Official - Broncos sign Darius Boyd

[Rabbir]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

Can we change the thread title please. When I come onto the BroncosHQ main page all I see is "RUMOUR: Broncos to sign..." and it gets my hope up that when I click on the thread it will be Folau or Merrin or something like that.

 

[Splinter]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

At the end of the day most wanted a change of coach and a player shake up. Well we got it and now some are not happy.

It is a complete fallacy to think Boyd will not be shifted if WB does not think he offers something to the team. I have been watching the Broncos since 1988 and the one thing WB has done is make some tough calls on players and coaching staff close to his heart.

 

[Kimlo]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I asked whether people thought Tomkins was worth the reported value, which was by the way asked by his British club. Not entirely the same thing, is it? Besides, the salaries aren't Defcon 1 classified in England... :wink:
Having said that, I already said it wouldn't surprise me if he was on a back-ended deal, and earned that kind of coin in 2016.

Until then, Barba had a make or break year to justify that kind of salary, while Taylor and JNikorima had another year to mature, and Boyd would be a free agent in 2016 anyway if push came to shove.

What was the rush to bring in a solid, but far from brilliant player to the club, other that his personal relationship?
It's a conflict of interest and Boyd's future performance won't change any of that.


Losing a promising player to Milford is a totally different thing to losing him to Boyd. Please tell me you didn't compare both players! :shocked:

As I said a few times now, I rate Boyd over Barba, and on the salary Barba will be on in 2016, if he played as poorly as he did this year again, then he would be near impossible to offload at the salary he was about to earn, so we would've taken a huge salary cap hit.

With that being said, we needed a quality fullback, the juniors are not ready to take that spot on fulltime, and Boyd for a player of his class is a great deal at 400k, and he also has the ability to move to centre or wing and do a great job of it, so what happens in 2017 is pure speculation and while you may disagree, I'm firmly of the belief that Bennett will happily move him to wing for the benefit of the team. Obviously we disagree, Porthoz, but I still think you're a great bloke!

We both love the Broncos and want them to flourish, and right now everything we're discussing is purely possibilities. WB may have made a huge mistake, he may have also made a great decision, we won't really know until 2-3 years from now.

I know you think it's a conflict of interest, but I'm genuinely going to disagree, this isn't me seeing WB as our saviour and messiah, but on what I've seen and what's been reported, I think the balance of the decisions is positive.

For me it's pretty simple, we can look at ideal world's where I'd love to have seen a few things go down differently, but I think the ugliness of certain situations is a necessity, and as long as the balance of things is positive (which I strongly believe it is comparing to 2014) I'm a happy fan!

Yow Yeh proved careers can be cut short very quickly, Tim Smith was proof of young stars who can set the stage on fire and can then fade into obscurity, I don't think now is the time to worry about the juniors leaving, 2016 would be more appropriate and by then we can have a much more mature discussion about their real prospects of playing first grade.

 

[Renegade]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I don't understand the argument "boyd will cost us juniors" when we've lost two backline players and added two.

Surely if we were so concerned about the future, we simply wouldn't sign players because "the juniors".

You can have all the faith in the world that the juniors will step up and be the match winners we all want them to be, but at some stage common sense has to come into play. The juniors haven't proven anything, and there's no guarantee they ever will. Let them prove themselves, and in the interim, we'll use tried and tested, proven players in our squad.

 

[Huge]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I don't understand the argument "boyd will cost us juniors" when we've lost two backline players and added two.

Surely if we were so concerned about the future, we simply wouldn't sign players because "the juniors".

You can have all the faith in the world that the juniors will step up and be the match winners we all want them to be, but at some stage common sense has to come into play. The juniors haven't proven anything, and there's no guarantee they ever will. Let them prove themselves, and in the interim, we'll use tried and tested, proven players in our squad.

Great post. The linking of Boyd to the loss of juniors or as a cause to impede their progress is plain wrong. Cream always rises and if they are good and durable they will rise too. Even if we lose some to other clubs we may end up getting the odd one or two from those other clubs. Sometimes families move north bringing along their kids. If a kid starts off in the Broncos system and likes it, human nature being what it is will in all likelihood make him want to return 'home' especially when he his more mature and accomplished. We'd all like to ride into town in triumph.

