Boyd bombshell: Maroons star 'done' with rep footy

[Morkel]

I'm not trying to get into an argument. Have you completely removed a paragraph here? Or are you actually of the belief that Boyd is the same player he was in 2015?

You're right. He's not flashy, he's not a super star, but he was a damned fine fullback, being in the right spot, always at the right time, ready with a set play, a sweeping pass, running a gap, chasing players, chasing the ball etc.

It's absolutely laughable to think that anyone could say that Boyd is the same player he was back then while holding a straight face.

I believe he's at least putting in the same efforts, is doing his absolute best albeit starting to slow down a but with age. But your description above is looking through rose-coloured glasses. He was criticised then as he is now, and people only came to realise his importance, and what he brings to the side, by the end of the season when we went on our run. His playing style and form didn't change, people just started appreciating what he brings for what it is.

 

[Brotherdu]

Yes. Parramatta had the same thing with Watmough and Manly with Brett Stewart and Matai.

There is a difference between a forced retirement due to injury and the player getting an insurance payout of their contract (outside of the cap), and retiring because you've had enough.

Watmough and Stewart had issues as the injuries were pre-existing so could not be justified as insurance. They wanted their money and were happy to sit on the sidelines taking up cap space in order to get it, which is their right. The club wanted them gone coz they were busted and to free up cap space and so tried to go down the insurance route, which HO didn't buy.

 

[Jedhead]

With every game, Broncos "fans" are eroding away at his legacy, because they're precious snippy bitches who want someone to blame for why we've only won 5 of our last 7 games.

This is how Boyd plays. It's how he played in 2015. It's how he played for St George. It's how he played for the Knights in 2013. He's not, he never has been, and he never will be a flashy fullback. He is an excellent organising fullback who is also a great playmaker. But he's not fast, he's not powerful, and he's not exciting to watch.

Why do people all of a sudden think he should be, or have this idea that he used to be and he's now lost it?

I do get your point Morkel and you make a few good points, but I don't think Darius has ever fallen off tackles like he has this year. Nor do I recall him watching loose balls bounce while the opposition simply reacted first and pounced on them. His lack of ability to stretch out due to his hammies is plainly obvious and he has said himself in pressers after games that he thinks he's getting better with each game and now it's more a mental thing where he has to start trusting his body again. So he is well aware his performances are below par. There is no denying his organisational skills and his ability to play in the line at specific times earned him his test and origin spots. Now he is just plainly well below what is expected and indeed what is required from him to be our captain and full back. He said himself at the last presser 'I just need to work on my game so that I play for the full 80 minutes as 30 is not good enough'. He also said he was disappointed with his performance on Sunday, well so are a great many Bronco followers coz he just ain't cutting it like he used to and furthermore it's obvious to blind freddy that he's not got his heart in it. If he looked to be genuinely having a dig it would be an entirely different story, but to admit he had to 'work' on being switched on for a full 80 minutes well that just ensured any support I previously had for him was finally snuffed out. There may well be other health reasons we are not privy to, but if we are not told we can only judge him on his work ethic at present and it sucks big time. Perhaps Bird was brought into eventually replace him at fullback. I'd give him a go now and give Darius a serious rest to get his hammies and his mind fully rejuvenated.

 

[Nashy]

I believe he's at least putting in the same efforts, is doing his absolute best albeit starting to slow down a but with age. But your description above is looking through rose-coloured glasses. He was criticised then as he is now, and people only came to realise his importance, and what he brings to the side, by the end of the season when we went on our run. His playing style and form didn't change, people just started appreciating what he brings for what it is.

What a poor argument. Its almost a PC argument. So long as he tries, all good .who cares if the effort is there (lol as if it's been there when he watches balls roll instead of chasing) he's all good?

He's been playing like a busted asshole but trying not to? He would be offended to hear that you think he's been this bad since 13.

 

[Morkel]

What a poor argument. Its almost a PC argument. So long as he tries, all good .who cares if the effort is there (lol as if it's been there when he watches balls roll instead of chasing) he's all good?

He's been playing like a busted asshole but trying not to? He would be offended to hear that you think he's been this bad since 13.

If he wasn't trying, he would never have come up with that pearler of a try-saver on their winger, who was $1.01 to score. He appears to be lazy and uninterested, but he's not. He appeared exactly the same in 2015 too. It's not that he's not doing a lot of good, it's just that the good he does doesn't get noticed. Yet, every error, or everything that could possibly be hung on him, gets highlighted and inflamed.

