- Les Boyd’s Hall of Fame Induction Infuriated Darryl Brohman
- The New South Wales legend broke Brohman’s jaw in 1983
- Fans agree with the “shameful” decision
A huge controversy has erupted following the latest NRL Hall of Fame announcement, with the inclusion of a football legend angering fans and a former player.
Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith was chosen among 11 male players confirmed as Hall of Famers on Wednesday ahead of next week’s Immortal unveiling, alongside Sam Burgess, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater.
But the decision to grant former NSW and Kangaroos forward Les Boyd Hall of Fame status has angered former Origin rival Darryl Brohman, who has led the protest against the decision.
Boyd broke Brohman’s jaw in a tough Origin match in 1983, and some argue his behaviour contradicts the NRL’s claim that Boyd is one of “an extraordinary class of NRL Hall of Fame inductees, featuring pioneers, record-breakers and game-changers”.
Forty-one years after that infamous moment, Brohman has spoken out against that decision.
“Les Boyd… 9 months ban for breaking my jaw in 1983. 12 months for gouging Billy Johnston’s eyes out… Get into the Rugby League Hall of Fame! Please!” he wrote on X.
Football fans were united in their opinion on Boyd’s signing.
“Absolutely horrible decision,” said one fan. “How did the game get to this point? Credibility has gone out the window.”
Darryl Brohman has slammed the decision to induct Les Boyd into the NRL Hall of Fame
Former NSW Blues star Boyd was inducted alongside 10 other football greats on Wednesday
But Boyd was involved in a number of controversies during his career, including breaking Brohman’s jaw during Origin in 1983. Brohman missed nine months of football as a result.
“Well said Darryl,” commented a second fan. “Totally disrespectful of the NRL.”
“It’s a disgrace,” said a third fan.
“The majority of the game agrees with you Darryl,” added a fourth fan. “It’s an absolute disgrace. A really, really bad result from the NRL.”
“It was really scary, as I recall when I was working in the league section at the time,” said Robert Smith. “That knock you got in Origin was reprehensible.”
The NRL, explaining its decision to include Boyd, said: “Boyd was one of the toughest men in the game during one of its toughest times in the 1970s and 1980s, representing Australia in 17 Test matches.”
However, his career was marred by a number of controversies, including the Brohman incident which left the Queensland star unable to play for the remainder of the 1983 season.
Brohman was reportedly paid $30,000 following legal action against Boyd.
The pair met face to face in 2019 at the Snake Gully Cup races in Gundagai but declined to shake hands.
“At the end of the day, he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him,” Brohman recently told News Corp.
‘I’m glad he’s not a part of my life and he would feel the same.’
