Darren James Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire professional career with the Brisbane Broncos. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time in two positions, fullback and five-eighth. During his 16-year career he set appearance records for his club, state and country, and also set additional all-time records for most NRL appearances, most State of Origin appearances, most games as captain and most tries for the Australian national team. Lockyer switched positions to five-eighth in 2004 and went on to win four grand finals with the Broncos, five State of Origin series with Queensland, and two Golden Boot Awards.

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. 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.

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. In 2011, it was reported that former Parramatta player Steve Ella who was a scout for the club at the time had spoken with the Parramatta board stating that he had seen a young Lockyer at the carnival and that they should sign him - they didn't. Later that year, he signed a $10,000 playing contract with the Broncos.

Lockyer made his professional first-grade debut with the Brisbane Broncos from the bench as an eighteen-year-old five-eighth in a 60 -14 thrashing of the Parramatta Eels in Round 13 of the 1995 ARL season. In this game he threw a try assist to Steve Renouf, a combination which would blossom over the next few seasons. He went on to be named the 1995 Brisbane Broncos season's rookie of the year, playing 11 games at centre, five-eighth and off the bench.

Lockyer played most of the 1996 ARL season from the interchange bench, but also played fullback, wing, centre and five-eighth, finishing with 20 games played, scoring 7 tries and kicking 13 goals. Unfortunately for the Broncos, they had a rare period of failure, and despite finishing top 4 in both 1995 and 1996, they were unable to win a single finals game. Lockyer was moved permanently to the fullback position by coach Wayne Bennett at the beginning of the 1997 Super League season, replacing Australian former international winger Willie Carne, who had played fullback for the Broncos in 1996, with Lockyer also taking over the full-time goal kicking duties from Carne.

Lockyer's try-scoring and goal-kicking ability made him the top point-scorer of the 1997 Brisbane Broncos season, and he played a key role in the Broncos side which finished 1st in the Super League table, while also winning the World Club Challenge, the Final being a win over the Hunter Mariners. Lockyer won his first finals match as Brisbane dismissed the Cronulla Sharks 34 - 2, before rematching the Sharks in the Grand Final where the Broncos won a 26 - 8. Lockyer kicked 10 goals from 13 attempts across those 2 matches, bringing his season tally to 8 tries and 70 goals. At the end of the 1997 season Lockyer made his international debut when he was selected to play at fullback for Australia in all three games of the Super League Test series against Great Britain in England.

In the re-unified 1998 NRL season, Lockyer was selected as the Queensland team's fullback and goal-kicker for all three games of their successful 1998 State of Origin series, in which he was the top point-scorer. Lockyer also made his debut for the Australian team against New Zealand, becoming Kangaroo No. 661. He was again top point-scorer for Brisbane that year, smashing the club record of 193 for most points in a season by scoring 272, coming from a career high 19 tries and 90 goals. By this time, Lockyer's playing style in attack was already being likened to that of a five-eighth. With the leadership of Lockyer, the Broncos dismantled the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 38 - 12 to secure the club's 4th premiership title. His incredible season saw him earn Dally M Fullback Of The Year honours for the first time. Lockyer made his official State of Origin debut, playing all 3 games in Queensland's series victory.

Despite Lockyer's individual performance, the year went terribly for the Broncos- the club was only able to salvage 1 win and a draw from their first 10 matches, a situation which worsened when club legend Allan Langer retired midseason. In 2000, the Broncos had returned to the top of the NRL thanks to Bennett's new gameplan, and Brisbane ran away with the minor premiership, winning 2 more games on top of 2 more draws than the 2nd placed Roosters, again having the best attack and best defence in the league. Brisbane met the Roosters in the Grand Final, where Lockyer won the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match in their 14 - 6 victory.

Later in 2001, following Queensland captain Gorden Tallis' season-ending neck injury before Game II of the 2001 State of Origin series, the Maroons' captaincy was handed to Lockyer. In the third and deciding game of the series, Lockyer was named man-of-the-match, having scored two tries and kicked four goals to help Queensland to victory. A late season collapse saw the Broncos limp into the finals, however Lockyer walked away with a bevy of awards for his performances, including Dally M Fullback Of The Year and Dally M Representative Player Of The Year. At the end of the season, Lockyer went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.

