IT WAS during last year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships that people started to get a sense of Boyd's talent. As the youngest player in Vic Metro's division-one winning team, he played a key role, including a four-goal haul against Vic Country. He went on to win the TAC Cup leading goalkicker award, was inducted into the AIS-AFL Academy, and was all of a sudden this year's nominal No.1 draft pick. It has been a tag he's carried well.
For the Academy, Boyd starred against Collingwood's VFL side at the MCG, and went on to kick six goals in his first appearance for Vic Metro against NSW-ACT. His next game was his last for more than three months, went he went down with a severe ankle injury against Western Australia, having booted three goals in the opening 10 minutes. Off little training, Boyd returned from the long layoff to kick four goals in the TAC Cup Grand Final for the Eastern Ranges as they claimed the premiership.
STRENGTHS
Boyd has all the essentials of a key forward. He pulls down contested marks (19 in six games for the Ranges this year), is good when the ball hits the ground, and finds a metre to get marks on the lead. Always big and strong, Boyd has learned to better use that power. He throws his hands at the ball, and has added the 'pack-crash' to his repertoire. Even though his size might be of benefit at the under-18s, Boyd has the smarts to succeed at the next level, too. In one-on-ones his positioning is right, and when he gets the ball he converts his shots. The 18-year-old has a clean, uncomplicated set-shot technique, and rarely wastes an opportunity. Boyd dominates games.
WEAKNESSES
There really isn't too much here for Boyd. His time on the sidelines probably kept him from improving his tank, but that will come with a full pre-season, which he'll be ready for. At his size Boyd is never going to be an enormous runner, but that will gradually grow with more and more summer campaigns.
PLAYS LIKE
Tom Hawkins. Has an near-identical frame to the Geelong spearhead and a similar game style, too. When on his game, Boyd is very hard to stop, outmuscles opponents, and makes the most of his chances.
DRAFT RANGE
Has carried the tag as the No.1 player all year and that's not changing now. Headed to the Giants.
BOTTOM LINE
The perfectly-built power forward, with a hunger for goals and success. He sits clearly as the best player in this draft, and there is no one else like him.
DRAFT RANGE
Has carried the tag as the No.1 player all year and that's not changing now. Headed to the Giants.
BOTTOM LINE
The perfectly-built power forward, with a hunger for goals and success. He sits clearly as the best player in this draft, and there is no one else like him.
