WITCH HUNT MUST END, BOYD TELLS THE FANS
DARIUS Boyd believes Dragons $6 million man Ben Hunt has been mentally battered by criticism of his form and fears constant “negativity” is triggering depression among NRL stars.
Hunt will face one of the biggest tests of his NRL career on Sunday when the besieged Dragons halfback confronts his former Broncos teammates in a sudden-death final at Suncorp Stadium.
Hunt’s return had a spicy preamble yesterday when he found an ally in Broncos skipper Boyd, who slammed critics for pushing the biggest names to breaking point.
Even a section of Dragons fans have lashed Hunt’s form slump over the past eight weeks, prompting the halfback’s wife Bridget to hit back a fortnight ago with a social media spray.
Boyd claims vicious public scrutiny was a factor in his own decision to check into rehab in 2014 and he expressed concern at Hunt being hammered over his $1 milliona-season Dragons deal. “It’s gone too far,” he said. “We have to constantly put up with negative people and naysayers. Ben will be doing his best to win the game for the Dragons … but there’s no reason for people to be bringing someone down.
“It’s not warranted, in my opinion.”
Asked if the type of criticism being fired at Hunt was triggering mental health issues for NRL players, Boyd said: “100 per cent.”