 

[Anonymous person]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

At the end of the day most wanted a change of coach and a player shake up. Well we got it and now some are not happy.

It is a complete fallacy to think Boyd will not be shifted if WB does not think he offers something to the team. I have been watching the Broncos since 1988 and the one thing WB has done is make some tough calls on players and coaching staff close to his heart.

We wanted a change of coach and a player shake up, but not to go back to the old has-been coach and getting rid of the clubs arguably biggest and best signing ever, and especially not so the has-been coach could bring his overrated love-child along.

Boyd will not be moved from fullback. He has followed Bennett across 3 clubs and has been gifted and guaranteed the fullback spot at all of them despite being in terrible form for most of the last 3 years. It boggles the mind how, like people saying he wouldnt come back to the broncos, people can still think that Bennetts not just giving him a mortgage on the fullback position. If there's one thing Bennett is it's predictable.

 

[Splinter]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

We wanted a change of coach and a player shake up, but not to go back to the old has-been coach and getting rid of the clubs arguably biggest and best signing ever, and especially not so the has-been coach could bring his overrated love-child along.

Boyd will not be moved from fullback. He has followed Bennett across 3 clubs and has been gifted and guaranteed the fullback spot at all of them despite being in terrible form for most of the last 3 years. It boggles the mind how, like people saying he wouldnt come back to the broncos, people can still think that Bennetts not just giving him a mortgage on the fullback position. If there's one thing Bennett is it's predictable.

I am not going to argue with you on the the first paragraph as i wished we could have moved on also but the second paragraph in my view is just plain rubbish

 

[john1420]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

We wanted a change of coach and a player shake up, but not to go back to the old has-been coach and getting rid of the clubs arguably biggest and best signing ever, and especially not so the has-been coach could bring his overrated love-child along.

Boyd will not be moved from fullback. He has followed Bennett across 3 clubs and has been gifted and guaranteed the fullback spot at all of them despite being in terrible form for most of the last 3 years. It boggles the mind how, like people saying he wouldnt come back to the broncos, people can still think that Bennetts not just giving him a mortgage on the fullback position. If there's one thing Bennett is it's predictable.

Not singling out AP as there are others who think this way too.......


I just don't get how you can be so forceful

WB favouring Boyd is a matter of opinion and I'm quite happy to say it's a very reasonable opinion to have

I don't share that opinion but I can see how others have it

The issue is you don't think it's your opinion, you claim at as a provable fact

Shaking my head in disbelief

 

[Ari Gold]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I don't understand the argument "boyd will cost us juniors" when we've lost two backline players and added two.

Surely if we were so concerned about the future, we simply wouldn't sign players because "the juniors".

You can have all the faith in the world that the juniors will step up and be the match winners we all want them to be, but at some stage common sense has to come into play. The juniors haven't proven anything, and there's no guarantee they ever will. Let them prove themselves, and in the interim, we'll use tried and tested, proven players in our squad.

I've already explained countless times why I think Boyd could cost us juniors, so I'm not going to do so again. However, I will touch on the last point.

One of my main concerns is that Bennett takes the point you used in bold too far these days. We all know this is a man who debuted Khunt as a 17 year old, but I look at his record at the Knights and I think he went too far with the tried and tested. He spent three seasons at the Knights and I can't really see many players that WB has develop into first grade players.

Rochow is one, and Korbin Sims started under WB too. I'm aware Mamo and the Mata'utai brothers debuted last year too, but they all only got a go because of injuries and other illnesses and it was pretty late on in the piece that they got a go.

For me, that's not a very impressive list over a period of 3 years. However, let's look at the players WB signed during his tenure at the Knights:

Craig Gower - He was 35 when he was signed by WB. He only played 6 games.
Danny Buderus - He was 34 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Jeremy Smith - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Clint Newton - He was 33 when he was signed by WB. Luckily he only played 2 games.
David Fa'alogo - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 40 games.
Timana Tahu - He was 32 when WB started at the Knights and played 29 games.
Willie Mason - He was 32 when he was signed by WB and played 60 games.
Anthony Quinn - He was 30 when he was signed by WB and played just 4 games.

