Darius Boyd
Encyclopedia
Darius Boyd is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer currently playing for the Newcastle Knights
in the NRL. Boyd plays at fullback, however he is also very capable as a three-quarter back, as proven by his selection for Australia and Queensland
as a winger. He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos
with whom he won the 2006 NRL Premiership and more recently the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He received the 2010 Dally M fullback of the year as well as coming third in the overall standings while playing for the Dragons. He consequently played in the 2010 Grand Final, where he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal
.
, where he was the Australian Schoolboys
fullback in 2005, he debuted for Burleigh Bears
in the Queensland Cup
after playing for his local club, the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.
against North Queensland
in Round 1 of the 2006 NRL season on the wing and scored a try. He was a solid performer in his rookie season and even had an opportunity to play in his favoured fullback position from Round 16 to 24 after Karmichael Hunt
fractured a foot bone in round 15. Boyd won the Broncos' rookie of the year award and played on the wing in the 2006 NRL Grand Final-winning Broncos team.
Boyd made a strong start to his 2008 season
by scoring a hat-trick in Round 1. Boyd started to receive attention from other clubs as he was off contract at the end of the 2008 season. There was speculation that he would move to the Canterbury Bulldogs
alongside fellow Broncos Michael Ennis
and Ben Hannant
, or possibly the Dragons following his coach at Brisbane, Wayne Bennett.
After leading the NRL try-scoring table for most of the first half of the season 2008, Boyd got his first Queensland State of Origin
call up due to teammate Justin Hodges
' suspension. On his debut, Boyd scored two tries, both from passes from centre Greg Inglis
, in a winning Queensland outfit.
On 20 August, it was officially announced that Boyd would join the St. George Illawarra Dragons on a 3 year deal. There he would join fellow Bronco Nick Emmett
and coach Wayne Bennett.
On 16 October 2008, Boyd was called up to the Australian 2008 World Cup squad
, again as a replacement for Justin Hodges after Hodges was ruled out with a shoulder injury. He made his international debut during the tournament.
in Round 20 of the 2009 competition, coming off a Jamie Soward
offload late in that match. His second try for the club, against the Canberra Raiders
in Round 23, was reminiscent of one of his two tries he scored in his Origin
debut for Queensland
in 2008. Despite this effort, the Dragons lost the match 24–12 after leading 12–0. During his first two seasons at the Dragons, Boyd only scored four tries, two in each season. He equalled his 2009 and 2010 efforts with a double in the Dragons' 25-16 opening round win against the Gold Coast Titans
in the 2011 season.
Boyd was selected for Australia in the one-off test match against New Zealand
on 8 May 2009. He scored a try in his first Test match against New Zealand and they won 38–10.
In April 2009 Boyd was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin
match for 2009, and was subsequently picked on the wing for the opening State of Origin match.
Boyd played in all three State of Origin matches in 2010, crossing the line in each match to become the series' top try-scorer.
Also during the 2010 NRL season
Boyd played his 100th career match against the team he made his debut with, the Broncos. The Dragons won 34-16 and Boyd was named man of the match. Also in that season's Club Anzac game
he received the inaugural "Spirit of ANZAC Medal" as man-of-the-match. He was one of the favourites for the Dally M Medal
in 2010, having had sizeable leads over last year's winner Jarryd Hayne
and Roosters
player Todd Carney
when voting went behind doors after round 16. He ended up finishing third, 2 points behind eventual winner Todd Carney
and one point behind Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah
. He did however, take out the Dally M Fullback of the Year.
Boyd played in St George Illawarra's victory in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
and was awarded the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal
as man-of-the-match.
In the 2010-11 off-season, Boyd suggested the he would leave the Dragons if head coach Wayne Bennett did so. Boyd played in the Dragons Charity Shield
win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs
, scoring a try. He also played in the 2011 World Club Challenge
team, defeating the Wigan Warriors
. On 30 March 2011, Wayne Bennett announced he will not coach the Dragons in 2012, hinting that Boyd may leave the club as well, possibly following him back to the Brisbane Broncos
where he made his first grade debut with and possibly following in the footsteps of Justin Hodges
(who made his debut for the Broncos in 2000 before a short stint at the Sydney Roosters
in 2002 where he won a premiership before returning to the Broncos in 2005 and winning another premiership). Bennett has since announced that he will not go back to Brisbane Broncos due to personal reasons.
