Darius Boyd, where art thou?

[Morepudding]

I think its less that he's lazy, and more that he's used up. Fullbacks don't normally defend in the line for a reason, and add to that he's a captain, in his thirties and it all begins to add up.
That drop catch he did, against the eels, is the first one i have seen in 3 years from him. There may be others but theyre rare. Whilst radrada ran through him easily, he did the same against Roberts, who is much faster. For those critisizing him, its worth remembering, whilst he rarely if ever has broken the line on returns, he is also one of the safest taking the ball out of his in goal area, has been inspirational at times in defence, and usually contributes more on 2nd and 3rd tackles than most fullbacks do. Those things aren't always noticed, but believe me, getting out and avoiding repeat sets are not to quibbled at. Nor is a driving tackle from your fullback and captain something to be ignored. He tries hard but isn't a machine that can run endlessly without hiccups and even machines break down when run too long. I think he needs a break. If he isn't rested it might be time for wb to let him off some training and just get away to someplace quiet with the family to recharge.

Slater is older and on the back of a shoulder reconstruction and covers more metres than anyone... Yes he is possibly the greatest fullback ever, but using being 'tired' as an excuse is a cop out. Truth of the matter is he just isn't that great. He could have tackled Jennings. he was there. he touched him, but he opted to not tackle him. This screams player not wanting to get hurt... He has always played like a player who doesn't want to get hurt. His lack of injuries showcase this. His only noticable injury has been an Achilles which was a training mishap... He has never been a player to put his body on the line, ever.

 

[Morepudding]

I remember a few times where teams did a little chip kick and Karmichael Hunt would run at the ball at 100 miles an hour and catch it. If you look at some of his highlight reels he basically got kicked in the gut in doing so multiple times, yet he always did it. He also charged the ball back nearly every hittup (as does Jordan Kahu more often than not). Boyd I have seen go near a chip kick and literally squirm out of it with the player running toward him. He does this with grubbers too. He is good at catching the bomb, but when the ball is loose on the ground, he is rarely the one that puts his body on the line to get to it. As much as we all know i detest Ben Hunt, he is a player that really does put his body on the line, and whilst I think he lacks talent / ability, I never question his effort. He always does try his best. That's what I dislike about Boyd. He doesn't try his best 100% of the time. Next year after losing Hunt, I feel the only two broncos left who appear to put in 100% effort everytime they are on the field will be McCullough and Alex Glenn. A lot of the other players seem to be very 'fair weather' and will put in when things are going well, but cower away when they aren't.

 

[winslow_wong]

I remember a few times where teams did a little chip kick and Karmichael Hunt would run at the ball at 100 miles an hour and catch it. If you look at some of his highlight reels he basically got kicked in the gut in doing so multiple times, yet he always did it. He also charged the ball back nearly every hittup (as does Jordan Kahu more often than not). Boyd I have seen go near a chip kick and literally squirm out of it with the player running toward him. He does this with grubbers too. He is good at catching the bomb, but when the ball is loose on the ground, he is rarely the one that puts his body on the line to get to it. As much as we all know i detest Ben Hunt, he is a player that really does put his body on the line, and whilst I think he lacks talent / ability, I never question his effort. He always does try his best. That's what I dislike about Boyd. He doesn't try his best 100% of the time. Next year after losing Hunt, I feel the only two broncos left who appear to put in 100% effort everytime they are on the field will be McCullough and Alex Glenn. A lot of the other players seem to be very 'fair weather' and will put in when things are going well, but cower away when they aren't.

For a second I thought you were describing Jarryd Hayne. You forgot to mention McGuire. He puts in every game and never stops.

 

[Super Freak]

I remember a few times where teams did a little chip kick and Karmichael Hunt would run at the ball at 100 miles an hour and catch it. If you look at some of his highlight reels he basically got kicked in the gut in doing so multiple times, yet he always did it. He also charged the ball back nearly every hittup (as does Jordan Kahu more often than not). Boyd I have seen go near a chip kick and literally squirm out of it with the player running toward him. He does this with grubbers too. He is good at catching the bomb, but when the ball is loose on the ground, he is rarely the one that puts his body on the line to get to it. As much as we all know i detest Ben Hunt, he is a player that really does put his body on the line, and whilst I think he lacks talent / ability, I never question his effort. He always does try his best. That's what I dislike about Boyd. He doesn't try his best 100% of the time. Next year after losing Hunt, I feel the only two broncos left who appear to put in 100% effort everytime they are on the field will be McCullough and Alex Glenn. A lot of the other players seem to be very 'fair weather' and will put in when things are going well, but cower away when they aren't.

Karmichael Hunt did that when he was young. But he started doing it less and less over time and he always knew that as he got older that he wasn't going to be able to keep doing it because it would have shortened his career and it could have caused even more problems later on his life.

 

[Broncapz]

To be fair I didn't think he was worth 900k a season well before this game, especially with our retention issues. This thread was just an opportunity to voice that concern. He's great, without being exceptional...and to be 900k with the salary cap like this, you need to be exceptional.

 

[vertigo]

Judge the bloke on how he responds in the coming weeks.

Locky always bounced back quickly after a shocker.

 

[Super Freak]

Locky always bounced back quickly after a shocker.

And he had some shockers, worse than Boyd's on Thursday night.

