MVP Tommy Boyd - The Grand Final Enigma

ab
Dannnnnnn and others.... putting past performances aside for a second.... let's assume that Boyd continues the trend from 2017 and 2018 and has another disappointing season in 2019....

1. What influence, if any, do you think his remaining contract has on the Club's capacity to offer Josh Kelly terms that are competitive with other club offers at season's end?

2. What action should the club take, if any, regarding Boyd and his remaining two year contract, to help secure Kelly or use for other purposes?
The 'big' years of his contract have passed, not that I think we're really in the hunt for Kelly anyway.
I'm worried about Boyd's back and the fact he's still not in 'full' training months after the problem was recognised.

Right now he's not in my round 1 side - Schache is clearly our most important forward and has the tank to cover a lot of ground even if he's better on a lead than in a pack. Trengove will be our no 1 ruck (even teammates are commenting on it on social media e.g. 'shin pads on Trenners') and we simply have to get games into English as the no 2 ruck especially as he actually showed a little as a forward and at 206cm is a genuine aerial threat.

Boyd will be coming into his prime after this year as his contract is diminishing then over. In an ideal world he's ready to play as Trengove is finishing up and English is monstering the opposition but I have as much faith in Jordan Sweet as I do in Tom Boyd right now. Boyd has everything except fitness and competitiveness but they are two enormous hurdles to overcome.

I think the first ruck experiment is over. He's shown glimpses as a KPF and that's where he needs to play most of his football from now on.
 
ab
The 'big' years of his contract have passed, not that I think we're really in the hunt for Kelly anyway.
I'm worried about Boyd's back and the fact he's still not in 'full' training months after the problem was recognised.

Right now he's not in my round 1 side - Schache is clearly our most important forward and has the tank to cover a lot of ground even if he's better on a lead than in a pack. Trengove will be our no 1 ruck (even teammates are commenting on it on social media e.g. 'shin pads on Trenners') and we simply have to get games into English as the no 2 ruck especially as he actually showed a little as a forward and at 206cm is a genuine aerial threat.

Boyd will be coming into his prime after this year as his contract is diminishing then over. In an ideal world he's ready to play as Trengove is finishing up and English is monstering the opposition but I have as much faith in Jordan Sweet as I do in Tom Boyd right now. Boyd has everything except fitness and competitiveness but they are two enormous hurdles to overcome.

I think the first ruck experiment is over. He's shown glimpses as a KPF and that's where he needs to play most of his football from now on.
His first goal toward redemption should be to avoid Mofra's Bottom 50 for 2019.
Small steps ...
 

Next Waiting

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 19, 2014
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I find myself in the indifferent category when it comes to Boyd playing again.

He cost us pick 6 and 6 million dollars but we won a long overdue flag we would not have won without him. Influential in the two most important games we've played in the last 50 years and arguably the most influential in the one that really counted.

If someone had said prior to 2016 that you can have TB for 6 million bucks and 2014 pick 6 on the following conditions
  • he'll be on your list for 6 years
  • he'll only play 4 of those 6 years
  • he'll only play 2 good games in the 2 years that he plays
  • those 2 games will win you a flag
Will you take the deal? I find that the answer is always yes.

The media (in particular) and a variety of others are always looking for ways to say we overpaid. I don't think we did. Whatever happened afterwards, he paid for himself on GF day 2016. If he plays again he plays, if he doesn't he doesn't. A sunk cost IMO.
 
His cost came with the reward of premiership. No dollar value can ever be put on that.

I'd love him to find some form, but if he doesn't, than so be it.

Everytime you want to ask the question, was he worth it, the only figures you need to think of are 61 years.
 
He's only 23 years old, folks. Doesn't turn 24 until August.

So it's still early days for a big fella. Particularly one who has already shown he can star on the biggest stage of them all.

There's a pretty good chance he'll turn out OK, even if he can't live up to those hyperbolic early expectations.
 

BrisDog

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Dec 13, 2012
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Blokes, he will overcome his back issue. I had a 23 mm herniation of the S1 (same as Toyd) that I overcame this year through physio and yoga, and I am no professional athlete, let me tell you (used to be - benched 190). No more deadlifting Tommy boy, concentrate on throwing the knee out into blokes backs and bringing the ball to Gowers feet. The rest will be history
 
Sep 7, 2015
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Blokes, he will overcome his back issue. I had a 23 mm herniation of the S1 (same as Toyd) that I overcame this year through physio and yoga, and I am no professional athlete, let me tell you (used to be - benched 190). No more deadlifting Tommy boy, concentrate on throwing the knee out into blokes backs and bringing the ball to Gowers feet. The rest will be history

Benched 190? I bet it was a half rep with spotters on either end of the barbell doing half the work.
 

Whoyagot

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Sep 18, 2018
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The most dangerous part of managing Boyd’s Contract is now imo. Fingers crossed it’s low enough now that it doesn’t impact any of the negotiations for the signatures of the huge number of up and coming on our list (like Williams, Daniel etc)

It also completely tanks any of the clubs bargaining power when a player who is arguably one of the smallest consistent contributors to the clubs performance is on such big coin.

Yes I understand that he played a monster game and I’m so happy he did but let’s not forget about players like Clay or Picko that were just as crucial through the finals series or players like Bont, Morris and Hunter who were top three in the BnF for that year.
 

