The critics may have been silenced but it seems speculation over Brisbane skipper Darius Boyd’s future may not go away until the end of the NRL season.
Broncos coach Anthony Seibold said he would wait until their 2019 campaign was over before discussing five-eighth Boyd’s future plans.
However, Seibold revealed Boyd had indicated his veteran leader wanted to at least run around again next year.
And few would argue against it after Boyd turned back the clock to help inspire Brisbane’s stirring 17-16 golden point win over Parramatta on Friday night that kept their finals quest alive.
Boyd was inspirational, scoring a 43rd-minute try and making a solo run before David Fifita muscled his way over in the 30th along with one tackle break and a linebreak.
“He was outstanding. I have copped criticism for backing him which I don’t understand – you back your leaders,” Seibold said of Boyd.
“Against a quality side I thought he was in our top two if not our best player.
“It was good for Darius to come back and repay the faith shown in him and he has done that a few times when he has been questioned this year.”
Boyd has two years left on his current deal reportedly worth $800,000 a season.
But critics had been calling for the 32-year-old to retire at season’s end after what they believed had been an ill-fated switch from fullback to five-eighth this year.
An off-field campaign to get the veteran leader to retire in order to free up cash to retain young gun Fifita became so loud that it even prompted Boyd’s wife Kayla to defend her husband on social media this week.
Seibold didn’t expect Boyd to be going anywhere but admitted he would not sit down with his skipper to discuss his future until after the 2019 season.
And he hoped that discussion wouldn’t happen for many weeks to come after Brisbane remained on track to play finals footy.
They provisionally moved into seventh and can guarantee a top eight finish by downing Canterbury next week in the regular season finale.
Seibold said whatever Boyd decided, they had already ensured there was salary cap space to re-sign the in-demand Fifita who is off contract next year.
“I haven’t even spoken to Darius about what he is thinking next year or the year after because now is not the right time,” he said.
“We are in a fight with three or four other teams to play finals.
“He’s indicated to me he wants to go around again next year but now is not the right time to be having those conversations.
“But we have money there for David Fifita – whatever Darius does won’t have an impact.”
