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Darryl Brohman’s heartfelt response to Les Boyd’s ‘couldn’t give a f**k’ comment

A fresh chapter in the ugly public feud between Darryl Brohman and Les Boyd has been written with ‘The Big Marn’ revealing the depth of his pain over Boyd’s Hall of Fame nomination.

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Darryl Brohman has doubled-down on his Hall of Fame spat with former footballer Les Boyd by declaring that he hopes he never hears from him again.

The bitter 41-year feud added another chapter on Saturday when Brohman described Boyd’s elevation into rugby league’s Hall of Fame as “wrong” while blaming his arch rival for shattering his dream of playing for Australia.

“I’m disappointed. I’m very disappointed, because I don’t think he should be in it (Hall of Fame),’’ Brohman told 2GB radio.

“I don’t care if I never hear from him or see him again and he probably feels the same way.

“I am upset and I’m not going to deny that I’m upset with it.

“I’m 68 and I think I know what is right and wrong and this is wrong.’’

Boyd, who played 17 Tests for Australia and eight Origins for NSW in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was named among 11 players who will be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame this season.

Former Queensland Origin forward Darryl Brohman (main) was floored by a flying elbow from Les Boyd (inset).
Former Queensland Origin forward Darryl Brohman (main) was floored by a flying elbow from Les Boyd (inset).

The decision comes in the wake of two hugely controversial incidents that resulted in Boyd being suspended for 12-months for breaking Brohman’s jaw in a 1983 State of Origin match and a subsequent 15-month suspension for eye-gouging Canterbury’s Billy Johnstone.

Brohman used social media to vent his disbelief in the decision to promote Boyd to the Hall of Fame last Thursday.

However, the radio and TV personality affectionately known as ‘’The Big Marn” explained his feelings in even deeper detail on Saturday.

“There’s other people that should be in there before him,’’ Brohman said.

“For Les Boyd to come out and say that I should be thanking him for putting me in the spotlight, well Les, let me thank you now. Thanks for breaking my jaw.

“Thanks for letting me have six weeks with my teeth wired-up. Thanks for letting me have sustagen and water for six weeks.

“Thanks for finishing my season with Penrith.

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“But above all, Les, I’d like to thank you for extinguishing my dream of playing for Australia on that night.

“I believe I could’ve got there that night (that my jaw was broken), they were picking an Australian side that night.

“And that’s what hurts the most for me. I never played for Australia and if I was fitter I probably would’ve.

“But I had an opportunity that night and for him to come out and say that I should be thanking him for him breaking my jaw, is a little bit comical.

“There’s a million things I want to say, but I won’t say them.’’

Former NRL great Les Boyd on his farm in the Cootamundra Valley.
Former NRL great Les Boyd on his farm in the Cootamundra Valley.

Brohman added that he was frustrated his war of words with Boyd had taken the focus away from other Hall Of Fame inductees.

“It’s not his fault he got selected, I’m dirty on the people that selected him, that’s what I’m a bit filthy about,’’ Brohman said.

“There’s 15 apparently in the group that selected Les Boyd. I don’t know who they are and I don’t know who voted for him, but it’s funny I have been told privately by people who were on the committee that they didn’t vote for him, so someone must have.

“There’s a few things that irk me, but one of them is that I am disappointed for the other people that have been voted into this.

“It’s a monumental thing for them. To be in the Hall of Fame of rugby league is a big thing and congratulations to all of them.

“But I can’t congratulate Les Boyd. Les Boyd broke my jaw. I can’t remember if he had nine months or 12 months (suspension) and then I think two or three games back, he eye-gouged Billy Johnston and got 15-months.

“Does he deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, for that? You tell me.’’

On Thursday when told of Brohman’s disappointment that he had been selected, Boyd told The Daily Telegraph: “He should be grateful that I did it, otherwise no one would remember him,” Boyd told News Corp.

“Honestly, I couldn’t give a f**k. Let him worry about it. He’s the one who can’t let it go. I’m over it. It’s in the past.”

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/darryl-brohmans-heartfelt-response-to-les-boyds-couldnt-give-a-fk-comment/news-story/b9ffef3abac98ae8722c68ee3c6bea22