League: Lockyer chasing Kangaroo records

Darren Lockyer will become Australia's most capped player if he takes the field against the Kiwis later this month. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - Darren Lockyer's upcoming Four Nations tour could be the icing on a remarkable representative career that sends him off as one of the great Kangaroo performers of all time.

Should the 32 year-old Brisbane five-eighth complete a record-breaking treble in the upcoming series against England, New Zealand and France, he'll move into immortal territory alongside some of rugby league's great players.

Lockyer, who leads a 24-man squad to the UK on Friday, will edge past another Queensland great and centre of the century Mal Meninga as Australia's most capped Kangaroo if he leads Australia against New Zealand in their Four Nations opener at in London later this month.

It would put him within one test of equalling legend Clive Churchill's feat of captaining the Kangaroos 27 times during the `40s and `50s when the little master won five premierships with South Sydney.

Lockyer, who has four premierships with the Broncos, is also on target to claim the late Ken Irvine's all-time try scoring record if he can add two more to his current test tally of 32.

Re-writing those records after recently steering Queensland to an unprecedented fourth straight Origin series could influence his mooted decision to retire from all representative football in 2010 to devote all his efforts to the Broncos.

Veteran Australian prop Petero Civoniceva can make it a double celebration should he play in all three tests and the Kangaroos make the grand final.

The big Fijian-born forward, who has pulled on the green and gold jersey 36 times, trails St George icon Johnny Raper (39) as the most capped Australian forward.

Lockyer is still to re-sign with Brisbane but it is a fait accompli once he returns from the UK tour.

Injuries and age may have slowed him but there's no question his brain is still one of the best in the game.

Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak said he wasn't aware Lockyer was set to return home so highly decorated.

"I wasn't aware of all those (records)," Henjak said.

"It's a real testimony to his longevity and his ability to play two positions."

Lockyer told Henjak he'd make a decision on his representative future early next year.

"He wants to see how he gets through this series and how he feels at the end of it," he said.

Henjak would love to have Lockyer's experience and leadership around Origin time but holds his skipper too highly to try to influence any decision he makes.

"I've got too much respect for what he's done and he is one that needs to make that decision," he said.

"It would be great to have him around. We've tended to struggle during the representative time with our experienced guys and our main playmakers being away.

"It would make a big difference to us but Darren deserves the right to make his decision when he is ready."

- AAP