‘F**k off': Darren Lockyer's Origin change room interview goes off the rails

News.com.au

10-07-2025

They say in live TV you should never work with children or animals — maybe they should add old blokes with beers to that list.
Queensland Origin legend Darren Lockyer has learned the hard way after he was interview-blocked from a chat with Queensland winger Xavier Coates in an excruciating 90 seconds of TV after the Maroons wrapped up the 2025 State of Origin series.
The Maroons dominated the game, claiming a commanding 24-12 win that if anything flattered NSW.
It meant the beverages were flowing as the celebrations began well before full-time thanks to the 20-0 halftime buffer and the Maroons' near impenetrable defence.
Tears were also flowing at full-time after Cameron Munster's father's death in the lead up to the decider, but after a win that's been compared to iconic triumphs like 'Fatty's Nevilles' in 1995 and the 'worst Queensland team in history' in 2020, the beers were flowing just as freely.
So when Lockyer headed into the sheds, he knew it wasn't going to be easy.
The man himself declared it 'one of the greatest wins of the Queensland team'.
He kicked off with a chat with North Queensland Cowboys star Reuben Cotter, who said he was exhausted after making 41 tackles.
He praised Wally Lewis medallist Tom Dearden for 'being in my ear'.
Asked what he said, Cotter responded: 'I probably can't say that on TV'.
It didn't take much prompting for him to add: 'He was f**king into me about making the tackles and staying in the game.'
Strong start Locky!
After telling Cotter to have a beer 'for every tackle you did tonight', he moved on towards Xavier Coates.
'Big X, Big X,' Lockyer said as the camera moved in on the back of ex-Queensland player Norm Carr.
Watch the full exchange in the video player above.
The 70-year-old Carr, who was selected on the bench, but didn't play in the inaugural State of Origin match in 1980 before tallying three games over 1981 and 1982, clearly hasn't done too much TV as the first words he said to Lockyer were 'Darren, f**k off'.
The hilarious moment saw Lockyer and Coates burst into laughter before Carr went for an awkward handshake into a hug.
Lockyer then put the mic in front of Carr, asking: 'That one was plenty of effort, wasn't it?'
'Unbelievable. They just knew how to win,' Carr said. 'It doesn't matter what I say — these blokes done it.'
Lockyer, who had been asked for a photo when he first arrived at the conversation, tried again to make it happen to no avail.
He then turned to 1980s Maroons five-eighth Alan Smith to save the segment.
Amazing Queensland performance,' Smith said. 'These guys did what they had to be done, and full credit to the team and Billy, they were smart enough to work out how to do it and did it.'
Finally turning to Coates, Lockyer said: 'Now X …' when Carr pushed back in to cut Lockyer off.
'F**king hell, Normy's getting rough in here, he's getting a bit rough old Normie,' Lockyer said.
'We've still got to get the photo, I'll come back to you X.
'Normie's just told me to …,' Lockyer added as he walked away.
So in a 90 second interview, Coates said a grand total of zero words to Lockyer.
While he finished with a more textbook chat with fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Lockyer bailed out, saying he'd 'go and find Normie Carr, get him in a headlock and have another beer with him'.
Fans were loving the utter trainwreck in the sheds.
One wrote: 'Channel 9 needs to stop sending Lockyer to do interviews in the winning shed.'
Another posted: 'Channel 9 unhinged tonight with their interviews between Gal and Sonny spilling their testosterone & Darren Lockyer going rogue in the sheds being told to f**k off — it's great telly.'
A third added: 'This Darren Lockyer segment in the dressing sheds is the best kind of car crash. I'm in stitches. Drunk Queenslander everywhere hahah.'