Has Cameron Smith had more influence on the game than Darren Lockyer?

[Super Freak]

Watching the Late Show, a poll was put up on the show on whether Smith has had more influence on the game than Darren Lockyer.

Johns was talking about records when he had his say on why Smith was, but forgot the fact that Lockyer has won four premierships in two different positions and was a crucial part in our success in each of them and was even more crucial to our success in 2000 and 2006.

Smith has won one premiership and lost another GF.

So I thought I would post the question up on here and hear others thoughts.

Has Cameron Smith had more influence on the game than Darren Lockyer.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Watching the Late Show, a poll was put up on the show on whether Smith has had more influence on the game than Darren Lockyer.

Johns was talking about records when he had his say on why Smith was, but forgot the fact that Lockyer has won four premierships in two different positions and was a crucial part in our success in each of them and was even more crucial to our success in 2000 and 2006.

Smith has won one premiership and lost another GF.

So I thought I would post the question up on here and hear others thoughts.

Has Cameron Smith had more influence on the game than Darren Lockyer.

I'm a big smith fan.... but whenever smith talks about how he became such a great leader their is always one name he always mentions first and foremost "Lockyer....."

End of discussion...

 

[JayPee]

This would be like asking if johns has had a better career than thurston in the main street of newcastle

Going to be a tonne of intelligent answers on smith in here

 

[Alec]

He probably does have more influence ON the game. He pretty much refs each game he plays.
Lockyer is my favourite ever player, but **** I want the Broncos to sign Smith as a coach as soon as he becomes available.

 

[Big Pete]

Since it appears to be based on their careers at club level, I find it difficult to place Smith's career because of the salary cap saga. The record books may say differently, but those 117 games were some of the best of his career and it's difficult to rank his NRL career based solely on 2002-05, 2011-present.

I don't think Lockyer was the best Bronco, let alone the best club player of all-time. I think his reputation is based mostly on his performances at Test level which is amazing to think considering how it all started. However, if you compare 237 legit Smith games to the 355 games Lockyer had, it'd be fair to say Lockyer came up with more tries, try assists, game changing plays in that time.

When it comes to Origin, the only player who surpasses Smith is Wally. I never thought we'd ever see a player come close to Wally's influence and even though I still think Wally is ahead, Smith certainly belongs right up there as the Vice Captain.

 

[Porthoz]

Darren Lockyer is the God of Rugby League!

/thread

 

[Big Del]

I liked the way Darren competed for the ball .
Intercept , strip or lose ball Locky was the man . I think him having played Aussie Rules as a kid influenced this .
Afl the ball is always in dispute . If you have it I can take it off you .

Rugby League has become a game of they`ve got it ,till we get our turn . Darren was always looking for opportunities to get the ball before it was his turn .

 

[Wolfie]

Its a tricky one, and depends what mean by iinfluence the game as well. Pains me to say it, but i think Smith is more influential in terms of how he leads as a captain, and at Origin level i think he has become Wally like. In club land, in terms of big plays in a game, i think its Locky.

 

[Scorchie]

Lockyer played Origin when we were losing badly and still looked better than the NSW team. I couldn't say the same for Smith if the situation was reversed.

 

[Sproj]

Lockyer played Origin when we were losing badly and still looked better than the NSW team. I couldn't say the same for Smith if the situation was reversed.

But Smith is a major reason said situation isn't reversed. The bottom line is, on a football field, you would take either and both would be reason to celebrate premierships already.

 

[Battler]

Yes, but not all of, some would argue most, his influence has been exactly good for the game.

 

[Art Vandelay]

I have to go with Smith on this one. He's the best dummy half of all time by a big margin. Melbourne gets remarkable mileage out of cut price forwards year after year because of his service. It's hard to directly compare two players from different positions but Smith gets my vote purely due to the gulf between him and the next best option.

 

[mitch222]

Lockyer played Origin when we were losing badly and still looked better than the NSW team. I couldn't say the same for Smith if the situation was reversed.

Smith has carried QLD on quite a few occasions to get the win.
Smith is a fantastic player and just as important to a team as was Lockyer. When either player were there, it didn't matter who else was playing, you always knew you were a chance. Smiths influence in the ruck has never been seen before and I don't think ever will be again.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I like Smith as a footy player but I am over him as a person. Bloke is a complete fake imo.

 

[holdzy]

Influence is a broad term in this case. Locky influenced the game in a more positive way by virtue of who he is as a person, and to be one of the best of all time in two positions is basically unparalleled. Smith is considered to be the best hooker the game has seen and this is probably true. So much of the argument would be the influence a fullback and also a half has against the influence of a hooker, and with these two as well the influence a captain has. As far as results go, it's Locky. He set the standard and Cam has met it, but not necessarily surpassed it or improved it. He will break a few of Locky's records though.

But I think there is a real story there about the influence they had on each other and each other's careers. In the same way that Locky was mentored in rep teams by the likes of Alf, Joey, Freddy etc - JT, Smith, Slater etc mentored under Locky. They influenced each other with shared success (even though Smith/Storm potentially robbed Locky of more glory towards the end of his career, fucking 08).

Cameron learned everything he knows from Locky, shit Bellamy probably did too.

Totally non-biased response here.

 

[Nashy]

He's better at influencing the refs, other than that, Locky has him.

 

[WASSHHH]

I like Smith as a footy player but I am over him as a person. Bloke is a complete fake imo.

I can't help but agree with you - I just feel he is on a mission to get every individual record he can. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that, but it goes against how he portrays himself as the quintessential 'team first' man. Lockyer was always team first, but I can't help and feel that Smith only acts that way.
I could be wrong, but it's just the feeling I get.

Regarding this thread topic - I always go back to one question: if you could only choose one, who would you choose? Me, I would choose Lockyer. Is that because I am a Broncos fan - maybe. But I'd like to think if Smith played his whole career for the Broncos I'd still choose Lockyer - the bloke was always so selfless and humble, a great role model!

To me, that's a better / more important influence over the game.

 

[Nashy]

I know a guy who lived with him years ago, he's apparently the nicest, most genuine man you will meet.

I'm interested to know if you have any examples to see what you have seen to form that opinion. If not, no big deal, but I've just never personally felt he is nothing but a decent person.

It's not like he's sacrificing the team to make these records.