My dreams were to play for the Broncos and Queensland. Now they're going to unveil a statue of me next to my childhood hero

Darren Lockyer has a voice like no one else in sport. It makes a husky and wheezy growl, as if he is an Australian Godfather, but his words are far more striking than his damaged vocal chords. The already legendary captain and five-eighth for the Brisbane Broncos, Queensland and Australia's rugby league team, has lived with his voice for seven years, even since he took a big hit to the throat which jammed a bone into his larynx. But his sentences ring with simple truth.

"It's best expressed by little things," Lockyer says of a year which has featured one of sport's longest and most touching departures. As he prepares to retire after a 17-year career which has made him such a celebrated Australian, Lockyer has said one sweet goodbye after another, with the last farewell scheduled for Elland Road, two weeks on Saturday, when he expects to lead Australia against either England or New Zealand in the Four Nations final.

"This year, if I was tired in a game, I kept telling myself: 'Give it one last shot – don't leave anything in the tank,'" Lockyer says. "It'll be the same when I play my last game here. It's a long flight home but it'll be even longer if there are any regrets. By regrets, I don't mean winning or losing. But more: 'Did I do everything I could?' That's been my theme this year – not to have any regrets."

That lack of regret stretches across Lockyer's life and is symbolised by the commemorations now being heaped upon him. A long stretch of the Warrego Highway in Queensland has been renamed Darren Lockyer Way, but the shaven-headed maestro is moved most by the fact that a statue of him will soon be unveiled outside his beloved Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The only other player to be so honoured is Wally Lewis, Lockyer's boyhood idol.

On an autumn afternoon in Manchester, Lockyer can't keep the awe from his foghorn voice: "It's surreal and I pinch myself at this point of my life. If I wind back the clock 20 years, my dreams were to try and play for the Broncos and Queensland one day. And here I am, and I've been able to play so many games for both, and they're going to unveil a statue of me next to my childhood hero. Amazing."

Outside Australia, and rugby league, it's difficult to describe Lockyer's stature. He is sometimes compared to David Beckham but beyond having a much better set of pipes than the squeaky Londoner, Lockyer is a more enduring talent. It's easier to contrast Lockyer with Lewis, who was revered in Queensland but reviled in New South Wales. Lewis was booed in Sydney while playing for Australia; but Lockyer is even embraced by the old enemy.

"Yeah," he says, almost shyly. "This year I was blown away by the public in Queensland but I was very taken aback by the respect and appreciation people showed me in New South Wales. My upbringing probably moulded me into being pretty down to earth and humble and I'm always respectful. If we beat New South Wales or a team in Sydney I was never one to gloat. Maybe that's helped people who don't usually go for the Broncos or Queensland to appreciate me."

All of this is lovely; but it would not mean much unless it was pinned down by hardcore brilliance on the pitch. Lockyer's endless season without regret might see him win the sport's Golden Boot, presented to the International Player of the Year, for an unprecedented third time on Tuesday night in London. But, as always with an unassuming man, Lockyer prefers to focus on "the actual footie" which has, so far, seen him play 57 times for Australia.

In his final home Test, in October, the most capped rugby league international of all time was a key figure in a clear-cut victory over New Zealand. There was then, inevitably, fevered acclaim during the State of Origin series – the bitter annual battle between Queensland and New South Wales. Amid three tumultuous games, Lockyer became the most capped Queensland player of all time when, on his 36th appearance, led his state to a thrilling win in the Brisbane decider.

"There's always a huge build-up and this one was amplified because it was my last match. Everyone was talking about me and even without reading the papers I'd see my mug on the back and the front page. So to win the final game gave me such relief. Everyone in Queensland was so happy. I get more joy out of that because I knew it would've been tough to take if we'd lost it."

Lockyer established another record, for the most NRL appearances, when he played his 350th game – which he duly won. A few weeks later he starred in his final club match for Brisbane against St George Illawarra Dragons, coached by his mentor, Wayne Bennett. Despite suffering a broken cheekbone in a raw encounter, Lockyer kicked the winning golden point in overtime to take the Broncos into the semi-finals.