People are seeing what they want to see, the difference between now and the end of 2015 is that we're not winning as much, and people are looking for reasons to blame the losing instead of praising the areas that won us games.

@Jedhead of course he can improve and of course he thinks he could improve. He still made mistakes, even the situations that came down to the refs fucking us over (him being bundled out in that second effort), he'd consider that as an error and look to not be in that situation again. But I'm sure throughout 2015 he thought he could improve too - he was making errors then too, and he was being criticised then too.

 

[Nashy]

If he wasn't trying, he would never have come up with that pearler of a try-saver on their winger, who was $1.01 to score. He appears to be lazy and uninterested, but he's not. He appeared exactly the same in 2015 too. It's not that he's not doing a lot of good, it's just that the good he does doesn't get noticed. Yet, every error, or everything that could possibly be hung on him, gets highlighted and inflamed.

People are seeing what they want to see, the difference between now and the end of 2015 is that we're not winning as much, and people are looking for reasons to blame the losing instead of praising the areas that won us games.

He didn't at all look like that in 15. He looked hungry, like a decent upcoming captain of the club, a winner, ready to kick ass. Then he wasn't.

Stop pulling that bullshit "people see what they want". It's a fucking cop out, and an even worse argument. You're mkaing out like I'm a Boyd hater. I love the ****, but to suggest he's the same this year as years gone, that's deadset dumber than thinking he would make Origin this year.

 

[Morkel]

He didn't at all look like that in 15. He looked hungry, like a decent upcoming captain of the club, a winner, ready to kick ass. Then he wasn't.

Stop pulling that bullshit "people see what they want". It's a fucking cop out, and an even worse argument. You're mkaing out like I'm a Boyd hater. I love the ****, but to suggest he's the same this year as years gone, that's deadset dumber than thinking he would make Origin this year.

I'm not trying to make out that you're a Boyd hater at all. There are people here that certainly have a bias against him, but I wouldn't count you among them. I'm just saying that maybe you and others here are letting a landslide of negativity towards him not so much influence you, but at least having you pay more attention to the negative aspects of his game.

 

[Maroon4life]

With every game, Broncos "fans" are eroding away at his legacy, because they're precious snippy bitches who want someone to blame for why we've only won 5 of our last 7 games.

This is how Boyd plays. It's how he played in 2015. It's how he played for St George. It's how he played for the Knights in 2013. He's not, he never has been, and he never will be a flashy fullback. He is an excellent organising fullback who is also a great playmaker. But he's not fast, he's not powerful, and he's not exciting to watch.

Why do people all of a sudden think he should be, or have this idea that he used to be and he's now lost it?

Not saying he wasn’t, I’m more asking why he isn’t doing any of that anymore? The team as a whole looks limp, I’m holding Boyd to a higher standard given his experience, wage and title and that is a fair claim. Boyd is not living up to the latter 2 and is playing as a bloke whose experience is proving too much, we’ve everything to gain from him throwing it in early.

 

[007]

While you guys are all arguing over how negative or hatred induced some of the opinions of others are. The fact remains, he's playing well below best form, is on 700K, has 3 years remaining, cannot sprint as fast as he used to and is the captain of our team - who already was not the strongest captain. Its not a good position - and if you were the coach and not bound to hold his position, he would have been benched or sent back to state cup barring his first half performance against Melbourne.

This is an issue. He was never going to be picked for origin, so the argument for his choice is based on focusing on club footy is a cop out. I think its a useless PR grab and could have awaited until after the origin series was over for good taste.

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Maybe he is finishing up because Bellamy is coming and he wants to call it quits after this year so he can go out with his Dad

 

[Nashy]

I'm not trying to make out that you're a Boyd hater at all. There are people here that certainly have a bias against him, but I wouldn't count you among them. I'm just saying that maybe you and others here are letting a landslide of negativity towards him not so much influence you, but at least having you pay more attention to the negative aspects of his game.

I don't think I am. I could say something g similar. Some hold a bias towards him, and other players, which forbid them from seeing how bad he has actually become.

He's a different player. It's not some bias, I like the guy. But he's not doing all the good things he used to do, and when he does, it's not consistent. He's was what? Top 3 players in the 15 squad? Today, he's bottom 3, surely.