In contrast, here are the juniors I could find that WB has played:

Robbie Rochow - Only played 2 games before joining the Knights. Played 59 games.
Korbin Sims - 32 games.
Will Smith - 7 games.
Jake Mamo - 7 games.
Sione Mata'utia - 7 games.
Chanel Mata'utia - 7 games.
Joseph Tapine - 7 games.
Chris Adams - 3 games.
Josh Mantellato - 2 games.

I can excuse some of those veteran signings (Mason) but to me that is a recent track record of a man who believes too much in tried and tested. Now I understand there are some WB faithful out there who believe that he can do no wrong, so you folk feel free to jump in and defend him. But I personally wonder what might happen in the future.

Hopefully it's just an anomaly and WB succeeds regardless of how many rookies he plays or veterans he signs, and Gavet and Boyd are actually very capable players who don't have their seniors card. And we didn't sign Mason. So maybe WB has changed his tune, but for all your beliefs that I don't care about tried and tested, I still have concerns that WB cares too much about it.

 

[Huge]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

We wanted a change of coach and a player shake up, but not to go back to the old has-been coach and getting rid of the clubs arguably biggest and best signing ever, and especially not so the has-been coach could bring his overrated love-child along.

Boyd will not be moved from fullback. He has followed Bennett across 3 clubs and has been gifted and guaranteed the fullback spot at all of them despite being in terrible form for most of the last 3 years. It boggles the mind how, like people saying he wouldnt come back to the broncos, people can still think that Bennetts not just giving him a mortgage on the fullback position. If there's one thing Bennett is it's predictable.

Never let the facts get in the way hey....in 2013 he won an award at Newcastle, however did he do that when he was in such terrible form ? The award was Player of the Year.....so, I suppose he could have been terrible and won it because all his team mates were even worse but that would mean everyone was terrible and as a result the team would have done terribly within the premiership. Mmmm,I just checked and it appears that Newcastle played finals football in 2013....mmmmm. He also played 9 tests during his time at Newcastle and 9 Origins....I know he played wing but they must have overlooked his 'terrible' form lol

 

[Splinter]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I've already explained countless times why I think Boyd could cost us juniors, so I'm not going to do so again. However, I will touch on the last point.

One of my main concerns is that Bennett takes the point you used in bold too far these days. We all know this is a man who debuted Khunt as a 17 year old, but I look at his record at the Knights and I think he went too far with the tried and tested. He spent three seasons at the Knights and I can't really see many players that WB has develop into first grade players.

Rochow is one, and Korbin Sims started under WB too. I'm aware Mamo and the Mata'utai brothers debuted last year too, but they all only got a go because of injuries and other illnesses and it was pretty late on in the piece that they got a go.

For me, that's not a very impressive list over a period of 3 years. However, let's look at the players WB signed during his tenure at the Knights:

Craig Gower - He was 35 when he was signed by WB. He only played 6 games.
Danny Buderus - He was 34 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Jeremy Smith - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Clint Newton - He was 33 when he was signed by WB. Luckily he only played 2 games.
David Fa'alogo - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 40 games.
Timana Tahu - He was 32 when WB started at the Knights and played 29 games.
Willie Mason - He was 32 when he was signed by WB and played 60 games.
Anthony Quinn - He was 30 when he was signed by WB and played just 4 games.

In contrast, here are the juniors I could find that WB has played:

Robbie Rochow - Only played 2 games before joining the Knights. Played 59 games.
Korbin Sims - 32 games.
Will Smith - 7 games.
Jake Mamo - 7 games.
Sione Mata'utia - 7 games.
Chanel Mata'utia - 7 games.
Joseph Tapine - 7 games.
Chris Adams - 3 games.
Josh Mantellato - 2 games.

I can excuse some of those veteran signings (Mason) but to me that is a recent track record of a man who believes too much in tried and tested. Now I understand there are some WB faithful out there who believe that he can do no wrong, so you folk feel free to jump in and defend him. But I personally wonder what might happen in the future.

Hopefully it's just an anomaly and WB succeeds regardless of how many rookies he plays or veterans he signs, and Gavet and Boyd are actually very capable players who don't have their seniors card. And we didn't sign Mason. So maybe WB has changed his tune, but for all your beliefs that I don't care about tried and tested, I still have concerns that WB cares too much about it.

