Darius Boyd retirement: Fans screamed in veteran’s face after Redcliffe match
While Darius Boyd announced his retirement with humility today, it can be revealed the Broncos champ was subjected to shocking fan abuse during the club’s trial match at Redcliffe on the weekend.
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RETIRING Broncos veteran Darius Boyd has been a maligned figure over the past 12 months but his conduct as an ambassador for the NRL is first class.
Boyd had a poor game in last week’s trial loss to the Titans and was later subjected to some horrendous abuse as he walked off Dolphin Stadium.
One spectator walked right up to Boyd and shouted words in his face that cannot be repeated here. Some sportsmen would have easily snapped.
To his credit, Boyd copped it on the chin and headed up the tunnel without a word or incident. As a 317-game servant, Boyd deserves better.
A rogue fan also gave Broncos five-eighth Anthony Milford a spray at the game.
FIFITA’S FITNESS BATTLE
Brisbane weapon David Fifita has spoken about his pre-season fitness battle, admitting he “enjoyed” the Christmas break and returned to training out of shape.
Fifita was miles behind the pack in fitness drills at Red Hill when the Broncos returned from their two-week Christmas break.
The 20-year-old had a breakout season in 2019 before being caught up in an off-season drama in Bali and then struggled on the training paddock.
But Fifita insists his fitness is back to where it needs to be and he is ready to go ahead of Brisbane’s NRL season-opener against North Queensland in Townsville next Friday.
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“I enjoyed myself over the Christmas break,” Fifita told Blindside. “I tried to get away from footy. That’s what the off-season is for, to enjoy time with family and friends.
“I really enjoyed my off-season and when I got back into training I struggled a bit. I eventually hit all my targets I needed to get to - my skinfolds and fitness levels.
“My skinfolds have dropped majorly, that’s something I needed to get down. I’ve done that and I’m happy with where my fitness levels are at. I’ve reached my targets.”
Fifita has had some menacing touches already in 2020 but he has floated in and out of games during the pre-season.
With the Broncos missing some key forwards, Fifita will have a higher workload this year and the Queensland Origin star said he was raring to go.
“My combinations with the edge I’m playing on are all coming together,” he said.
“To get a full pre-season under Anthony (Seibold) has been really good. All the boys are gelling really well. We can look forward to this year.”
MARK OF RESPCT
BRONCOS hooker Andrew McCullough was spotted paying his respects at the site of the Camp Hill tragedy.
McCullough and wife Carlie made an appearance in Camp Hill following the shocking deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children.
McCullough did not want to comment on why he visited the site, but lives in the area and felt it was right to pay his respects.
BLUES GREAT BACKS BRISBANE BID
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg is under mounting pressure to expand the competition with even a leading Sydney-based league legend calling for Brisbane to be given a second team.
Former Balmain, NSW and Test prop Steve Roach is leading the push for a fourth Queensland team to be added to a 17-team competition as part of the next TV broadcast deal in 2023.
Roach is a huge supporter of ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys. The pair played junior rugby league on the NSW south-coast and Roach backed V’landys’ vision for a 17-team league with a second Brisbane team to take on the Broncos.
Sydney-based clubs have previously resisted the notion of expansion but with the NRL’s 16 teams now receiving a healthy annual grant of $13 million, Roach says the time is right to grow in Queensland.
“For the fans in Brisbane, the NRL has got to play at Suncorp every week,” said Roach, now a Fox Sports commentator.
“They get robbed of some games nowadays in that the Broncos play up there one week then go away the next and the fans miss out on a rugby league game for a week.
“It would be great to have another team. I reckon you’d get the same sort of following (as the Broncos) if they had another side in the NRL playing out of Suncorp.
“Queensland fans follow the game better than anyone, if you look at the crowds. If there’s another Brisbane team, you’d get big crowds every week.
Asked if he would be keen to help out the Brisbane Bombers bid, Roach said: “I suppose I would if I got asked. I love the game.
“It would be unreal. If another team comes in, it should be in Brisbane.”
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GAGAI GOING NOWHERE
QUEENSLAND Origin star Dane Gagai has denied he wants out of South Sydney and insists he will not be part of a mooted transfer deal with the Gold Coast Titans.
Gagai was recently buffeted by speculation he would be jettisoned by the Rabbitohs this season as part of a straight swap deal with Titans ace Jai Arrow, who has signed with Souths for 2021.
The claim came just six months after rumours first surfaced that Gagai was unhappy at Souths following Wayne Bennett’s decision to signJames Roberts for the centre position.
But Gagai has set the record straight, declaring he will honour his South Sydney deal, which expires at the end of next year.
“I’m staying at Souths,” he said. “There was talk about me wanting out when ‘Jimmy’ (Roberts) came here but that was never the case.
“It was more a case of wanting that centre position but now I don’t care where I play, I just want to be the best player I can in whatever position I play.
“There’s no Titans stuff. I want to win a grand final here at Souths and it starts with me playing well at the Rabbitohs.”