 

[Porthoz]

I remember a few times where teams did a little chip kick and Karmichael Hunt would run at the ball at 100 miles an hour and catch it. If you look at some of his highlight reels he basically got kicked in the gut in doing so multiple times, yet he always did it. He also charged the ball back nearly every hittup (as does Jordan Kahu more often than not). Boyd I have seen go near a chip kick and literally squirm out of it with the player running toward him. He does this with grubbers too. He is good at catching the bomb, but when the ball is loose on the ground, he is rarely the one that puts his body on the line to get to it. As much as we all know i detest Ben Hunt, he is a player that really does put his body on the line, and whilst I think he lacks talent / ability, I never question his effort. He always does try his best. That's what I dislike about Boyd. He doesn't try his best 100% of the time. Next year after losing Hunt, I feel the only two broncos left who appear to put in 100% effort everytime they are on the field will be McCullough and Alex Glenn. A lot of the other players seem to be very 'fair weather' and will put in when things are going well, but cower away when they aren't.

I agree with most of this, especially the Ben Hunt part, but that last part is very unfair on most players.

Boyd is a "cat" without a doubt (in RL terms that is), but he's pretty much the only player in our team I would characterise that way. That is probably the reason for his consistency, longevity and lack of injury over his career.

I'm not going to say he's average, because he can very good as he showed in 2010 and last year, which earned him his caps (also by lack of competition) and his Broncos captaincy. I would've preferred to give it to Macca as I said at the time, but it was hard to argue against Boyd after last season, including his complete change in demeanour.

This year, he's back to the middle of the pack in terms of Fullbacks, with Slater, Turbo Tom, Tedesco, Holmes, Gutherson, French and even Hayne (yes, I know), all ahead of him imo, and if RTS pulls his finger out, he's better too.

I thought the contract value bandied about was a gee-up, and was even more surprised when people seemed to be ok with it, even if he is the incumbent Aussie FB and our captain. He's worth $500K at most, as a centre replacement for Moga.

I wouldn't mind trying Nikorima out as our FB next season, with Milf and Bird in the halves... see if we can make Kodi our Matty Bowen. (Yes, I know Boyd's dad will never make this happen)

 

[Porthoz]

And he had some shockers, worse than Boyd's on Thursday night.

Name one!

 

[Foordy]

Name one!

His Australian debut

 

[mitch222]

Name one!

His test debut left a lot to be desired

 

[mitch222]

I agree with most of this, especially the Ben Hunt part, but that last part is very unfair on most players.

Boyd is a "cat" without a doubt (in RL terms that is), but he's pretty much the only player in our team I would characterise that way. That is probably the reason for his consistency, longevity and lack of injury over his career.

I'm not going to say he's average, because he can very good as he showed in 2010 and last year, which earned him his caps (also by lack of competition) and his Broncos captaincy. I would've preferred to give it to Macca as I said at the time, but it was hard to argue against Boyd after last season, including his complete change in demeanour.

This year, he's back to the middle of the pack in terms of Fullbacks, with Slater, Turbo Tom, Tedesco, Holmes, Gutherson, French and even Hayne (yes, I know), all ahead of him imo, and if RTS pulls his finger out, he's better too.

I thought the contract value bandied about was a gee-up, and was even more surprised when people seemed to be ok with it, even if he is the incumbent Aussie FB and our captain. He's worth $500K at most, as a centre replacement for Moga.

I wouldn't mind trying Nikorima out as our FB next season, with Milf and Bird in the halves... see if we can make Kodi our Matty Bowen. (Yes, I know Boyd's dad will never make this happen)

Ill give you the first three, but the next 4 we have big problems with

 

[Foordy]

Ill give you the first three, but the next 4 we have big problems with

i'm not even sure i would give him Tedesco ... seems more like a flat track bully to me

 

[Porthoz]

His Australian debut

His test debut left a lot to be desired

Not by lack of attitude.

I have no problems with players having a bad game because they committed an error, then commit more trying to make up for it. Hodgo's debut for Qld is the best example of that. It happens to the best, like Hodgo and Locky, the God of RL himself.

But what I have a massive problem with, and will keep criticising, is our captain's attitude on the field. There is ZERO excuse for that, NIL!

 

[mitch222]

i'm not even sure i would give him Tedesco ... seems more like a flat track bully to me

Yeah your right, add Tedesco into that group.

 

[Porthoz]

Ill give you the first three, but the next 4 we have big problems with

i'm not even sure i would give him Tedesco ... seems more like a flat track bully to me

What does Boyd have, other than a sweep play (which he does master in fairness), and a good defensive organisation?
When is the last time you have seen him put his body on the line? Show desperation? Save a try? Break the line? Support broken play? Chase a kick? Even catch a bomb under pressure?
Answer those questions, which are important and characterise a good FB, before you comment on the below...

Holmes, Gutherson and Tedesco (whom was one of the best NSW' kers this year) have been better than Boyd this season, by a long distance too. Not even rose coloured glasses can make that difference up!

I can understand reticence with Hayne, given his attitude and the wild difference between his best and his worst, but talent wise, he is miles ahead of Boyd. He probably does belong in the RTS category.
Can also accept French may be a doubt, as he hasn't proven enough.
Ross and Dufty could also prove to be better in the near future. And there's Inglis as well of course.

 

[winslow_wong]

What does Boyd have, other than a sweep play (which he does master in fairness), and a good defensive organisation?
When is the last time you have seen him put his body on the line? Show desperation? Save a try? Break the line? Support broken play? Chase a kick? Even catch a bomb under pressure?

Then what is his best position? All those questions are all the tools a fullback needs. And right now I don't see him having an answer to any of them. If he can't break the line or chase a kick then centres wouldn't be ideal either. Maybe he can be a hooker like Shaun berrigan?

I hope isaako can develop into the fullback we need.

 

[Morepudding]

For a second I thought you were describing Jarryd Hayne. You forgot to mention McGuire. He puts in every game and never stops.

Yeah Mcguire puts in too. but still, there aren't many that seem to at the Broncos which is upsetting.