I dont like to use the Knights in too many arguments because i have a feeling that he had his hands tied to an extent with the board wanting players from the area before anyone else, leaving him a little hamstrung.
I dont think he had the free rein that he had before Cullen at the Broncos and what he had at the Dragons

 

[Renegade]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I've already explained countless times why I think Boyd could cost us juniors, so I'm not going to do so again. However, I will touch on the last point.

I know you've explained why you think that way numerous times, but it still doesn't make any sense. You can't just throw a young kid in when they struggle to defend against guys their own age, to defend against hardened veterans twice their size (hyperbole) and battle hardened (legit). They may have all the potential in the world but until they can prove they can do it against fully grown men with experience in both capacities (attack and defence) , it really doesn't matter on the basis of hypotheticals. Hence, I find your point moot. Jayden is just 18 and Taylor is only 20, they have plenty of time to prove they are capable of playing in the top squad. In 3 years time, Boyd will be 30, Jayden will be 21 and Taylor 23 - if they are as good as their potential suggests, that will be a perfect time to transition them into the squad. For every Luke Brooks/Sione Mata'utai, there's plenty of DCE/Cooper Cronk players who don't crack it until their early 20's.

One of my main concerns is that Bennett takes the point you used in bold too far these days. We all know this is a man who debuted Khunt as a 17 year old, but I look at his record at the Knights and I think he went too far with the tried and tested. He spent three seasons at the Knights and I can't really see many players that WB has develop into first grade players.

Rochow is one, and Korbin Sims started under WB too. I'm aware Mamo and the Mata'utai brothers debuted last year too, but they all only got a go because of injuries and other illnesses and it was pretty late on in the piece that they got a go.

My theory is that he went to Newcastle on the proviso he needed to deliver in 3 years, so with that in mind he went for ready made players. You can see the idea behind it even if it didn't quite get him there. If you only have 3 years, you don't have time to develop a bunch of young players, you sign players who can do the job now and supplement the rest with the most capable of youngsters, which is what he has done with Mamo and the Mata'utai brothers. While he didn't debut under Bennett, tyrone roberts was another of the youngsters he kept trust in as well.

Craig Gower - He was 35 when he was signed by WB. He only played 6 games.
Danny Buderus - He was 34 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Jeremy Smith - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 37 games.
Clint Newton - He was 33 when he was signed by WB. Luckily he only played 2 games.
David Fa'alogo - He was 33 when he was signed by WB and played 40 games.
Timana Tahu - He was 32 when WB started at the Knights and played 29 games.
Willie Mason - He was 32 when he was signed by WB and played 60 games.
Anthony Quinn - He was 30 when he was signed by WB and played just 4 games.

Newton, Buderus, Tahu and Quinn are Newcastle juniors. I think Mason is from that way as well. You could argue there was a directive to bring back players that had a connection to the club to help engage the local community a bit more. I'm certainly not saying these were great signings, but you can see the logic in it if that was the case. In any case, Bennett always brings back the old boys, it's what he does, he likes the experience around to keep the younger guys on the straight and narrow. How many old boys came back under Bennetts watch the first time?

Bennett hasn't always had the golden touch with recruitment. Remember Clinton over Civoniceva?

 

[Big Pete]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

The signings neglect all the players Bennett brought into the NYC.

He had balance.

But because he didn't happen to pull a Ricky and blood 10 players in a year, they seemingly don't count.

Bennett has always been about player development, the difference between him and others is that he's willing to make tough calls if necessary to bring the player into line. (eg. Dave Taylor circa 08)

 

[Ari Gold]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

I know you've explained why you think that way numerous times, but it still doesn't make any sense. You can't just throw a young kid in when they struggle to defend against guys their own age, to defend against hardened veterans twice their size (hyperbole) and battle hardened (legit). They may have all the potential in the world but until they can prove they can do it against fully grown men with experience in both capacities (attack and defence) , it really doesn't matter on the basis of hypotheticals. Hence, I find your point moot. Jayden is just 18 and Taylor is only 20, they have plenty of time to prove they are capable of playing in the top squad. In 3 years time, Boyd will be 30, Jayden will be 21 and Taylor 23 - if they are as good as their potential suggests, that will be a perfect time to transition them into the squad. For every Luke Brooks/Sione Mata'utai, there's plenty of DCE/Cooper Cronk players who don't crack it until their early 20's.

