James Boyd felt helpless in Central District's qualifying final loss last year

MISSING out on a Magarey Medal didn't hurt James Boyd as much as watching from the stands as his team lost a qualifying final for the first time this century.

MISSING out on a Magarey Medal didn't hurt James Boyd as much as watching from the stands as his team lost a qualifying final for the first time this century.

Boyd polled the most votes on 2012 Magarey Medal night but was ineligible after being banned for two games for striking Sturt's Matthew Jaensch in round 22.

The medal went to his Central District teammate Brad Symes and South's Joel Cross, but the true cost of the suspension came a day earlier, when Boyd watched helplessly as West Adelaide derailed the Dogs' season at AAMI Stadium.

"What really burns for me about that incident was not being out there for that final against West Adelaide,'' Boyd said.

"We obviously got rolled after leading for most of the game and you just feel helpless sitting there and watching it …

"I feel like I was unlucky to be suspended. I went to push off him (Jaensch) as I do when somebody is tagging me and unfortunately he was crouched over and I caught him high.

"It wasn't a fist, it was a forearm, but the tribunal saw it the way they did."

Boyd will play his 100th SANFL match of what has been an impressive and sometimes eventful career to date, tomorrow against Norwood

The 24-year-old started his career with South Adelaide, before switching to Central in 2010, and playing in the Dogs premiership that season.

Reflecting last week, Boyd said the move was a blessing for his career, but maintained he would have been a one club player for South if he'd had his way.

The 24-year-old won under-age medals for South, won the Knuckey Cup for league best and fairest in 2008, the same year he finished second in the Magarey Medal as a teenager.

"I love Central and I'm lucky to be part of such a great club, but I wish I was bringing up 100 games for the one club,'' Boyd says.

"At the time (2010) I had no intention of leaving South. I'd been there all through my junior years.

"Obviously a new coach arrived (Ron Fuller) and he wanted to take the club in a certain direction and we sat down, and it was decided we would go our separate ways ...

"What hurts me is when people say that I left for money. I had no intention of leaving the club and I have never played for money."

Boyd now hopes to play out his league career with Central and says he is excited by the club's future, as it regenerates following a host of senior retirements and departures at the end of last season.

"This club is amazing,'' Boyd said.

"From day one, when I started preseason, just the way everyone here works so hard was such an eye-opener …

"Obviously, we have a younger team now with guys like the Gowans brothers retiring but I still think we have a lot of talent.

"I think we've shown this year that our best footy is competitive with anyone."