NRL Hall of Fame Class of 2024 announced: Darryl Brohman slams the induction of Les Boyd

One of rugby league’s most bitter feuds has erupted again 41 years later, with former Queensland Origin forward Darryl Brohman slamming the induction of ex-NSW forward Les Boyd into the NRL Hall of Fame.

Darryl Brohman and Les Boyd.

Former Queensland Origin forward Darryl Brohman has slammed the induction of ex-NSW and Kangaroos forward Les Boyd into the NRL Hall of Fame.

Boyd is the forward who famously broke Brohman’s jaw in a State of Origin game way back in 1983.

On Wednesday, the NRL announced “an extraordinary class of inductees into the NRL Hall of Fame, featuring pioneers, record-breakers and game-changers”.

But, more than 41 years after rugby league’s most bitter personal feud, the inclusion of Boyd sparked a fierce reaction from Brohman.

“Les Boyd….. 9 Months suspension for breaking my Jaw in 1983. 12 Months for Eye gouging Billy Johnston…… Gets inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Please!!!!” Brohman posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

The comment will put the 2GB Continuous Call Team personality at odds with the network’s most senior broadcaster, Ray Hadley.

Les Boyd…..9 Months suspension for breaking my Jaw in 1983. 12 Months for Eye gouging Billy Johnston……Gets inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Please!!!!

— Darryl Brohman OAM (@therealbigmarn) August 14, 2024

🤢 One of the most gutless cheap shots in #Origin history happened 41 years ago, almost to the day...

NSW's Les Boyd received a 12 month suspension for this flagrant elbow that shattered QLD prop Darryl Brohman's jaw in the opening game of the '83 Series.

🗓️ 1983 #WinfieldCuppic.twitter.com/4ZhWLQFZvk

— Winfield Cup (@WinfieldCup) June 11, 2024

Hadley was on the voting panel that inducted Boyd into the Hall of Fame, alongside Lionel Morgan, Ben Elias, Steve Renouf, Cameron Smith Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Benji Marshall, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess.

The NRL trumpeted his inclusion in the class of 2024, declaring: “Boyd was one of the game’s hardmen during one of the toughest eras, in the 1970s and 1980s, representing Australia in 17 Test matches.”

Les Boyd playing for Manly in 1981. Picture: Peter Kurnik

But his career was also blighted by several acts of violence on the field, including breaking Brohman’s jaw so badly that he missed the rest of the 1983 season.

Brohman took legal action which resulted in an out-of-court settlement in which Boyd reportedly paid about $30,000.

That payout caused a massive split in 2007, when the late Bob Fulton called Brohman a coward on air for suing Boyd.

The shot from Les Boyd that broke the jaw of Darryl Brohman.

Darryl Brohman holds ice pack to broken jaw after leaving field.

Brohman removed his headset and stormed out of the radio studio.

Brohman and Boyd came face-to-face for the first time in 37 years at the Snake Gully Cup races at Gundagai in 2019 — and refused to shake hands.

Showing the animosity towards one another hadn’t waned in all those years, Brohman told News Corp in a recent interview, of his ongoing dislike of Boyd.

“At the end of the day he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him,” Brohman said.

“I am happy for him not to be part of my life and he would feel the same.”

MAROONS, SOUTHS LEGENDS HEADLINE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

-Tyson Jackson

Members of Queensland’s Origin golden generation such as Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater and players from South Sydney’s drought breaking premiership-winning side headline the latest inductees into the NRL Hall of Fame.

The NRL announced on Wednesday 11 new faces for the prestigious Hall of Fame for the first time since 2019, including a variety of stars from different eras.

From Lionel Morgan, who was the first indigenous Australian to represent the nation in any major code to legendary Balmain Tigers and NSW hooker Benny Elias, to the brilliant Wests Tigers’ 2005 premiership winner Benji Marshall and South Sydney’s 2014 grand final hero and English star Sam Burgess.

Storm and Maroons legend Smith who played a record 430 NRL games for Melbourne was inducted along with Queensland Origin teammate and North Queensland 2015 premiership-winning hero Thurston.

Joining Smith and Thurston as inductees are fellow members of Queensland’s dominant teams from 2006-13, Cronk, Slater and South Sydney 2014 star Greg Inglis.

The Maroons won eight straight series and 11 from 12 in a record setting Origin run.

Broncos, Queensland and Kangaroos legend Steve Renouf was inducted after a stellar career which included four premierships.

While former Wests and Manly hardman Les Boyd, who played 17 tests for Australia, and eight games for NSW’s joined the elite club.

ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys has called the accolade’s and the group of players amazing.

“All different, all deserving in their own right. This list of players includes some of the toughest, the most talented, the greatest players of their generations,” V’landys said.

The 2024 class has been described as the best of their generations, with all picked varying across different positions and eras.

“This is the best of the best across several phenomenal eras. The group is full of Premiership winners, Dally M Medal winners, Clive Churchill Medal winners, Australia, New Zealand and England representatives,” V’landys said.

“There are brilliant halves, powerful and durable forwards and gifted outside backs. All of these players are exceptional.”

The formal inductions will be made in a special ceremony next Wednesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground when the Australian Rugby League Commission will name the next Immortal.