Right now the best that Taylor can do is prove himself in ISC. Let's say he does that this year (quite possible). Let's say Hunt gets better (probable, and hopefully certain) and Milford finds his feet and guns it at five-eight (quite possible and hopefully certain). Where do you think that leaves Taylor? There's no way you separate Hunt and Milford in that case, and Boyd would only be 28.

Even under your scenario of Boyd being 30, I still think he'll be a good player at that age. Not many fullbacks decline at that age. Yes, the youngsters have to prove themselves still. I'm not arguing that all. My point is that under the current set-up, if they do prove themselves, I don't believe there's a place for them in the side. And given the obvious talent they have, I think that's a great shame.

Of course, I could still be wrong and WB might be willing to move Boyd. Nothing would make me happier if he does. And I could be wrong about Taylor or Nikorima too (but would be surprised if both failed). That would make me less happy.

 

[Renegade]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

Right now the best that Taylor can do is prove himself in ISC. Let's say he does that this year (quite possible). Let's say Hunt gets better (probable, and hopefully certain) and Milford finds his feet and guns it at five-eight (quite possible and hopefully certain). Where do you think that leaves Taylor? There's no way you separate Hunt and Milford in that case, and Boyd would only be 28.

Even under your scenario of Boyd being 30, I still think he'll be a good player at that age. Not many fullbacks decline at that age. Yes, the youngsters have to prove themselves still. I'm not arguing that all. My point is that under the current set-up, if they do prove themselves, I don't believe there's a place for them in the side. And given the obvious talent they have, I think that's a great shame.

Of course, I could still be wrong and WB might be willing to move Boyd. Nothing would make me happier if he does. And I could be wrong about Taylor or Nikorima too (but would be surprised if both failed). That would make me less happy.

Fair points.

If they all prove themselves and we've got 5 gun players for 3 positions, well that's an embarrassment of riches and one we'd love to deal with.

I highly doubt that will occur though. You could move Boyd to the wing if one of them was breaking down the door and slot them into FB, have them interchange. You could train them to play at hooker, put some serious pressure on McCullough and also give them an opportunity off the bench? One of our 2015 spine could suffer a knee injury, broken leg, personal problems, etc etc - there's no guarantee about anything, either the fact they won't prove themselves, or the fact that there won't be a spot for them if they do. no one can say for sure what the future holds, but for now we can do the best we can with the players at our disposal, and for me that's letting the young guys develop and using the players that are further along the road to spearhead our squad.

 

[Financeguy]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

We wanted a change of coach and a player shake up, but not to go back to the old has-been coach and getting rid of the clubs arguably biggest and best signing ever, and especially not so the has-been coach could bring his overrated love-child along.

While i wish Barba could have had one more season to prove himself as a good player at the Broncos you are taking the piss with this comment.

There is no way in hell Barba was a bigger or better signing than Kevin Walters, Trevor Gillmeister, Glenn Lazarus, Darren Smith, Gorden Tallis, Luke Priddis, Tony Currie, Peter Jackson, Israel Folau, Justin Hodges, Scott Prince, etc. I'd even rate Milford as a bigger and better signing.

 

[Alec]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

He'd have needed a huge turnaround to become the best Broncos signing ever, because he left as arguably the 2nd worst.

 

[Anonymous person]

Re: [Rumour] - Broncos to sign Darius Boyd

While i wish Barba could have had one more season to prove himself as a good player at the Broncos you are taking the **** with this comment.

There is no way in hell Barba was a bigger or better signing than Kevin Walters, Trevor Gillmeister, Glenn Lazarus, Darren Smith, Gorden Tallis, Luke Priddis, Tony Currie, Peter Jackson, Israel Folau, Justin Hodges, Scott Prince, etc. I'd even rate Milford as a bigger and better signing.

how wasnt he? Dally M winner who was the toast of the league, who every team would've loved to have. His 2013 wasn't bad, and we've all seen how good he can be. He was at the time a genuine superstar of the league. Much bigger signing than everyone on that list apart from possibly Folau, Prince and Milford.

I'm not talking about how he went after he signed, I'm talking about the matter signing him and how big of a signing it was. We'll never know how it could've turned out now, as Daddy had to bring baby home.