Lockyer was Queensland's fullback in all three games of their successful 2002 State of Origin series, playing a key role in the drawn series. Brisbane spent almost the entire 2002 season in the Top 4, finishing in 3rd place. Brisbane advanced straight to a preliminary final after a 24 - 14 win over the Eels in the second qualifying final, but a Lockyer try could not prevent them from falling 16 - 12 to the eventual premiers, the Roosters, in the preliminary final.

In 2006 Darren Lockyer was then responsible for sealing the series victory for Queensland in the deciding match. With Queensland down 14 -10 with 5 minutes remaining, Lockyer intercepted a pass from NSW player Brett Hodgson and scored the match-winning try. It was Queensland's first outright series victory since 2001 and also stopped New South Wales from achieving their 4th consecutive Origin series win. After the match, Lockyer received the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series, and also received his third Ron McAuliffe Medal.

Despite losing to the St George Illawarra Dragons in the first week of the finals, the Broncos rebounded to defeat the Newcastle Knights. They then won the preliminary final against the Bulldogs after trailing 20 - 6 at half-time, with Lockyer named man of the match. He then steered his team to win the 2006 NRL Grand Final 15 - 8 over Melbourne, setting up both tries and then kicking a winning field goal in the 73rd minute. Lockyer then captained the Kangaroos to an extra-time victory in the 2006 Tri-nations Final against New Zealand, scoring the match-winning try in Australia's 16 -12 victory

Lockyer captained the Australian national team from five-eighth in the 2007 ANZAC Test match against New Zealand, scoring a try in the Kangaroos' 30 - 6 victory. During the season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Lockyer. A knee injury suffered was worse than first thought and his decision to play on after the initial ACL rupture resulted in his knee cartilage being damaged, forcing extra surgeries which saw him racing against the clock to start the 2008 NRL season. He missed that year's Origin series as a result. A late Greg Inglis try for the Melbourne Storm ended Brisbane's season and leave Lockyer showing a rare display of emotion behind the goal line.

In Round 8, Lockyer played his 300th first grade game, although the occasion was soured by a 28 - 12 loss to Newcastle during which a section of Energy Australia Stadium was left without power at half time. Returning to the Queensland side after a one year absence, Lockyer resumed his role as captain and led the Maroons to a record 4th consecutive series victory.

Around the start of the 2010 NRL season, there was massive media speculation about whether Lockyer would retire from rep football. Lockyer in 2010, captained Queensland to their record-breaking fifth straight series win. In the series sealing victory in Game II, Lockyer was named Man of the Match. This series highlighted how Lockyer over time; has become more and more effective and comfortable in his game-dominating five-eighth role, despite losing much of his renowned athleticism after his 2007 knee injury.

In Round 16, Lockyer played his 329th game for the Broncos, breaking Andrew Ettingshausen's record for most games played at a single club. Lockyer suffered a rib injury three weeks out from the finals series with the Broncos teetering in 8th place. Brisbane went on to miss the 8 (finishing 10th) for the first time in 18 years.

During the end of season 2010 Four Nations tournament, Lockyer broke the Australian national team's all-time try scoring record of 33 set by Ken Irvine, scoring his 34th against Papua New Guinea. On 28 March 2011, Lockyer announced his retirement stating that the 2011 season will be his final year in the NRL after deciding not to go to the Super League with the promoted Widnes Vikings. Lockyer finished his final ANZAC Test match on a good note, leading the Kangaroos to a 20 -10 victory, equalling Ruben Wiki's record of 55 Test games at Test level. On 12 August, Lockyer officially broke the record for most NRL games played at 350 with a win over the North Queensland Cowboys.

In February 2008, Lockyer was named in a list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia, the only current player to make the list. In June 2008, he was chosen in the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century at fullback. the Queensland State Government agreed to sculpting a life size bronze statue of Darren Lockyer in honour of his achievements in Queensland Rugby League which since 2012 has been standing next to 'The King', Wally Lewis outside Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium). In October 2018, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as one of the most decorated players to ever play professional Rugby League in Australia.