Tom Boyd to depart Norwood for VAFA club after backflip
Tom Boyd is on the move from the Eastern Football League, leaving one club “bitterly disappointed” it missed out on the signature of the Western Bulldogs premiership player.
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Western Bulldogs premiership player Tom Boyd is set to leave Norwood and sign with VAFA club St Kevin’s.
Old Trinity was also in the race for the former No.1 draft pick but was informed on Tuesday that Boyd, 24, would join SKOBs.
Old Trinity coach Bernie Dinneen said the club was blindsided by Boyd’s decision.
“I was bitterly disappointed after people at the club had worked tirelessly to come to what we thought was virtually an agreement,” Dinneen said.
“I’m bitterly disappointed for the club on the last-minute backflip.”
Old Trinity said Boyd informed it he would join SKOBs.
The hulking forward took to social media on Tuesday evening to thank his old club.
Returning to Norwood this year was an amazing experience and I can’t thank the club enough for having me.
— Tom Boyd (@Tom_Boyd17) November 12, 2019
However, after much deliberation, I’ve decided that I’ll be playing at St Kevin’s in 2020 and am extremely excited for Anna and I be joining the SKOB community going forward
“Returning to Norwood this year was an amazing experience and I can’t thank the club enough for having me,” Boyd wrote on Twitter.
“However, after much deliberation, I’ve decided that I’ll be playing at St Kevin’s in 2020 and am extremely excited for Anna and I be joining the SKOB community going forward.”
Boyd returned to Norwood — where he played his junior football — following his retirement from the AFL in May.
He played six games at the EFL Premier Division club and kicked 15 goals, including a bag of six in the final home-and-away game against Doncaster.
Boyd made 61 appearances at AFL level across six seasons and played a pivotal role in the Bulldogs’ grand final victory in 2016.
He kicked three goals in the decider and was among the best players on the ground.
SKOBs was contacted comment.
It won the 2017 and 2018 Premier A flags and finished runner-up to Uni Blues this year.
Boyd told Leader following his return game for Norwood in June that completing a business degree and playing local football would give his life structure.
“I just felt like I’d given up the desire to want to play at the highest level,” Boyd said.
“For a big part, the rigours of AFL, mainly through the week and the ability to just get out there playing footy, is not the same as it used to be for me.”
Norwood president Mark Etherington said the club was disappointed by Boyd’s decision.
“We can only wish Tom well,” Etherington said.
“It was great to have Tom play the handful of games that eventuated this year.
“We now look forward to a very successful season with what is already a quality list of existing and exciting, committed players and recruits.”
Boyd was a regular at Norwood games during his AFL career.
His father, Geoff, was captain-coach of the club’s 1989 premiership.
“It’s somewhere I’ve spent a lot of time around the last six or seven years, obviously not being out there but being around the place with my old man and family,” he said.
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“To many people at the club, I’ve always been here and it was good to pull the colours back on.”
Boyd is the latest ex-AFL player to join the Ammos following the recent signings of David Armitage and David Mirra at Collegians.
He will join former North Melbourne and Carlton forward Jarrad Waite at SKOBs in a potent forward line.
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