Darius Boyd

[USDragon]

I will start by saying Darius is my favorite player at the club. I do however think that this is a pretty poor thing to come out and say after all that the Dragons have done for him. I cannot see how anything positive can come from these sorts of comments, so the question begs....why say it?
We just won the comp and that should be all that anyone is talking about. Im sure Wayne has had a profound impact on a number of players in the squad but following him around and humping his leg where ever he goes seems a bit childish to me. They are men and they have to accept that life goes on and people come and go. This is the problem i have with rugby league these days and the salary cap etc. No one gives a f**k about loyalty. The majority of players run around out there for themselves and don't really care what jumper they have on. I rekon most of our squad would be just as happy winning a comp together in any other of the 15 teams in the competition (with the exception of maybe Dean Young, Hornby and a few other local juniors).
For the last four or five years I have given up caring about players. You don't support the players, you support the club and that mighty Red V. If a player wants to leave then bon voyage. I accept that the players play a huge role in the success of the club and they dedicate a lot of time to the cause but i don't think they really give a f**k who its for as long as they get their money and make a living at the end of the day. That's why semi professional sport was so good. Players used to support a club as a child and then one day grow up to play for them. They wouldn't want to leave because they only want success for that one particular club. Yeah i know there are exceptions but i'm generalizing.
Finally, Nightingale and Morris are specialist wingers in my opinion and neither would make great fullbacks. Good fullbacks- Yes, Great- No
The modern day fullback needs ball playing skills and I don't think either of these players possess a natural ball playing instinct.

I understand the sentiment of this statement, but feel that expecting absolute loyalty for us from a player who played for us for two years is a bit unrealistic.

I think we can and should expect loyalty from our local juniors or other long time players (would consider Soward a long time Dragons player by now), but I doubt Boyd thought much about the Dragons until Bennett took him with him. I can see why Boyd feels so loyal to Bennett...they are from the same area, has been his only coach and has become an awesome player under this coach. This would have happened at any other club that Bennett would have coached him..so why expect him to be absolutely loyal to us after two years?

I also think that as a club we probably have the highest rate of one club players and all of these were eccastic to have won the premiership for the Red V and not for another club.

Loyalty really goes two ways...how can you be loyal to a club if the club sells you off so they can make room for another player?

 

[big pat]

was this a terrorgraph exclusive.

 

[Wobbygong]

I accept the telecrap has probably twisted this into something else, but Boyd has mentioned this previously, personally I think he should shut his mouth on the topic and just live up the moment, I mean not even a week has passed since the GF and the media angle is now Bennett and Boyd to leave. If it appears Bennett is on the way out in 2012 then so be it Darius can follow (and with my grateful thanks for his contributions), but he has to remember if Benny does leave it will have nothing to do with the club not wanting him or paying him enough etc, it will be a choice he makes for his family nothing else.

 

[rainman44]

Premiers 2010

 

[saint-colesy]

We all dream of a team of Darius Boyds, a team of Darius Boyds.

 

[whenthesaintsgomarchingin]

I understand the sentiment of this statement, but feel that expecting absolute loyalty for us from a player who played for us for two years is a bit unrealistic.

I am not trying to have a go at you but i don't think you really understood what i meant at all. What i was trying to say was
1. Even if this is the case for Darius, there is no need to come out and say it.
2. I would expect loyalty after all that the club has done for him. I also think that two years is a long time to build up loyalty. So it really depends on how you look at it. In all the years i have played sport i have wanted the very best for the club i am playing with right from day one. Maybe i am different.

*Also in response to an earlier post- Yes he was one of the more animated players after the tigers and grand final wins but i put that down to winning in general and happiness for him and his team mates success etc. not 'im so happy because St George won'. I could be wrong.

 

[RednWhite]

If Benny and Boyd leave then we still have 2011 with them and a chance to make it 2 GF wins. That's something to look forward to.

 

[Minh]

He is a great player and has served the club well (premiership) anything he or Bennett does now I would respect that, obviously not ideal though. The sad thing if he leaves is that I truly believe we haven't seen the best of him yet.

I think Boyd has always had a get out clause in his contract should Bennett leave so it's not as though it would be a surprise. It's obvious that he is very loyal to Bennett since Bennett was the man to take him on board here (I'm still dumbfounded how the Broncs let him slip though), the Broncs did not want him, the rest is history.

However, if they were to leave it would be a massive blow to the Red V, I certainly hope they do not leave that's for sure because I believe we are capable of winning another one or two if Bennett stays on board.

 

[big_dell]

minh, the broncos let him go because at the time he was just a winger and they had karmichael hunt with young players coming through.

then last year there were still some questions on his fullback year and it wasn't until this year that he has become the player he is now known as

 

[Minh]

That's a valid point Big Dell but the fact is the potential was really there to see granted he was nowhere near the player he is now. Back then he was already a Queensland origin player and played well in those rep games scoring tries outside of Inglis.

They paid big dollars for Falou which squeezed out Boyd, Kemp, Tate and Michaels. I thought Boyd was a special player back in the day and my opinion of him is getting higher by the day, he will become an outstanding(one of the best) player so long as Bennett is his coach. I'm hopeful St George can lock them both in long term.

 

[j0nesy]

Something tells me we will lose both in either 2011 or 12. Obviously I hope we can keep them both, but I would not begrudge them if they left. For the time being I'm basking in the success that they have helped bring to the club.

 

[dragondad]

You would like to think that Darius, as part of growing up, would be able to play at a club that (a) doesn't have Wayne Bennett as a coach and (b) is not located near his grandmother! Seriously, there is a time when you have to let go of the apron string!

 

[bmwpower]

i think he probably came down here for about 100k. and now knows he can demand 300k. this is why is he is mentioning it. he knows how much his value has gone up

 

[Minh]

Something tells me we will lose both in either 2011 or 12. Obviously I hope we can keep them both, but I would not begrudge them if they left. For the time being I'm basking in the success that they have helped bring to the club.

They'll both be here at least till the end of 2011, we should concentrate on winning another title next year and whatever happens beyond that is out of our control

Obviously we would love to keep them both but as a fan I too would not begrudge them if they left as they were integral parts of our 2010 premiership team. Mission accomplished however we would love to climb Everest again and again......

 

[Gigolo]

My mail is very strong that Bennett will head back to QLD, the question is whether it's Brisbane or Nth QLD.

As for Boyd, he is Bennett's shadow and is as good as gone, but you are very likely to get Josh Morris back as he has his heart set on playing with Brett again and will probably come back on less money. Nightingale is more than capable of playing fullback, he is the most improved player in the competition.