NRL: Lockyer, Luck still have part in decider

Jacob Lillyman says he won't try to emulate Micheal Luck's playing style at lock. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Apart from being Queenslanders, about the only thing that Micheal Luck and Darren Lockyer have in common is that neither of them will play in tonight's crucial NRL encounter at Mt Smart Stadium.

Lockyer is the master playmaker, a fleet-of-foot genius with crystal clear vision and the playmaking skills to utilise it. Luck is the workaholic axeman who loves nothing more than chopping down playmakers like Lockyer in their tracks.

Both are vital components of their sides. Whichever side copes best with the absence of their key man will almost certainly win tonight and claim the two competition points that could propel them into the finals.

For the seventh-placed Warriors the equation is simple - win and they are in. For the Broncos, a win would take them above the Warriors and hand them a measure of security with one match to play.

Jacob Lillyman's Warriors future may lie at prop but for tonight at least he has the task of filling Luck's boots at lock. It's not an unfamiliar role for the former Queensland Origin rep, who is cut from the same sort of cloth as the durable Luck. Even so, he isn't out to replicate Luck's game, which typically involves 40 to 50 tackles, many of which are of the last ditch type.

"I am not going out to be another Micheal Luck," Lillyman said.

"I'll just try bring what I can to the table and we'll see how we go."

Used mainly as a bench prop since making a comeback from a leg injury against the Titans in round 21, Lillyman doesn't expect his role to change when he switches to the back of the scrum.

"I've been playing in the middle of the park anyway. The only thing that changes is that I'll play a few more minutes."

For the Broncos, 18-year-old Corey Norman steps gingerly into Lockyer's massive shadow. With Norman having played just 11 NRL games, the playmaking responsibilities will fall primarily to halfback Peter Wallace.

The former Origin star has attracted mixed reviews this season, with coach Ivan Henjak admitting his senior half needed to up his game.

"I don't doubt Wal's commitment or courage," Henjak said. "He'll probably admit that at different times his execution isn't the best but he is trying really hard and I'll never take that away from him."

Lockyer didn't travel with the Broncos, instead remaining in Brisbane in the hope of being fit to face Canberra next week.

The Broncos have suffered heavy losses to the Eels and Knights since Lockyer injured his ribs but Henjak doesn't subscribe to the theory his side is lost without him.

"Darren is a big part of our team. A lot of games revolve around him but we need to learn from the things that have happened over the last two weeks. [Tonight] is a good opportunity to silence a few of those knockers who say we can't win without him."

The Warriors haven't fared much better without Luck, copping a 50-point hiding from the Tigers in Sydney the last time the defensive linchpin was absent.

Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Lewis Brown returns to the side that lost at Manly last weekend. Wing Kevin Locke also returns for the first time since injuring a hamstring in a poor performance against the Rabbitohs in round 20.

Locke was exposed by the Rabbitohs but the 21-year-old has also proved a match-winner. Coach Ivan Cleary was confident Locke would be back to his best after two hit-outs with the Vulcans.

"I didn't pick him to play like [he did against Souths]," Cleary said. "His two games before that were his best two of the year. He's had a few niggling injuries and he's got those right and he certainly looks like he is in a good frame of mind."

WARRIORS v BRONCOS
Mt Smart Stadium, 8 tonight

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Kevin Locke
Brent Tate
Joel Moon
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
S. Mannering (c)
Lewis Brown
Jacob Lillyman
Interchange: Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino, Ukuma Ta'ai, Jesse Royal, Sione Lousi (one to be omitted).

BRONCOS
Josh Hoffman
A Winterstein
Alex Glenn
Israel Folau
Jharal Yow Yeh
Corey Norman
Peter Wallace
Shane Tronc
A McCullough
Ben Te'o
Matt Gillett
Sam Thaiday
Corey Parker (c)
Interchange: Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire, Mitchell Dodds, Scott Anderson, Nick Kenny (1 to be omitted).