"Everything was falling into place and a lot of things went my way. But you have to take the bad with the good. So it was disappointing I couldn't play the following week in the semi against Manly. I had faith the team could win that game and give me a chance to play in the Grand Final. But it wasn't to be."

Denied one more ovation at home, Lockyer is now down to his last three games – against England at Wembley on Saturday, Wales in Wrexham and then, surely, the Four Nations final on 19 November. "Some of the most vivid moments of my career have happened over here, playing for Australia. You're away from home and cocooned in your team environment. Your mateship comes out and you keep those memories close. On my first tour [in 1997] I played at the old Wembley and now I'm playing at the new Wembley on my last tour. We've not played there the past 14 years. So it's a nice ending. I remember, in 1997, Laurie Daley was our captain and we faced outstanding players like Jason Robinson and Gary Connolly. We were on the rack at one stage but Laurie pulled out a couple of big plays and we won."

The 2003 tour, which marked Lockyer's emergence as captain, means the most. "There was a storyline to that series. Brad Fittler had retired as captain and Andrew Johns was given it and he got an injury. Gorden Tallis was then asked but got injured. I was third in line to get the captaincy but, all of a sudden, at 26, it was mine. Sixteen players pulled out with injury and everyone said this was England's chance to win the Ashes for the first time in 30 years. I feared failure more than anything that trip."

He was monumental in driving Australia to late victories in all three Tests. "We got some luck in the first game because Adrian Morley was sent off but every match was similar. We'd be behind but come back and win in the last five minutes. That gave me great relief and lots of pride."

Lockyer's galvanising impact prompted Jeremy Guscott to suggest last month that the Australian would be his wild card to join England's moribund rugby union camp as a coach and motivator. "I hadn't heard that one," a bemused Lockyer says. "Lots of countries employ people of different nationalities. But that's not me. I'm a Bronco, a Queenslander and an Australian – and I'm very loyal. So I couldn't see that ever happening. I've got no plans to get into coaching right now. I won't say never but I want to step back a while."

His consuming interest in sport means it's unlikely he will be away for long. It's typical of Lockyer that he rounded up the Kangaroos and took them to a Deansgate pub to watch Manchester City's 6-1 thrashing of Unitednine days ago. "Some of the young boys had never been and I said: 'Let's experience the culture of going to a local pub and watching the game' – and that day history was made. Funnily enough it was a pub full of Man U fans. We were mainly neutral – but when the goals flew in we made some noise. One thing I notice over here is that if the other team scores then everyone is silent. So we got some glares. But they're so passionate about their football and it's the same back home with league. It's so tribal. People cry when you lose, people cry when you win."

A few of those same people might shed a tear when Lockyer disappears down the Elland Road tunnel. He will leave with the reputation of a giant, and the humility of a man who grew up in the country and never took his success for granted. "There'll be challenges after football but I'll miss the weekly focus of, 'How do we beat them?' And there's nothing much in real life like being in a successful dressing room with the boys singing the songs. It's intense euphoria. It's just like the nerves churning in your stomach before a game – they're not pleasant but I'll miss 'em."

Lockyer will be missed more; but at least we will hear his voice again. "If someone is willing to employ me one day to do a little game-analysis I might have to get something done. While the voice is my trademark if it's difficult for people to listen to it, then I'll consider surgery. I've seen a specialist and we've discussed the options. There are things I can do prior to an operation and we'll see if that works. I'm not looking to totally revamp my voice – just tweak it a bit."

Lockyer looks up and laughs. "Mind you, I reckon I'll be quiet on the plane home. Hopefully we'll have the Four Nations in our pockets. But I'll have a real chance to think because I know you can't stop time. I've had a great ride and I can't ask for anything more than the last 17 years. Moving on is a part of life and I want to do this last farewell the right way."