However, with Bennett signing a four-year deal with the Newcastle Knights
on 12 April, such is the certainty that Boyd would follow him to Newcastle. Such a move would see their current fullback Kurt Gidley
shift to the five-eighth, halfback or hooker role in order to accommodate Boyd's move. On 9 May, the Gold Coast Titans
officially withdrew from the race to sign Boyd.
Boyd's final game for the Dragons was against his old club, the Broncos. He scored the try that forced golden point
for the Dragons, after they were down 12-6, but the Dragons ultimately lost the match narrowly, 13-12 after his test, state and former club captain, Darren Lockyer
slotted in the winning field goal.
on a four-year deal.
Darius was selected to represent Australia in the 2011 Four Nations tournament held in the United Kingdom. On 16 October, Boyd scored 2 tries for Australia in the Test match against New Zealand held at his new home ground Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer currently playing for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the NRL. Boyd plays at fullback, however he is also very capable as a three-quarter back, as proven by his selection for Australia and Queensland
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
as a winger. He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
with whom he won the 2006 NRL Premiership and more recently the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He received the 2010 Dally M fullback of the year as well as coming third in the overall standings while playing for the Dragons. He consequently played in the 2010 Grand Final, where he was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
.
Early career and personal life
Boyd was mostly raised by his grandmother, after his parents had marital problems in his early life. After a watershed final year at Palm Beach Currumbin High SchoolPalm Beach Currumbin High School
Palm Beach Currumbin State High School is a co-educational public school , in the Gold Coast suburb of Currumbin, Queensland, Australia...
, where he was the Australian Schoolboys
Australia national schoolboy rugby league team
The Australian Schoolboys rugby league team is the national rugby league football team for secondary school students in Australia.The Australian Schoolboys or Australia Schoolboys represent Australia on a national level at rugby league at youth level...
fullback in 2005, he debuted for Burleigh Bears
Burleigh Bears
The Burleigh Heads Rugby League Football Club are one of the oldest rugby league football clubs on the Gold Coast, Australia. Originally formed in 1934 playing out of Rudd Park, the club relocated to Pizzey Park in 1971, their current home ground....
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
after playing for his local club, the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.
Brisbane Broncos
Boyd made his debut for the Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
against North Queensland
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in Round 1 of the 2006 NRL season on the wing and scored a try. He was a solid performer in his rookie season and even had an opportunity to play in his favoured fullback position from Round 16 to 24 after Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt is an Australian professional multi-code football player, currently playing Australian rules football for the newly formed Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League ....
fractured a foot bone in round 15. Boyd won the Broncos' rookie of the year award and played on the wing in the 2006 NRL Grand Final-winning Broncos team.
Boyd made a strong start to his 2008 season
Brisbane Broncos 2008
The 2008 Brisbane Broncos season was the 21st in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2008 Telstra Premiership, the centenary season of rugby league football in Australia...
by scoring a hat-trick in Round 1. Boyd started to receive attention from other clubs as he was off contract at the end of the 2008 season. There was speculation that he would move to the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
alongside fellow Broncos Michael Ennis
Michael Ennis
Michael Ennis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the National Rugby League. A New South Wales State of Origin representative hooker, he previously played for the Brisbane Broncos, St George Illawarra Dragons and the Newcastle Knights...
and Ben Hannant
Ben Hannant
Benjamin Hannant is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...
, or possibly the Dragons following his coach at Brisbane, Wayne Bennett.
After leading the NRL try-scoring table for most of the first half of the season 2008, Boyd got his first Queensland State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
call up due to teammate Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
' suspension. On his debut, Boyd scored two tries, both from passes from centre Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative outside back, Inglis joined the Rabbitohs in 2011 after much controversy.Inglis is a versatile back, having played in several...
, in a winning Queensland outfit.
On 20 August, it was officially announced that Boyd would join the St. George Illawarra Dragons on a 3 year deal. There he would join fellow Bronco Nick Emmett
Nick Emmett
Nick Emmett is an Australian professional rugby league player for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League...
and coach Wayne Bennett.
On 16 October 2008, Boyd was called up to the Australian 2008 World Cup squad
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, again as a replacement for Justin Hodges after Hodges was ruled out with a shoulder injury. He made his international debut during the tournament.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
Boyd was selected at fullback for the opening round of the NRL in the colours of St. George Illawarra Dragons. In Round four he travelled to Brisbane for his (and Bennett's) first match against his old club, which the Dragons won, ending the Broncos' unbeaten start to the season. He has had a strong start to the season leading the tackle bust count. Boyd scored his first try in Dragons colours against the New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
in Round 20 of the 2009 competition, coming off a Jamie Soward
Jamie Soward
Jamie Soward is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of National Rugby League...
offload late in that match. His second try for the club, against the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
in Round 23, was reminiscent of one of his two tries he scored in his Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
debut for Queensland
Queensland State of Origin Team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
in 2008. Despite this effort, the Dragons lost the match 24–12 after leading 12–0. During his first two seasons at the Dragons, Boyd only scored four tries, two in each season. He equalled his 2009 and 2010 efforts with a double in the Dragons' 25-16 opening round win against the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
in the 2011 season.
