OFFICIAL Darius Boyd announces retirement

[PNG Broncos fan88]

This is the day I stop criticising Darius Boyd, he gets my respect from now on.
Hope the boys give it there all and make him go out a winner.

 

[rnabokov]

Since he seems to be so well liked by the players maybe they'll play out of their skin to send him out a winner.

Absolutely. This may well be the catalyst this side needs to reignite their passion, heart and soul into their football, something that has been missing for a few years.

Next week, Broncos by 12

 

[Maroon4life]

I wish it was immediately but this is welcomed news.

 

[007]

Lets hope he can have a clear head and rip in this season! At peak of career he was good, bring some of that back for this last year to go out on a high.

 

[broncos4life]

Glad he has made the call now. Rip in and go out the right way Darbs!

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Coates will have a full season at Qcup and then take the vacant centre spot next year

 

[Allo]

Coates will have a full season at Qcup and then take the vacant centre spot next year

I don’t want to see Coates anywhere near centre anytime soon

 

[_wwong]

Congratulations on a brilliant career Darius. He deserves to run on at left centre next week for his final game

 

[vertigo]

I have no doubt that's the primary reason he did it now. If he didn't announce it we would've dropped him before the 15 game threshold so he couldn't activate his clause for 2021, and would've gone out a loser. This way, the club will look like pieces of shit if we drop him knowing full well it's his last season.

Well played Darius, you fucked us again.

Selfish to the very end.

Seriously just go now. He's gonna get dropped within a month anyway.

The way he has carried on the last couple of years is a disgrace to the club.

 

[berrigan]

how much will this free up in the cap next year?

 

[Unbreakable]

how much will this free up in the cap next year?

Most reports say that his salary dips to about $400-500K in 2021, so, about that much.

 

[Blindside Bronco]

Mr Boyd off into the sunset. Well that should give the team incentive to see off one of their old boys in style. Go Broncos !!!

 

[JamesC]

Followed Wayne around his whole career, he was never a 'Broncos' man ...

I don't think that's a fair assessment.

My understanding is that he left the Broncos because they didn't want him.

And he didn't follow Wayne to Souths.

 

[ningnangnong]

This is obviously the right move for both parties, and I'm sure there's many of us who would have hoped it had happened sooner.

But, let's get some perspective here. Rather than using this thread to hang shit on Boyd, how about we try and acknowledge and pay respect to what has been quite an impressive career?

I know many of you are into stats, so let's have a gander at Boyd's (sourced from Rugby League Project).

- Australia: 23 appearance, 16 tries
- Queensland: 28 appearances, 17 tries
- NRL: 317 appearances, 84 tries

Yeah, the last few years have been a bit shit, but what a career this bloke has had. Not to mention the mental strength he showed to pull himself from rock bottom during his time at the Knights, fight his demons and make it back to the top of the game. That first season back with us, he was still one of the best fullbacks in the game.

All the best for your future, Darius. I hope we can send you off with a premiership.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

I can’t help but notice had he decided to pull the pin at the end of 2019, he probably would have been shown a bit more love from the fans and that includes me.

It’s obvious that Darius has used up all his credits over the last 2 years and what should have been a celebrated retirement, will now be seen as a huge sense of relief with a slight overflow of anger and disdain seeping out from the fans instead.

Personally, I’m just glad he has at least got this out off the way. It at least now has removed all excuses for him to put his body on the line and give it his absolute all. He still had the respect from the players so if they rate him as much as Seibold and media constantly inform us, than they should be able to emotionally lift to try and send him out on a decent note.

More importantly though it at least removes half of the circus around Darius and whether he was going to activate this clause in his contract for 2021 and out the club in a shit position by having to be the bad guy.

At least now there is some clarity and the club should jump on the front foot now and start planning a marquee target for 2021 with Darius and Kahu freeing up at least $800k worth of cap after this season. I reckon the club already had a figure for Fifita even allowing for the possibility of Boyd playing on in 2021 so I don’t think the club will raise our offer to him after this announcement nor should they if they have offered a very reasonable contract for someone of his age and what he offers. At the end of the day Fifita isn’t a million dollar player so if he leaves for that so be it.

The downside is there will be still a circus around whether Darius should be in the team week to week if he keeps dishing up what he has the last 24 months. And now if we do drop him based on performances it’s going to make the club look like heartless thugs but I think majority of the community will be in universal agreeance if he isn’t playing at a first grade level than the emotion has to be taken out of it. He has already used up his club great phoning it in year card in 2019.

Or you know, Darius could actually just actually contribute and rip in and all this hysteria could be put on the back burner once and for all. I would have given him the first 2 weeks only to show something, after this announcement though I’ll give him the Round 3 game at the Gold Coast as well. It is where he was raised and would be a fitting send off. If he can actually perform and draw and pass for his winger and actually make effective tackles than by all means he can see out year. Big if though.

 

[Broncapz]

I wish Boyd to have a standout year, but ultimately the team must come first.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

Because he has been so ordinary for so long, it’s hard to remember the good times when he was even keeping Slater out of the 1 at rep level.

My last good memory of him in Broncos colours was when he took that intercept off of SKD to score the opener in the first minute of that home preliminary final in 2015.

It’s bloody sad that was 4 and a half years ago but it is what it is. He seemed to be a very good all round fullback when he was at the top of his game and had great vision which is why I find it hard that he hasn’t been able to utilise his vision and game awareness to contribute to the cause. We will know soon enough what this does for his 2020 season.

As much as I don’t really like the guy anymore because of the absolute mess of his last 24 months, I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong because my agenda all along has always been about what’s best for the club and the club doing well on the field, not Darius. If Darius contributes to success in games in 2020, he can play for as long as he is contributing.

 

[Hammerman47]

Very happy with this announcement but would have been better for the club if his retirement was effective immediately. Having said that if he plays well this season and really has a go I will be the first to congratulate him and wish him well for his future. If he has a dig for the first couple of games and then starts to produce the shit he played for the last couple of years Seibold has to drop him like a hot potato. Now if only McCulduff would follow suit it would be perfect... although I think his career is going to die a natural death and a push wont be required. Get David Fifita signed up long term today!