AJARWA

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Mar 2, 2012
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1. None. There are others now on as much if not more than Boyd will be for 2020
2. Nothing. What makes you beleive btw we are any chance at all of securing Kelly that would make this an issue anyway other than the dreams of some of the big footy posters on this board?
Just using Kelly as an example. Whether it's Kelly or some other high profile target is kind of beside the point. But I would be disappointed if the club wasn't talking with Kelly's manager.

My interest really is what influence does Boyd's contract have on our capacity to land trade targets next offseason (considering we've missed both lever and wingard recently, although granted perhaps not due to $$ only).

And, if Boyd continues his recent trend of form and consistency and struggles in 2019 to establish himself as best 22, for whatever reason, should the club look at asking him to take leave for 12 months, retire (as they seem to have done with redpath and cloke) or some other action so we don't have highly paid players on the list soaking up cap space.

I don't have a strong opinion either way at this point. Which is why I ask the question, to see what others think. But I am of the view that these questions need to be considered this year if Boyd can't improve on recent seasons, regardless of 2016 performances.
 

AJARWA

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He's only 23 years old, folks. Doesn't turn 24 until August.

So it's still early days for a big fella. Particularly one who has already shown he can star on the biggest stage of them all.

There's a pretty good chance he'll turn out OK, even if he can't live up to those hyperbolic early expectations.
Age is certainly on his side. But I think his form and consistency trend over the past two seasons is worrying. Big year for him in 2019.
 

AJARWA

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Mar 2, 2012
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I find myself in the indifferent category when it comes to Boyd playing again.

He cost us pick 6 and 6 million dollars but we won a long overdue flag we would not have won without him. Influential in the two most important games we've played in the last 50 years and arguably the most influential in the one that really counted.

If someone had said prior to 2016 that you can have TB for 6 million bucks and 2014 pick 6 on the following conditions
  • he'll be on your list for 6 years
  • he'll only play 4 of those 6 years
  • he'll only play 2 good games in the 2 years that he plays
  • those 2 games will win you a flag
Will you take the deal? I find that the answer is always yes.

The media (in particular) and a variety of others are always looking for ways to say we overpaid. I don't think we did. Whatever happened afterwards, he paid for himself on GF day 2016. If he plays again he plays, if he doesn't he doesn't. A sunk cost IMO.
$6mil or $7mil?
https://www.triplem.com.au/story/damian-barrett-reveals-tom-boyds-extraordinary-2016-salary-23904
Agree to some extent about the cost to date but I'm not comfortable with Boyd being on the list for three more years and not performing.
 

AJARWA

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OK thanks.

Do you know how well the treatment is going? Will Boyd be available for Round 1?
I'd like to see a report from the club if it is a lower back disc herniation. Don't understand why the club couldn't simply confirm this or whatever the injury is.
 

chop0205

Team Captain
Mar 28, 2007
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Like it or not, the Boyd contract is why our last two years have been so bad.
That’s simply not true

Injuries, rule changes and perhaps some less then adequate preseasons have crippled the last two years. 1 bloke out of 44 does not a summer make.
Demonise him all you want, the bloke has the courage to put his hand up when he is not right. He got a once in a lifetime offer that nobody on here would knock back. 1st Oct 2016 he delivered on the biggest stage possible.
FWIW, I still think he will be very very serviceable at FF w Shache at CHF, but really, we are all armchair experts, I put my trust in the football department who know exactly what’s going on and what will be best for both the player and the club.
But go ahead Scrag, keep laying into him mate, work with Majak
 
That’s simply not true

Injuries, rule changes and perhaps some less then adequate preseasons have crippled the last two years. 1 bloke out of 44 does not a summer make.
Demonise him all you want, the bloke has the courage to put his hand up when he is not right. He got a once in a lifetime offer that nobody on here would knock back. 1st Oct 2016 he delivered on the biggest stage possible.
FWIW, I still think he will be very very serviceable at FF w Shache at CHF, but really, we are all armchair experts, I put my trust in the football department who know exactly what’s going on and what will be best for both the player and the club.
But go ahead Scrag, keep laying into him mate, work with Majak
Scrag is just trolling Chop. 90% of his posts are tongue in cheek.
 

JJHunter

Club Legend
Jan 15, 2008
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Dannnnnnn and others.... putting past performances aside for a second.... let's assume that Boyd continues the trend from 2017 and 2018 and has another disappointing season in 2019....

1. What influence, if any, do you think his remaining contract has on the Club's capacity to offer Josh Kelly terms that are competitive with other club offers at season's end?

2. What action should the club take, if any, regarding Boyd and his remaining two year contract, to help secure Kelly or use for other purposes?


If it was front ended as we were lead to believe the last two years of his contract are not going to be that significant - especially when the 20% increase that was given to players isn’t factored in to his contract.

What leads anyone to believe we would be a chance for Kelly !? Another poor year on field and we won’t be a destination club for him that’s for sure. He will want immediate success. If we did secure him it would be the single biggest recruiting get in the clubs history.

Experience and history tells me it what happen ...

But it also told we we wouldn’t beat the eagles in Perth in a 2016 final after an average losing margin of close to 80 there in recent matches
 
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