Darren Lockyer has revealed how criticism he copped over State of Origin performances provided a major turning point in his record-breaking rugby league career.

Preparing for his 36th and final Origin match on Wednesday, a reflective Queensland skipper Lockyer told AAP it was barbs he received after the 2005 series loss and again after losing the first game in 2006 that made him reassess himself as a player.

"I got to a point where I wasn't working as hard as I should have been and the criticism I copped made me want to prove all those people wrong," Said Lockyer.

"It pulled me back down to earth, made me really work a lot harder than I had been.

"It taught me if you want to get rewarded for something in life, you have to be prepared to work really hard for it.

"I started to work harder again and I started to see the rewards.

"That's how I've approached things then and still do."

While Lockyer used that criticism as a positive, he admits he's tended to avoid sports reporting later in his career.

"I look at the front of the paper but I don't go near the back section," he said. "When the news is on TV I watch the first 15 minutes and then I'll change the channel.

"It's out of sight, out of mind for me. I've done that for the last six or seven years of my career and I've found it's helped to give me a clear focus."

He said the game's high profile players were always going to attract criticism from time to time.

"It's important you don't take it to heart too much," he said.

"It's part of what we do, you're going to get criticised and you're going to get a rap every now and then.

"Both those things, they don't really help you although getting criticised can help you want to prove a point."

Veteran prop Queensland Petero Civoniceva, who will share in Lockyer's special night in the 2011 series-decider on Wednesday, says his captain would sit easily alongside the game's seven Immortals.

"His record speaks for itself," said Civoniceva.

"As a mate who's been lucky enough to play alongside him for so many years, I've lost count of the number of games he's been able to win single-handedly with his individual brilliance whether it was for the Broncos or State of Origin.

"I can remember Test matches when we were down and out and Darren comes up with that play that only he can do.

"That's been a constant throughout his career.

"He's got that rare quality that only champions have.

"Players want to follow him because of his humility and his courage.

Civoniceva said Lockyer had not changed from the first time they met at Brisbane's training gym 15 years ago.

"That speaks highly of the bloke," he said.

"He is champion not just on the field but off the field as well."

Hooker Cameron Smith, the man anointed to take over as Queensland skipper in 2012, said the Maroons players could already sense something special building for Lockyer's last Origin match.

"There is a big vibe about this game already," said Smith.

"I keep hearing people say it's going to be one of the biggest games in the history of State of Origin."

He said the players were well aware they had to channel emotion about Lockyer's Origin farewell in the right way if they were to see him off fittingly with a record sixth straight series triumph.

"It's no secret we want Locky to go out a winner but using that is not going to get us a win," he said.

"Locky's last game isn't going to help me make 40 tackles or help me make the right decisions with the football.

"What's going to help me play and help the team play well is our preparation.

"We know the crowd is going to be quite vocal and it's going to be a huge occasion for both states for different reasons.

"If we manage it well as a team and everyone's in control of their emotions this week, it can certainly work for us."

Smith is no stranger to games that get the hair standing up on the back of his neck.

"I've played in plenty," said the Melbourne skipper with 23 Origins on his resume.

"In this game last year when we were going for a whitewash it was a big occasion for us because we'd won four in a row but never 3-0.

"I've played in three grand finals and some pretty big Test matches but I'm sure come next Wednesday night when I'm running out it will be one of the best experiences I've felt running onto a footy field in my career."

Halfback Johnathan Thurston summed up the players' feelings when asked about the hype and fanfare of being part of a legend's farewell.

"I'm going to treasure it," he said.

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