Moments after appearing to be down for the count, Brisbane's Darren Lockyer picked himself off the canvas to deliver the knockout blow to ex-mentor Wayne Bennett's St George Illawarra in a NRL golden-point finals thriller on Saturday night.

Lockyer was left sprawled on his back in the 70th minute after teammate Gerard Beale's stray knee collected his skipper in the face.

But Lockyer - nursing a noticeably swollen cheek - dusted himself off to pot over a wobbly 82nd-minute field goal to seal a 13-12 win for the Broncos, and abruptly end Knights-bound Bennett's Dragons tenure.

Lockyer ensured his last game at his home ground would be remembered for all the right reasons, sending the majority of the 48,444-strong crowd home smiling.

But Lockyer initially appeared in grave doubt for next weekend's preliminary final against Manly after speculation that he suffered a cheek fracture.

"It's a bit sore to be honest," Lockyer said as he left Suncorp Stadium for the last time as a player in his 17th season.

However, Broncos coach Anthony Griffin tried to play down any concerns about his inspirational skipper.

"He's a bit groggy at the moment," Griffin said.

But asked if he expected Lockyer to back up next week, an unconcerned Griffin simply said: "Yeah".

While his sights were squarely set on the finals campaign ahead, Lockyer allowed himself a rare nostalgic moment as he left his home ground on Saturday night.

"It was my last game at Suncorp Stadium so to finish it like that it ensures good memories," he said.

"It (field goal) was pretty ugly but it got the job done.

"If you beat the Dragons you have to earn it.

"In the end we are going down to Sydney next week."

Bennett seemed at peace with his former charge drawing the curtain on his impressive three-year stint at the Dragons.

And the seven-time premiership-winning coach expected Lockyer to back up next week, despite the rumours swirling around the Broncos captain's swollen melon.

"No one's ever doubted how courageous he is," Bennett said.

"I have seen him play with a leg that needed to be operated on and put him out for six months and he kept playing for another five minutes after that."

Asked whether it seemed a premiership script appeared to be written for Lockyer, Bennett said: "I am not sure if it is ever scripted.

"But he is such a wonderful player and he has done it so many times so for him it is another day at the office.

"If you are going to lose you'd prefer going out that way - there was no losers out there tonight."

Lockyer's heroics extended Bennett's losing finals record at his old stomping ground to a staggering 0-8 tally.

In contrast, the Broncos sealed their eighth straight victory to give them their best chance of winning a title since their 2006 - and sixth overall - triumph.

The Broncos dominated the first half but only had a 6-0 scoreline to show for their efforts.

Lockyer peppered the Dragons with bombs and continued to take on the line in attack, however the soon-to-be retiree only managed to open up the Dragons in the 15th minute.

His sublime inside ball let backrower Ben Te'o crash over before Corey Parker converted to give the hosts a deserved 6-0 buffer.

Parker kicked a 48th minute penalty to make it 8-0.

But the Dragons were breathing fire when interchange X-factor Adam Cuthbertson pounced on prop Michael Weyman's pass to cross in the 55th minute and cut the deficit to 8-6.

The Broncos appeared to have sealed the result when Dale Copley went over in the 67th minute.

However, Dragons dangerman Darius Boyd locked up the scores at 12-12 in the 78th minute, sending the match into extra time.

The only other worry for Griffin was halfback Peter Wallace being placed on report for an 11th-minute tackle on Boyd.

Meanwhile, the Dragons' winning chances were hurt when flying winger Brett Morris suffered a suspected broken ankle in the 66th minute.

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