Boyd says Billy can be Maroons’ No.1 man
DARIUS Boyd has offered to give up his Queensland No.1 jumper to returning Storm champion Billy Slater.
Underlining the team-first ethos that drives the Maroons, Boyd said he would have no qualms if Queensland coach Kevin Walters moved him from fullback for Origin I.
The Broncos captain stamped himself as Queensland and Australia’s best fullback last season while Slater was recovering from a second bout of shoulder surgery.
Slater made a solid comeback on Thursday night and his backfield duel with Boyd was seen as a precursor to a battle for Queensland’s No.1 jumper.
Walters last month revealed the form of Slater and Boyd would dictate his selection but Brisbane’s skipper yesterday offered to stand down from his Origin fullback role.
“I’d definitely step aside,” Boyd admitted.
“Billy is the best fullback we’ve seen and he deserves that spot for Queensland.
“I’ve always felt fortunate just to be in the Queensland team. If he (Maroons coach Walters) wants Billy as the fullback, that’s fine with me, I will play somewhere else.’’
Boyd spent his first eight Origin campaigns playing 23 games on the wing, but he prefers the fullback spot.
Meanwhile, Brisbane forward Sam Thaiday has been handed a maximum $2100 fine for squeezing the injured thumb of Melbourne prop Jesse Bromwich in Thursday night’s NRL clash.
Thaiday was hit with a grade-one contrary conduct charge, but can reduce the penalty to $1550 with an early guilty plea. He is free to line up against Canberra.