TINO’S ALLIEGENCE
ATTENTION: new England coachShaun Wane. Titans-bound young gun Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is eligible for the Poms.
The 113kg giant signed a mega $2 million deal with the Titans for 2021 just before Christmas and while he has represented the Queensland under-20s, big Tino told Blindside he has British heritage.
With Wane looking for fresh talent in preparation for the 2021 World Cup, he could do worse than ask the question of the hulking Storm forward before the Maroons and Australia come knocking.
“I’m Australian and Samoan and I’m also available for England,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“My mum’s father is a Pom so I’m eligible for England. It’s a hard choice actually. I love playing for Samoa and obviously it would be a great honour to play for Australia, so we’ll see what happens down the track.”
HOLBROOK GETS THE NOD
ROOSTERS godfather Nick Politis has given his tick of approval to new Titans coach Justin Holbrook.
Holbrook has shown promising signs ahead of his first season as an NRL coach, guiding the Titans to the final four of the Nines before beating the Broncos in a high-quality trial.
Holbrook cut his teeth at the Roosters under Trent Robinsonbefore turning around St Helens in the Super League and securing the Gold Coast job.
And the Roosters’ supremo believes he can succeed in the NRL.
“He will be good for the Titans,” Politis told Blindside.
“Justin did a great job here, he was hard-working and well-liked by the players.
“Trent Robinson was a big fan of Justin so he has the skills to be a successful NRL head coach.”
Blindside reached out to Robinson but he did not want to speak about Holbrook
GREEN-BEARD
NRL boss Todd Greenberg has spoken about the most polarising issue in the game – his beard.
Greenberg has returned from the off-season sporting substantial facial hair and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“I’ve got more feedback about my whiskers than anything else,” he said. “It’s just a hangover from my holiday break.
“It doesn’t grow on top of my head, so if it grows on the front I’m going to keep it a bit longer.”
For the record, Blindside is fan of the beard.
TITANS EYE JET SETTER
THE Titans are weighing up offering an NRL contract to a Newtown Jets premiership hero.
Prop Jaimin Jolliffe has been impressive during the pre-season and held his own in the Titans’ trial win against the Broncos last weekend.
Jolliffe played in Newtown’s NSW Cup premiership win last year and was so impressive the Intrust Super Cup’s premiers the Burleigh Bears signed him for this year.
The Titans offered him a train-and-trial contract for the pre-season and he has done all he can to secure a full-time deal.
The Titans still have a spot to fill on their roster and Jolliffe could fill one of those, especially with the club lacking front row depth.
THE EXPERT VIEW
FORMER chief league writer of The Courier-Mail and rugby league historian Steve Ricketts has written an overview of the game’s history on the Gold Coast for the Titans.
Ricketts was the perfect man for the job. Born in Lismore, but raised at Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley, he covered league for 32 years for the Brisbane Telegraph (1981-88) and then The Courier-Mail (1988-2012).
He also played league for Murwillumbah Brothers from 1971-75 while working as a journalist at the Tweed Daily News – often having to write match reports for games he played in.
Click here to read Ricketts’ piece covering the Gold Coast’s league history from 1914-2020
SMITH’S HIT-OUT
MELBOURNE captain Cameron Smith had to ask coach Craig Bellamy to allow him to play in a trial match.
Smith had a 25-minute cameo against North Queensland last weekend to prepare for the NRL season.
But Bellamy and the Storm’s coaching staff wanted to keep the 36-year-old Smith on ice until Sunday week’s Round 1 clash against Manly, which will be his 412th NRL game.
“The coaches were keen for me to not play, to see out the pre-season and go into round one, but it’s always nice to get out there and get a little bit of timing back,” Smith said.
“I’ve done a lot of work over the pre-season but you don’t get an opportunity to have any real match simulation before round one unless you play a trial.”
SELLING THE STORM
THE Storm have filled up their sponsorship stable on the eve of the NRL season.
Earlier in the pre-season, Blindside revealed the Storm were battling to find a major sponsor and entered trials without a front-of-jersey sponsor.
But they secured RedZed last week and will announce their final sponsor for the back-of-jersey in the coming days. The Storm were patient and got bumper deals for the prime real estate.
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SPONSORS FLOCK TO WOMEN’S GAME
The inaugural QRL Women’s Premiership has been given a major boost ahead of kick off with Blindside able to reveal mining company BHP has claimed the naming rights of the competition.
The QRLW will be known as the BHP Premiership for the next two years.
The QRL are expected to make their official announcement around the partnership on Friday.
It’s a show of strength for female rugby league, with BHP just one of many big name companies throwing their support behind the women’s game.
Harvey Norman sponsor the women’s State of Origin teams while the Broncos’ NRLW have attracted sponsors in the form of Arrow Energy and National Storage across their two short seasons.
The partnership with BHP will see the company’s logo feature on apparel and on the fields for each fixture, while BHP will also provide support to youth programs and development pathways.
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