Three things about Darius...

[trigrhappi]

... that drive me bloody crazy
1. he doesn't sniff around backing up those that make the 1/2 breaks.
2. he's not Mick Hancock so FFS I wish he would just run hard and straight and challenge the line. (K - have a word to him please)
3. he doesn't fight in the tackle. Sometimes it looks as though he submits before the opposition has both hands on him.

This is not an attack on the bloke, I'm sure he's doing his best. However he's been in the side for a while now and really doesn't seem to be showing much 'growth' as a player.

 

[spoonbled]

i thought these 2 games this year he has shown alot of improvement. needs to stop the crab runs a little bit.

 

[Coxy]

Don't like the crab runs? Well tell Bennett to change his game plan.

Particularly this element:
- when running the ball out from our half, work it to the middle with a couple of dummy half runs after the kick return to give our forwards time to get back.

Boyd is just following instructions.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

He still has his share of shortcomings, but i'm enjoying watching him steadily develop as a footballer - something that I fear is not often appreciated within elements our supporter base.

He didn't come on to the scene with any freakish talent to unleash like several other youngsters but if he's able to maintain a position in the first grade team for a couple of seasons to come, I get the feeling the results we'll see will be quite satisfying. Keep in mind that there have been plenty of young players who've followed a similar path to Darius who have crumbled in a heap. He's gone through some good and rough patches, copped a heap of criticism, yet he's still there doing his best and at the moment he's enjoying some of his best form to date.

 

[Coxy]

Yeah, is funny that he cops criticism a week after making the gamebreaking play against Penrith.
And with 4 tries in 2 games.

 

[Russo]

And the matchwinner against the Rooters [icon_wink

Possibly get a run at fullback this week too, his best position IMHO if K is out

 

[Foordy]

And the matchwinner against the Rooters [icon_wink

Possibly get a run at fullback this week too, his best position IMHO if K is out

what about kemp at fullback if Hunt is suspended (and that would be a joke of a suspension too)

 

[Kan Huang]

Do you guys ever run out of reasons to dislike the bloke?

I think that was pretty much an attack on the bloke whether you meant it or not. He gets the job done and does it well even if it's the sideways running that often looks out of favour with the majority of us but he's shown a lot of character to improve his game and it shows.

 

[Vogstar90]

Darius is a great footballer and I look forward to watching him play for many years.

 

[Locky_karmichael]

Am I watching a different Darius?

I thought he was playing pretty good. I'd be
worried about a couple of others and their mistakes
before Darius

 

[trigrhappi]

Don't like the crab runs? Well tell Bennett to change his game plan.

Where does that say run sideways then get smashed and pushed back 5 yards? Just run straight Darius!!

He still has his share of shortcomings, but i'm enjoying watching him steadily develop as a footballer - something that I fear is not often appreciated within elements our supporter base.

I agree Major, definitely not a Wendall or Lote, but then who is. I just think that steady development you mention has been incredibly steady. I'm hoping he develops a 'footballing' brain soon. As Russo says, maybe if given a shot at FB he might shine.

Darius is a great footballer.

[eusa_eh

Yeah, is funny that he cops criticism a week after making the gamebreaking play against Penrith.

Yeah but he even made that harder than it had to be. As an athlete, A+, he showed plenty of speed and skill to get to that ball first. However, he could have easily beaten Minichello to the ball if he chose to dive instead of slide.

Do you guys ever run out of reasons to dislike the bloke?

I don't dislike him, just was pointing out three areas of his game that drive me nuts. No need to be so defensive. [eusa_naugh

 

[Professor47]

I agree with the above post about choosing to dive instead of slide...
He would have easily beat mini if he dived on the ball with his torso and would have been a guaranteed try.
The reason not to dive?
self-preservation is all I can think of, obviosuly the mental factor... its the difference between some players.
I know a lot of us are sooooo used to lote and Sailor days, those days are gone now thats true, but one can't help but notice our winger positions over the last few seasons have been the weakest. (along with half back of course)

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

I just think that steady development you mention has been incredibly steady

Touche I spose, Trig. But again is that a side effect of the comparitively high expectations that the Broncos supporting public place on our players, particularly when just about all of our youngsters come into the team with great praise and often big shoes to fill?

