It wasn't the fairytale ending he was hoping for, but retiring Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer says he couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable farewell season.
Nursing a fractured cheekbone suffered last week, Lockyer watched on helplessly as Manly scored a clinical 26-14 victory to qualify for their third grand final and end his record breaking 355-game NRL career
"I guess we're disappointed in the dressing room but the year we've had, I couldn't have asked for a better year to finish at the Broncos to be honest – I mean maybe a premiership – but I've had a great time," Lockyer said after the game.
"I never stopped dreaming that it (a premiership) could happen but I was also prepared that it might not either."
"I don't feel too bad ... the support that's come my way this year from the public has been fantastic, so I don't have any disappointments to look back on this year."
"If it didn't happen this week it was going to happen next week that it was all over, and I've had a great year ... last week was unfortunate but that's part of the game we play."
"We're all disappointed with the result but it's not the end of the world."
Asked if he had any regrets over his decision not to play after he had three metal plates inserted to his cheekbone last Sunday, Lockyer replied: "It's not going to change what happened tonight, there's no point in thinking about it."
"We made the decision on Wednesday and I knew once we made that decision I wasn't going to think twice about it, so it's just how it is."
The Sea Eagles exploded out of the blocks with 16 unanswered points in the opening quarter and were able to hold off the gritty Broncos in a hard-fought second half.
"I was proud of the boys by the end of the game ... but the first 20 minutes was unfortunate for us, "Lockyer said.
"Regardless of what team you're playing or who's playing in your team, if you give away 16 points in a final you're going to struggle to rein it in, but the boys never gave it up."
Lockyer will now turn his attention to the one-off Test against New Zealand in Newcastle on October 16.
He is also expected to take part in the Kangaroos' Four Nations campaign before hanging up the boots permanently.
"I feel I've got a bit left in the tank and I need to empty that out before I finish, so the Four Nations is where I'll put my focus on now," he said.