Darren Lockyer has revealed he once considered the idea of leaving the Brisbane Broncos to join the Sydney Roosters in the early stages of his five-eighth career.
The surprising admission came during a light-hearted exchange on Nine's Sunday Footy Show, where Andrew Johns asked Lockyer directly about the long rumoured link to Bondi.
Sitting beside him was none other than Brad Fittler whose retirement had sparked the Roosters' interest in a new marquee playmaker at the time.
Lockyer acknowledged the flirtation, saying the approach happened around 2004 when he had only just shifted from fullback into the halves.
โThey were obviously looking, I had just started playing six,โ Lockyer recalled onย Channel Nine.ย
โI was close, because I had just started playing five-eighth. I wouldn't say close, close, but I entertained the idea at the start for a little bit.โ
The speculation didn't last long.
With the Broncos on the cusp of a leadership transition and Wayne Bennett grooming Lockyer for the captaincy, the idea of donning the Tricolours quickly faded.
โAs that progressed, I was being talked about as the next captain of the Broncos and I loved the Broncos as a kid, so I ended up staying,โ he said.
At the time, media reports suggested the Roosters were serious about luring the emerging No.6 north of the Tweed.
Instead, they landed Braith Anasta for the 2006 season, closing the door on one of the great what-if transfers in NRL history.
Lockyer went on to cement his status as a Broncos icon.
His 355 first grade appearances remain the club benchmark, and he still holds the record for most Test matches as Australian captain with 59.
His 36 Origin caps place him among the most capped players in Blues and Maroons history.
Now a respected commentator and club director, Lockyer continues to be mentioned in conversations around future Immortals.
Had he opted to leave Red Hill for Bondi Junction, the legacy he built may have taken a very different shape.