Boyd was selected for Australia in the one-off test match against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on 8 May 2009. He scored a try in his first Test match against New Zealand and they won 38–10.
In April 2009 Boyd was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
match for 2009, and was subsequently picked on the wing for the opening State of Origin match.
Boyd played in all three State of Origin matches in 2010, crossing the line in each match to become the series' top try-scorer.
Also during the 2010 NRL season
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium...
Boyd played his 100th career match against the team he made his debut with, the Broncos. The Dragons won 34-16 and Boyd was named man of the match. Also in that season's Club Anzac game
Club ANZAC Game
The Club ANZAC Game is an annual Rugby league football match played between National Rugby League clubs Sydney Roosters and St. George Illawarra Dragons. It is played on Anzac Day, the 25 April, each year. The match has taken place since the 2002 season, the ANZAC day clash with two traditional...
he received the inaugural "Spirit of ANZAC Medal" as man-of-the-match. He was one of the favourites for the Dally M Medal
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
in 2010, having had sizeable leads over last year's winner Jarryd Hayne
Jarryd Hayne
Jarryd Lee Hayne is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian, Fiji international representative winger and fullback, he has played his entire NRL career to date with Parramatta, with whom he got to the...
and Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
player Todd Carney
Todd Carney
Todd Carney is an Australian professional rugby league football player. Carney has represented Australia, Country New South Wales and, in the National Rugby League, the Canberra Raiders between 2003 and 2008, and the Sydney Roosters between 2010 and 2011...
when voting went behind doors after round 16. He ended up finishing third, 2 points behind eventual winner Todd Carney
Todd Carney
Todd Carney is an Australian professional rugby league football player. Carney has represented Australia, Country New South Wales and, in the National Rugby League, the Canberra Raiders between 2003 and 2008, and the Sydney Roosters between 2010 and 2011...
and one point behind Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah
Robbie Farah
Robert Peter "Robbie" Farah is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at hooker and can operate as a half-back...
. He did however, take out the Dally M Fullback of the Year.
Boyd played in St George Illawarra's victory in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
and was awarded the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
as man-of-the-match.
In the 2010-11 off-season, Boyd suggested the he would leave the Dragons if head coach Wayne Bennett did so. Boyd played in the Dragons Charity Shield
Rugby League Charity Shield (Australia)
Regarded as the unofficial start to the National Rugby League season, the Charity Shield has been in operation since 1982 ....
win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, scoring a try. He also played in the 2011 World Club Challenge
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
team, defeating the Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. On 30 March 2011, Wayne Bennett announced he will not coach the Dragons in 2012, hinting that Boyd may leave the club as well, possibly following him back to the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
where he made his first grade debut with and possibly following in the footsteps of Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
(who made his debut for the Broncos in 2000 before a short stint at the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in 2002 where he won a premiership before returning to the Broncos in 2005 and winning another premiership). Bennett has since announced that he will not go back to Brisbane Broncos due to personal reasons.
However, with Bennett signing a four-year deal with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
on 12 April, such is the certainty that Boyd would follow him to Newcastle. Such a move would see their current fullback Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew...
shift to the five-eighth, halfback or hooker role in order to accommodate Boyd's move. On 9 May, the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
officially withdrew from the race to sign Boyd.
Boyd's final game for the Dragons was against his old club, the Broncos. He scored the try that forced golden point
Golden point
The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is used to resolve drawn rugby league football matches. The term is borrowed from soccer's now defunct golden goal.-Australasia:...
for the Dragons, after they were down 12-6, but the Dragons ultimately lost the match narrowly, 13-12 after his test, state and former club captain, Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011...
slotted in the winning field goal.
Newcastle Knights
On 9 June 2011, Boyd officially announced he would remain under the guidance of Wayne Bennett by signing with the Newcastle KnightsNewcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
on a four-year deal.
Darius was selected to represent Australia in the 2011 Four Nations tournament held in the United Kingdom. On 16 October, Boyd scored 2 tries for Australia in the Test match against New Zealand held at his new home ground Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.