Darius Boyd’s ‘baby reveal’ stunt as Broncos secure wooden spoon splits rugby league community
Darius Boyd’s last act on a footy field has split the rugby league community. Have your say – was Boyd’s ‘baby reveal’ a joyous celebration or a tactless stunt?
NRL
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The Brisbane Broncos and retiring legend Darius Boyd have come under fire for a gender reveal stunt after collecting the NRL’s wooden spoon.
The worst season in Brisbane’s 32-year history came to a disappointing end on Thursday night when the Broncos were humbled 32-16 by the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium.
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The gender reveal 👼ðŸ½ðŸ’— pic.twitter.com/DXqfw6OrtV
— NRL (@NRL) September 24, 2020
The loss was Brisbane’s 17th defeat in a 20-round season and consigned the NRL’s richest club to last place and its first wooden spoon following the sacking of coach Anthony Seibold.
The Queensland derby was the 337th and final game for Boyd, a two-time NRL premiership winner, Maroons and Kangaroos representative and former captain of the Broncos.
Boyd, 33, kept a low profile heading into his farewell game and scored the 87th try of his career in the 16-point loss.
But his decision to later publicly reveal the gender of his and pregnant wife Kayla’s third child has divided the league community.
One Broncos legend contacted The Courier-Mail on Friday morning to express his outrage, saying: “What has become of this club? Having a gender reveal after winning the wooden spoon?
“This club has lost all sense of reality. They are a joke.”
After the game, the Broncos gathered in a huddle as Boyd kicked a balloon which exploded with pink powder, revealing the Boyds were expecting a third daughter.
The Broncos then cheered, celebrated and hugged Boyd before chairing him off the field, a tradition for retiring players.
The NRL posted photos of the gender reveal to its social media channels on Friday morning and was met with mixed responses.
“I’d be pissed if this was my team and they had just finished last. No pride in the jersey at all,” one fan wrote.
“Imagine losing 32-16 confirming the wooden spoon and being happy about it after the game,” said another.
But the reaction wasn’t completely negative, with some urging people to celebrate the happy news and move on from the Broncos’ season.
“So many negative comments, be happy for the player and his celebrations, not the actions of the WHOLE team! Great moment,” one fan said.
The Broncos have been criticised at times throughout the dreadful season for their post-game reactions.
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Hooker Issac Luke was slammed for laughing and smiling after a loss along with halfback Brodie Croft.
In the lead-up to Boyd’s final game, Kayla said he was not the type of player to seek the limelight.
“Don’t be surprised that my husband Darius Boyd will retire from rugby league without the publicity that some players attract,” she wrote in a column for The Courier-Mail.
“For all that he has achieved on and off the field, Darius doesn’t go seeking the spotlight. I have never heard him boast or seek praise. I’ve never heard him talk up his many victories.
“When the game against the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium ends, Darius will be just happy blending in with his teammates, shaking hands with his opponents and heading back into the changerooms.
“He doesn’t want to be fussed over.”