I suppose it just comes down to what the individual expects in a footballer and how they progress.

It's not entirely our fault though as we have grown to expect high standards with the success we've enjoyed over the last 20 years.

But we do tend to expect too much too soon these days from just about every new footballer that comes along, whilst failing to realise that we simply aren't going to be able to have a team full of young, gifted players who'll produce consistently satisfying football year after year. It just doesn't happen that way. We can't fill every gap in the team with a player who's come along in the way Hunt has.

As you say, Darius is certainly no Lote or Dell, and presumably never will be. But neither were blokes like DeVere, for example. And I can't recall him setting the world on fire early on.

Personally I feel Boyd is progressing at the right rate for his age and the type of player I see him being if he is continued to be played in his current position. It's not obvious to casual observation, but he does appear to be more polished and confident in many areas of his game and is fast losing that stigma of being a liability out wide. His performances this season and in the trials suggest he is positioning himself much better to convert attacking opportunities into points and that's something that was lacking previously. As has been mentioned, a future positional change may further enhance his attacking ability. Who knows? We can't forget that he's still fairly young.

All in all i'm just happy with where he's at currently and i'm prepared to be patient in waiting to see Darius show is full potential and value to the team. I'm confident he'll realise it. This is coming from a past knocker too, by the way.

 

[mick]

I'll just say one thing about criticism of the "crabbing" runs. IMO it's completely unfounded.

Further to Coxy's correct call about them giving our forwards more time to get back, it's a smart move to run in from the wings into the centre of the pitch - gives us the opportunity to go either way out of dummy half, which in turn presents more attacking options.

Darius' growth over the past two years has been slow and I've been critical at times, but his form in the opening two rounds of the season so far has really shown that he is growing in confidence and he's starting to make his mark. Some players are like that, and do just take a bit longer to get into the flow of things. I've got no doubt at all that Boyd is getting there.

 

[Jeba]

This is a joke, Darius has put in 2 really good performances in the first 2 rounds of the season, with 4 tries in 2 games including the gamebreaker against Penrith and the matchwinner against the Roosters, and yet people just continue to criticise.

Fair dinkum, credit where credit is bloody well due!!

 

[trigrhappi]

The reason not to dive? self-preservation is all I can think of

Interesting observation. I do get the feeling he's not comfortable with the 'physical' side of the game.

It's not entirely our fault though as we have grown to expect high standards with the success we've enjoyed over the last 20 years.

You're 100% right of course. There's no doubt my expectations of how a Broncos winger should perform is based on some of the awesome talent we've had in the 2 & 5.

I'll just say one thing about criticism of the "crabbing" runs. IMO it's completely unfounded.

hmmm not completely. He needs to develop the smarts to pick the times when to and when not to.

but his form in the opening two rounds of the season so far has really shown that he is growing in confidence and he's starting to make his mark.

Agreed. Let's hope he does make it. I'm simply not as confident as some, hope I'm wrong [icon_pray.

 

[Vogstar90]

Don't like the crab runs? Well tell Bennett to change his game plan.

Where does that say run sideways then get smashed and pushed back 5 yards? Just run straight Darius!!

So is that before or after he gains 10 meters? Darius is 18th in the NRL for Meters gained from 25 runs he has gained 246meters. I think the 'running sideways' is working, don't you? icon_thumbs_u

 

[Jeza23]

I think hes played well in the 2 games so far, my only gripe however is I dont think he is running as hard as he can at the defence. He is a bit like Reece in that regard, he seems like hes worried about getting hurt instead of trying to help the team out of trouble. Other than that I cant really fault his performances to date.

4 tries and 250 odd metres in 2 games, not bad for a winger!