Darren James Lockyer (born 24 March 1977) is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire professional career with the Brisbane Broncos. During his 16-year career he set appearance records for his club, state and country, and also set additional all-time records for most National Rugby League appearances, most State of Origin appearances, most games as captain and most tries for the Australian national team. As a , Lockyer won three grand finals and one as a five-eighth with the Broncos, a World Cup with Australia, and the Golden Boot Award for the world's best player. He was named in Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century (1998-2007) at fullback. He switched positions to in 2004 and went on to win a fourth grand final with the Broncos, a further five State of Origin series with Queensland, and a second Golden Boot Award. Background Lockyer was born in Brisbane, Queensland. His father, David, played Australian rules football for ten years in Brisbane with Morningside and introduced Darren to the game at four years of age. Two years later, Lockyer started playing Aussie rules for Springwood, finishing runner-up in the best and fairest award in his first season. The following season he won the club's best and fairest award by 17 votes, despite having to travel 800 kilometres every weekend to play when the family moved to the small country town of Wandoan midway through the season. Travelling commitments and a lack of Australian rules football clubs around the Wandoan area forced him to quit the game and take up rugby league. He played rugby league for school and club in Wandoan for four years before moving to Roma and playing for the Cities Gladiators. He made his first grade debut at 15 and played Five Eight for his Roma club. In 1990 Queensland Rugby League Development Officer, Glenn Bayliss, spotted the young Lockyer while visiting Roma. After returning to Toowoomba he passed on his views on to Brisbane Broncos talent scout Cyril Connell and Connell followed his progress over the next few years. In 1994, he traveled to Ipswich for a junior rugby league carnival where his performance caught the eye of coach Wayne Bennett. After impressing at the carnival, he moved to Brisbane and accepted a $2000 scholarship with the Broncos. He also