms folded.

For the first time in his career, Lockyer was helpless.

Taking the field five days after having three titanium plates inserted in his face was considered too dangerous, but the wretchedness of watching from the sidelines was painful enough.

Of course it's not quite over yet, the game will be hoping Lockyer can recover in time to make it back for the end of year Test matches.

But after four premierships, and a record 355 first-grade games, it was a cruel way for his Broncos career to finish.

-AAP