Darius Boyd opens up on Wayne Bennett, mental health and Brisbane Broncos captaincy hopes

THE relationship between Darius Boyd and Wayne Bennett is the most intriguing in rugby league. Now the fullback has lifted the lid on the pair’s seemingly unbreakable bond.

Wayne Bennett believes Darius Boyd is a future Broncos captain. Picture: Jono Searle.

DARIUS Boyd says his relationship with Wayne Bennett is “not like everyone thinks”.

For the first time in his lengthy career, Boyd will come up against a Bennett-coached team when the Kangaroos play England on Monday morning.

For 247 NRL games, two premierships, three clubs and well documented off-field issues, Bennett has been by his side. But that relationship will be put on hold for 80 minutes at London’s Olympic Stadium.

In a rare wideranging interview, Boyd distances himself from labelling his relationship with Bennett as akin to that of a father and son, opens up on his ongoing mental health battles and his desire to replace Corey Parker as the Broncos skipper.

RELATIONSHIP WITH BENNETT

An emotional Darius Boyd (L) is consoled by coach Wayne Bennett in the dressing rooms during halftime in the Sydney Roosters v Newcastle Knights NRL game at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, 06/05/2012. Pic Channel 9.

Only two other players have been coached by the same mentor at three clubs since 1954. Bennett also coached Neville Costigan at Brisbane, St George Illawarra and Newcastle while Paul Dunn was coached by Phil Gould at Canterbury, Penrith and the Roosters. But the relationship between Boyd and Bennett has been among the most intriguing in rugby league.

“It’s not like everyone probably thinks,” Boyd said. “We don’t talk a whole lot. It’s such a different age gap, so it’s a different relationship. We’re friends but it’s a very business/working relationship.

KENT: the reason behind Bennett’s silence

“We don’t talk as much as people would think. We call each other occasionally, mainly about footy.

“Then we might talk about family and life. We more catch up at training. He is a mentor. It is a not a father figure relationship. He has always been there and I can talk to him like that if I need to. He visited me in rehab. He played me in a grand final (in 2006) when I was a kid and could’ve picked three or four other guys. It’s something I’ve never forgotten.

“I’ve always been pretty quiet, shy and didn’t use Wayne up enough when I was struggling. I didn’t tell him what was really going on.

“(Our relationship) has always been more football but Wayne is a smart guy and knew when I was off so I would tell him ‘yeah I’m not doing so well’.

“I hope he keeps going until I retire.”

MENTAL HEALTH

While the ‘I’m not doing so well’ conversations are less frequent, Boyd knows he has an ongoing battle with mental illness. He has found ways to cope and has engrossed himself with community work at the Broncos. So much so that when he is feeling down he reaches out to the club’s welfare officer to offer up a community visit so Boyd can “have my fix”.

“I looked at footy too seriously for a long time,” Boyd said. “I didn’t trust people. I was very cutthroat. If ever something got said about me or I was crossed I would red line. I got too negative and got out of control.

Boyd’s partner Kayla and baby girl Willow. Picture: Annette Dew

“The last two years I’ve been really happy, having a baby and a little family. I’m trying to be happy. I’ve always been a quiet person but I put myself out of my comfort zone. If that’s having coffee with the boys or hanging out with people. We’d lose a game and I wouldn’t leave the house for a couple of days. I was too angry and I’d play with it over and over again in my head.

“Now I know if I go out Saturday morning I’ll come home in a good mood. I might have to force myself to go but I get over things a lot quicker. Going out and doing things in the community. It’s probably been more helpful for me than it has for people I’ve been talking to but I’ve been really enjoying that.

“I come back smiling, put the music on loud in the car, pumping, singing, carrying on a little bit. I hope I’m helping out people. But I honestly do think it helps me more. It’s kind of like therapy for me.”

FORCING HIMSELF TO BE SOCIAL

Boyd has conflicting feeling about captaining the Broncos.

Boyd is weary of life on the road, away from wife Kayla and baby daughter Willow. While he spent time with the pair in London earlier this week, Boyd has been careful not to spend too much time alone in their absence.

“With the boys, if they are going for coffee or going to the movies, I don’t really want to go but I’ll force myself to go and be part of it, just to get out of the room,” Boyd said. “I’ve always been someone to stay home and not do as much as I should. I need to mix with the guys more.

“At Newcastle, my mental state went down and down. If we played on a Friday and we had a couple of days off I wouldn’t leave the house until we had to go back to training on the Monday or Tuesday. Even then I was kicking stones because I hadn’t got over it. I went to rehab and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. It really changed my perception and my outlook on things and to see a lot of other people are in a worse position than me.

“It was a mind change really. It seems quite small but I was in such a negative state it really affected me.”

CAPTAINCY AMBITION

Boyd is out to maintain his perfect Kangaroos record.

Boyd has emerged as frontrunner to replace Parker as Brisbane skipper. While Bennett floated the idea of Boyd leading the club this year, he felt he was not ready.

“It’s a strange one,” Boyd said. “I’ve thought about it for a year. Wayne said something to me about it at the start of this year. I wasn’t ready then and I told him that. It doesn’t came natural to me, it’s a role I never thought I’d have a couple of years ago. A lot of things have changed.

“If Wayne does pick me, I want to do it because I’m the right person. It’ll be a huge honour to captain the side I’ve loved since I was a kid. I do think I lead the team already.”

PLAYING UNDER SAME COACH AT THREE CLUBS — 1954-2016

Player - Coach - Games - Teams

Darius Boyd - Wayne Bennett - 247 - Brisbane/St George Illawarra/Newcastle

Neville Costigan - Wayne Bennett - 129 - Brisbane/St George Illawarra/Newcastle

Paul Dunn - Phil Gould - 101 - Canterbury/Penrith/Sydney Roosters

MOST PREMIERSHIP GAMES UNDER A COACH — 1954-201

Player - Coach - Games - Teams

Cameron Smith Craig Bellamy 333 Melbourne

Cooper Cronk Craig Bellamy 301 Melbourne

Darren Lockyer Wayne Bennett 292 Brisbane

Billy Slater Craig Bellamy 278 Melbourne

Michael Hancock Wayne Bennett 274 Brisbane

Kevin Walters Wayne Bennett 264 Brisbane/Canberra

Allan Langer Wayne Bennett 258 Brisbane

Hazem El Masri Steve Folkes 257 Canterbury

Andrew Gee Wayne Bennett 255 Brisbane

Shane Webcke Wayne Bennett 254 Brisbane

Darius Boyd Wayne Bennett 247 Brisbane/St George Illawarra/Newcastle

Originally published as Darius Boyd opens up on Wayne Bennett, mental health and Brisbane Broncos captaincy hopes