Boyd

[The Showstopper]

Boyd is a major talker in defence. He is used to winning cultures. He is having his patience tested. Will build his character this.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

He's obviously frustrated because he's basically starting from scratch. The 3 year fluent and deadly combination he built up with Soward, Creagh, Cooper and Morris is now a raw 5 game combo with Mullen, Houston, Tahu and McManus.

Give him time, he'll prove his class. The others around him are obviously benefiting from his reputation because they're getting more room due to his presence on that left fringe - Boyd is the one getting heavily marked by the defence. Aku is suffering the same problem on the right with more space for those inside him on the right fringe.


I have a lot of faith we'll see some Boyd magic when we iron out all our faults and gel as a side.

That's a very good point. The team has changed a lot since last year and this will no doubt impact how the players perform as a unit. The team now has Snowden, Boyd, Buderus, Tahu, Mckinnon and Cuthbertson. That's 6 out of 17 players. Also Gidley has moved into the halves and Sau is trying to develop into a different type of player.

I'm confident that the team will click and once it does, watch out!

 

[Yosh]

I think he has been getting pretty crap ball as well.

 

[Hanscholo]

Yea he is off his game.

I think he had a particular structure at the dragons, that he was the pivot for and Bennett quite wisely has decided to move on from that structure. I think darius needs to do two things, concentrate on his returning game, and try and link up with Uate a lot more on kick returns. That will make both of them more dangerous. Uate's work rate is down too, which is noticeable, wayne doesnt want him taking hitups which is fine, but we need to get him more ball, and that is one way of helping both of those guys out and making both of them more dangerous.

Id also like to see boyd trailing in behind snowden, cuthbertson and taia more in a more central role. Those guys are routinely making half breaks, poking their nose thru the line and they can all throw a pass in traffic, boyd is the bloke that should be on the receiving end of that ball.

Boyd is a class act, i am not concerned. Its just a matter of time.

 

[perverse]

as Han pointed out, the main drama i have with Boyd at the moment is... as a fullback that isn't really getting involved much at the moment, he should be running off the hips of our forwards sniffing about for opportunities. there's just not really any of that at the moment. he seems content with the bare minimum at the moment.

 

[Rolla]

as Han pointed out, the main drama i have with Boyd at the moment is... as a fullback that isn't really getting involved much at the moment, he should be running off the hips of our forwards sniffing about for opportunities. there's just not really any of that at the moment. he seems content with the bare minimum at the moment.

I would like to see Gids put his motor to use and do more of this too.

 

[Tweek]

as Han pointed out, the main drama i have with Boyd at the moment is... as a fullback that isn't really getting involved much at the moment, he should be running off the hips of our forwards sniffing about for opportunities. there's just not really any of that at the moment. he seems content with the bare minimum at the moment.

If you watched st george over the last 3 years boyd has NEVER done this, he just isnt that kind of full back.

 

[Yosh]

If you watched st george over the last 3 years boyd has NEVER done this, he just isnt that kind of full back.

Doesn't mean he should change his style a little. He needs to get involved more. I think players like Uate and Kidley should also sniff around heaps.

 

[perverse]

If you watched st george over the last 3 years boyd has NEVER done this, he just isnt that kind of full back.

sorry, but i hadn't kept track of every Dragons player over the past 3 years, Boyd included. i'm aware of his basic skill set, but no... i haven't micro-analysed every single second from every single member of your squad. i'm flat out doing it for my own teams players.

since you mention it though, no, i haven't noticed Boyd do this in the past. what i had noticed from Boyd in the past is that he was actually effective and contributed to the teams he played in. my suggestion was, since he isn't particularly effective at the moment, he could utilize his time trying to fit into the squad by running off our forwards and trying to get some ball that way. a simple job that can get your hands on the ball. it's not that hard, and because he hasn't done it in the past doesn't particularly mean much about the future.

 

[Rolla]

In my opinion (and i hope to be proven wrong) the thing that keeps Boyd behind the elite Fullbacks with similar skill sets is ticker. In recent years Hayne, Slater, Stewart, Dugan combined their quality with passion for their jersey and desire. I don't see that with Boyd. He may have developed it for St G but i don't see it here. It might come in time, or it might just be a side effect that comes with being a gun for hire.

 

[perverse]

Hayne? ticker?

surely you jest. he's an absolute pea-heart. turns up when he feels like it, or when their back is well and truly against the wall. is MIA otherwise. Hayne could be 10 times the player he is now if he applied himself... and that would be frightening.

 

[Rolla]

Not kidding, he has always dug in and got touches on the ball.

For a season Parra's game plan was throw it to Hayne and hope he does something. I think he is a lot more involved than Boyd. Runs, metres touches etc etc... But i don't watch Parra every week so if he is a bad example i apologise.

 

[Yosh]

In my opinion (and i hope to be proven wrong) the thing that keeps Boyd behind the elite Fullbacks with similar skill sets is ticker. In recent years Hayne, Slater, Stewart, Dugan combined their quality with passion for their jersey and desire. I don't see that with Boyd. He may have developed it for St G but i don't see it here. It might come in time, or it might just be a side effect that comes with being a gun for hire.

I hate to admit it but I see your point. He fires hard for QLD but he doesn't seem to apply himself for us (just yet). He is professional about what he does but not passionate yet for us? Dunno...

He does have ticker though, he runs the ball back pretty hard sometimes... Used to be over and over in a game but now just once or twice I feel...

 

[perverse]

Not kidding, he has always dug in and got touches on the ball.

For a season Parra's game plan was throw it to Hayne and hope he does something. I think he is a lot more involved than Boyd. Runs, metres touches etc etc... But i don't watch Parra every week so if he is a bad example i apologise.

he is capable of what you say, no doubt, but it depends which Jarryd Hayne shows up to the ground. the one that gives a f**k, or the one that doesn't. he has freakish talent, and that alone will see him through his career if he so chooses. he could be so much better, though. he could be truly great.

 

[The Showstopper]

I'd sign Hayne tomorrow. Many will shoot it down but he is the most gifted footballer i have seen. His lazy attitude makes me so angry. Wayne could turn him into the most devastating player the game has seen.

 

[Yosh]

I'd sign Hayne tomorrow. Many will shoot it down but he is the most gifted footballer i have seen. His lazy attitude makes me so angry. Wayne could turn him into the most devastating player the game has seen.

Andrew Johns? Lockyer? Slater? Dureau?

 

[The Showstopper]

That us why i say 'could' Yosh. Not 'will'. You could add another ten names to your list. Hayne is all the strengths of those players you mentioned rolled into one.

 

[Yosh]

That us why i say 'could' Yosh. Not 'will'. You could add another ten names to your list. Hayne is all the strengths of those players you mentioned rolled into one.

still disagree with you... Hayne is a talent, nothing more. He hasn't won jack sh*t and half a good season doesn't put you among the game's elite.

 

[The Showstopper]

That is why they call it freedom of speech Yosh. I am glad you disagree.

 

[Whats Doing]

Both Tweek and Perverse are correct. Boyd is not a player that sniffs out tries through the ruck but is one that plays wide and extremely dangerous in that role. However to play wide, you need constructive good players inside you where the Dragons had Hornby and Soward.

At this stage we are trying to get Gidley and Mullo to gel and click but are playing at this stage as individuals. We need patience for them to get this combination going and we will see Boyd for the money we bought him for.

If the Gidley/Mullo combination doesn't gel, as Perverse says, Boyd better learn how to follow the forwards through the ruck.