Opinion: Boyd’s Origin case is purely academic after he drops rep retirement bombshell
IT was interesting to see the plaster on Darius Boyd’s wrist when the Broncos got smacked by the Storm on Sunday bearing the letters “‘KW’’. A message to Kevin Walters? Nope.
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IT was interesting to see the plaster on Darius Boyd’s wrist when the Broncos got smacked by the Storm on Sunday.
There written big and bold in permanent marker were the letters “‘KW’’.
A not-so-subtle message to Kevin Walters to say, “don’t forget me Kevvie”?
Actually no. It was a shout-out to the two women in his life, wife Kayla and daughter Willow, but if it struck a chord with Kevvie as well, I’m sure Darius wouldn’t be complaining.
He might have made the decision to retire from rep football but you’d have to think that if Kevvie so much as looked in his direction before Game One he’d be in camp quicker than Billy Moore can bless a XXXX.
Which, incidentally, is why I’m still a little confused about why he didn’t get that call-up for Game One.
Who cares if he’d been in New Zealand, or anywhere else, for a holiday. He was back. They could have told him to hang around Brisbane Airport and catch the first plane to Melbourne.
No one is saying Michael Morgan didn’t have a crack a fullback, but it might have been more useful to have him come on as a supersub late in the game at the MCG.
If that was the plan with Anthony Milford, it didn’t work.
Milford is so far off the player he was in the second half of 2015 it’s bordering on sad.
When the game against the Storm was still in the balance the Broncos were crying out for their million dollar man to do something special. All he did was a couple of nondescript kicks and let in two tries.
It’s hard to know who would have been more concerned, Wayne Bennett or Kevvie.
As for Boyd, he was sensational … for all of 40 minutes, but like the rest of his teammates, he fell away in the second half.
Still, it was all academic as far as Origin selection was concerned. He could have scored three tries, set up another two and kicked a field goal for good measure and it wouldn’t have mattered.
More’s the pity.
One player who did put his hand up on Sunday was Tim Glasby. One minute he was being helped off with what looked like a 4 to 6 week hamstring tear. The next he’s punching through holes and popping up passes.
As for Cowboys prop Matt Scott, being on the end of a Round 14 “away” loss to the lowly Eels in Darwin wasn’t exactly the result Scott was looking for with Origin spots up for grabs but he did score a try and that should be enough to see him back in harness.
Will Kevvie rush Matt Gillett straight back in sight unseen if he passes a late fitness test? You’d better believe it.
All this talk about Queensland coming back from 1-nil last year is just that, talk. These are two very different sides.
If the Maroons can regroup and square the series in Sydney it will be one of the greatest comebacks in history. This is one heck of a NSW side. They are young, talented and they caught a break playing the first game on neutral ground.
If they get their hands on the trophy in 12 days they might not let go for a long time.
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