State of Origin Player Profiles: Darius Boyd

by Nick Fray, Origin Online and Over the Line Sports

Origin Online continues its countdown to game two by profiling every single player set to take part in the big game, and today we look at the men who always have a big say in Origin clashes; the wingers. Defences are so tight in most Origin games that the value placed on quality finishers is enormous, so sit back and read up on four men who just might be difference-makers come next Wednesday, starting here with Queensland’s Darius Boyd.

Darius Boyd, Queensland

Winger, Newcastle

Origin Appearances: 18

Origin Tries: 14

Origin Status: Try-scoring machine

Say what you will about Darius Boyd – plenty already have – but ask anyone in the Maroons camp and they’ll tell you there’s nobody they’d rather have out on the left wing than the much-maligned Knight. Boyd has copped his share of criticism for some indifferent club form in recent years, with his often frosty relationship with the media and fans contributing to a somewhat controversial public perception, but facts are facts, and Boyd has done the job time and time again for a dominant Maroons side.

Boyd’s critics will tell you that anyone could be successful running off Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis, but such claims ignore not only the intense  defensive pressure faced at Origin level but also the weight of expectations for a player in his position to make the most of every half-chance he is presented with. Origin selection is all about picking the right man for the job, with mentality and reliability more important than sheer talent and athleticism, and Boyd embodies these traits at the wing position. His record of 14 tries in 18 appearances gives him a strike rate as good as anyone at this level of football, while his mistakes and defensive lapses have been few and far between.

2014 has perhaps been Boyd’s toughest yet at club level, with his Knights side struggling both on and off the field, and he has been singled out by many as one of the clubs key underperformers. This placed enormous pressure on him going into Game One and only served to make his performance even more admirable, as he scored the Maroons’ only two tries and almost snatched a potential game-winner only to be denied by some terrific defence.

The moral of the story is, regardless of public opinion and no matter the circumstances, Boyd always gets the job done for Queensland in the Origin arena, which will make him a key player yet again when the series goes on the line in Game Two. With teammates Billy Slater and Greg Inglis still in doubt, it remains unclear as to where Boyd will even line up, but there’s no doubt he’ll give a great account of himself wherever he lines up. Players like that are invaluable in Origin football.

As one of Origin’s most prolific tryscorers, it feels as though Boyd has been around forever. However at just 26 years of age, Boyd still has plenty of football ahead of him and by the time his career is over, he may just go down as one Origin’s true under-appreciated greats.