Lockyer may not be out of the woods - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Lockyer may not be out of the woods

Wayne Heming 17/09/2011 11:13:30 PM Comments (0)

Rookie Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin calmly brushed aside a state's fears his star playmaker Darren Lockyer may have broken his jaw or fractured his cheek in Saturday night's NRL semi-final win over the Dragons.

Ten minutes before his left boot put the Broncos into next weekend's grand final qualifier against Manly, Lockyer was on the turf clutching the left side of his face after collecting a stray knee from teammate Gerard Beale.

Lockyer picked himself up and, despite being in obvious pain, wobbled his 21st field goal for the Broncos over the cross bar for a 13-12, golden-point win in his last game at Suncorp Stadium.

"He'll been fine," said an assuring Griffin at the post match press conference which Lockyer did not attend.

"There's not too much concern, he's just a bit doughy."

Lockyer escaped the media throng camped outside Brisbane's dressing room for 45 minutes after the game.

He left through another door in the company of the team's recently-appointed doctor before any update on his condition was released.

The left side of his face was bruised and considerably swollen and he said during an on-field interview it "felt sore".

Griffin said Lockyer would not have scans on his cheek or jaw.

But that could quickly change depending on how he gets through the night.

While Griffin and his players were trying to remain positive about Lockyer's injury not everyone was convinced he had escaped a bad injury.

"I wouldn't say he's all that good," said a source who spoke to Lockyer after the game.

Returning forward Sam Thaiday was confident Lockyer would be on deck against Manly.

"Locky's a tough man, he'll be playing, don't worry about it," said Thaiday who will move back into the starting side with Ben Te'o dropping to the bench.

A relieved Beale said after the game he wouldn't want to be remembered as the player who ended Lockyer's career.

"The doc's looking after him and I think everything's all good there," said Beale, who had another great game.

"I didn't know at the time (my knee hit him)."

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