 

[Broncos Maestro]

You wont realise how important a player is to a team until theyre gone. Reed was much maligned on here, but people look back at him now and realise how much he gave for most of his career. He chose to fall on his sword when the injuries became too much.

Not me! I loved that lanky ranga. :thebadmantookbaxter::thebadmantookbaxter:

 

[Thelmus]

Not me! I loved that lanky ranga. :thebadmantookbaxter::thebadmantookbaxter:

If you want to see how good he could be, there is a compilation of someone's idea of the 50 best tries in nrl ever. His in the video is right up there with the best of them.

 

[Morkel]

I don't think I am. I could say something g similar. Some hold a bias towards him, and other players, which forbid them from seeing how bad he has actually become.

He's a different player. It's not some bias, I like the guy. But he's not doing all the good things he used to do, and when he does, it's not consistent. He's was what? Top 3 players in the 15 squad? Today, he's bottom 3, surely.

You could make the argument about bias running two ways and I won’t argue.

He is the same player. It’s amazing reading the live and post game threads. Every week for the last month or so there are people who claim to have been hard on Boyd earlier in the year but “that was his best game so far this year”. Why is that happening, for consecutive games over an extended period? It’s because every game people go in to it watching for more evidence of him skirting retirement, but there he is, executing those link plays, putting his body on the line when our defence is short, and making decent metres out of our own end despite allegedly only having one leg and a pea heart.

 

[Mr Fourex]

He is the same player.

No way......

 

[WASSHHH]

You could make the argument about bias running two ways and I won’t argue.

He is the same player. It’s amazing reading the live and post game threads. Every week for the last month or so there are people who claim to have been hard on Boyd earlier in the year but “that was his best game so far this year”. Why is that happening, for consecutive games over an extended period? It’s because every game people go in to it watching for more evidence of him skirting retirement, but there he is, executing those link plays, putting his body on the line when our defence is short, and making decent metres out of our own end despite allegedly only having one leg and a pea heart.

I am not looking to incite an argument, but have to disagree.

Bold item 1.
Simple - he’s been improving most weeks since about week 8. But boy he needed to, he was so poor to start the year. Moreover, he needs to keep on improving. He is still quite a long way short of the player he was when playing fullback for Australia only a couple of seasons ago.

Bold item 2.
I could not disagree more if I tried regarding those three things you say he is doing each week.

He used to execute that link play with such ease that it was almost a given that we’d score off it - that is not the case this year. Defences haven’t suddenly figured out how to stop it after failing to do so for the last 7 or so years.

He puts his body on the line when someone runs directly at him (which is the job of every defensive player), but if they step he’s left grasping at air (granted, his near intercept a few weeks back was an absolutel cracker). But some of his efforts in defusing kicks this year have been incredibly lacklustre.

And finally, if you’re honest, he would be making less metres than almost all, if not all, fullbacks in the NRL. Sure, this has never been a strength of his, but if he’s not performing his strengths well, it might be time he starts looking at improving other areas.

 

[Maroon4life]

You could make the argument about bias running two ways and I won’t argue.

He is the same player. It’s amazing reading the live and post game threads. Every week for the last month or so there are people who claim to have been hard on Boyd earlier in the year but “that was his best game so far this year”. Why is that happening, for consecutive games over an extended period? It’s because every game people go in to it watching for more evidence of him skirting retirement, but there he is, executing those link plays, putting his body on the line when our defence is short, and making decent metres out of our own end despite allegedly only having one leg and a pea heart.

Come on now

 

[Reyter]

There is a difference between a forced retirement due to injury and the player getting an insurance payout of their contract (outside of the cap), and retiring because you've had enough.

Watmough and Stewart had issues as the injuries were pre-existing so could not be justified as insurance. They wanted their money and were happy to sit on the sidelines taking up cap space in order to get it, which is their right. The club wanted them gone coz they were busted and to free up cap space and so tried to go down the insurance route, which HO didn't buy.

That is true. As far as I know, the main problem with the insurance not being paid was the question of why pay the fucking insurance companies at all if they aren't going to pay out? Though I wasn't aware it was also an issue with the Manly players.

Regardless, it doesn't change the Boyd situation at all. It's no use wishing him to retire because he is on the books as far as the salary cap is concerned for the next 3 years after this one. If he can't improve or make a go of it in another position, or as a interchange utility, he should be kept in the QLD Cup as a depth player in case of injuries or heavy rep commitments.