RUGBY league legend Darren Lockyer has been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, becoming the 23rd rugby league player to receive the honour.

At the induction and awards gala dinner in Melbourne on Thursday night, the former Broncos, Queensland and Australia captain was one of eight new inductees including Gai Waterhouse, Wendy Botha and Harry Kewell.

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Former coach and mentor Wayne Bennett was one of the first people to congratulate the 41-year-old, who described the experience as ‘humbling’.

“It’s humbling, it’s surreal,” Lockyer said.

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“You just pinch yourself, it’s a time of reflection you go back to where it all started, I was just a kid in the backyard playing with my brothers and dreamt of playing for my country. I was able to do that at the highest level and do it for a long time.”

Previous rugby league inductees include Dally Messenger, Clive Churchill, Norm Provan, Ron Coote, Wally Lewis and Mal Meninga.

Lockyer played 355 NRL games for Brisbane, 59 for Australia and 36 for Queensland, won four premierships, seven State of Origin series’ and the 2000 World Cup.