Broncos great Darius Boyd follows Kevin Walters out the door
It has been revealed yet another Brisbane Broncos great has walked out the doors after the sacking of Kevin Walters.
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The Broncos have lost yet another club great as Darius Boyd has also left the club as Brisbane’s football department goes through a huge transition.
It’s been a wild off-season already for the Broncos with the club having sacked head coach Kevin Walters and replaced him with Michael Maguire — and the NRL Grand Final hasn’t even been played yet.
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But Boyd was set to be the first domino to fall with The Courier Mail revealing Boyd had advised Walters he was about to walk away from the club a week before Walters himself was axed.
Boyd, who played 337 first-grade matches across stints at Brisbane, St George Illawarra and Newcastle, had been a behind-the-scenes presence at the Broncos in a part-time coaching role working with the club’s outside backs, including as a mentor for Reece Walsh.
The two-time premiership winner (2006 with Brisbane and 2010 with St George Illawarra) reportedly worked two days a week over the past three years with the likes of Walsh, Jesse Arthurs, Selwyn Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs, Corey Oates and Deine Mariner.
Boyd, who also represented Australia in 23 Tests and Queensland in 28 State of Origin matches, was also a Clive Churchill Medallist and Dally M fullback of the year in 2010.
But the club will be on the lookout for a new mentor for their superstar fullback after Boyd told the Broncos he wouldn’t be back for a fourth season.
The Courier Mail reported Boyd “was concerned with the direction of the Broncos’ football program”.
Walsh had previously spoken about the importance of Boyd, giving credit during the Broncos’ grand final run in 2023.
“I am very grateful to ‘Darbs’. I wouldn’t be here doing what I am doing without him,” Walsh said in the lead-up to Brisbane’s grand-final loss to Penrith.
“Having him close each week and getting tips off him and picking his brain as much as I can … he has been massive.
“I wouldn’t say just this year either.
“Darbs came to sessions when I was at the EPD (elite player development squad) here in juniors and was teaching us three-on-twos and summing up situations.”
Boyd won’t completely leave the club however, and will continue to work with the Broncos as a mental health ambassador.
The sacking of Walters has left club great considering their future at the club with Brisbane icon Allan Langer reportedly weighing up his future.
Langer, 58, is believed to be “shattered” by his close friend’s sacking and will take time on a family holiday to review his future.
Langer has been a permanent fixture at the Broncos for many years — seen barking instructions in backplay — a role he has also done for the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin.
Walters has previously said of Langer: “He is a great ally to have and is a real Broncos man, which makes it even more special.
“We will be carrying Alf out in a box.”
Originally published as Broncos great Darius Boyd follows Kevin Walters out the door
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