Advertisement

Darryl Brohman lashes questionable call as NRL announces next wave of Hall of Fame inductees

The rugby league great is fuming over the selection his long-time enemy.

Rugby league legend Darryl Brohman has questioned the NRL's decision to elevate Les Boyd into the Hall of Fame. Boyd was one of 11 male players confirmed as Hall of Fame inductees on Wednesday, ahead of next week's announcement of the NRL's next Immortal.

Modern-day greats Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston, Benji Marshall and Sam Burgess have all received the honour, as have Australia's first Indigenous representative Lionel Morgan, renowned hardman Boyd, Balmain hooker Benny Elias and Brisbane's four-time premiership winner Steve Renouf. But the decision regarding Boyd has sparked controversy.

Darry Brohman, Les Boyd, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater.
Darry Brohman (L) has blasted the decision to elevate Les Boyd (centre) into the NRL Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater (R). Image: Getty/Channel 9

Brohman took to social media on Wednesday night to criticise the decision amid an ongoing feud between himself and Boyd. In 1983, Boyd was hit with a nine-month suspension for breaking Brohman's jaw in his State of Origin debut for Queensland. Boyd was sent-off after elbowing Brohman straight in the face, not even attempting to tackle him.

Brohman later attempted to sue the NSW forward, and the pair reached an out-of-court settlement. Boyd was also banned for 12 months in 1984 for eye-gouging, which effectively ended his career in Australia.

Les Boyd in 1982.
Les Boyd (R) during a game for Manly in 1982. (Photo by Philip Wayne Lock/Fairfax Media via Getty Images).
Les Boyd and Darryl Brohman.
Les Boyd elbowed Darryl Brohman in the face and broke his jaw. Image: Channel 9

Brohman wrote on social media on Wednesday night: "Les Boyd…..9 Months suspension for breaking my Jaw in 1983. 12 Months for eye gouging Billy Johnston……Gets inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Please!!!!" And plenty of social media users were quick to agree.

In 2007, Boyd also threatened to sue Brohman after the former Queensland representative asked Boyd's wife if she felt he was an "embarrassment" during a live radio segment. Brohman recently said: “At the end of the day he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. I am happy for him not to be part of my life and he would feel the same.”

In confirming Boyd's selection, the NRL labelled Boyd as one of the game's great hard men "during one of the toughest eras, in the 1970s and 1980s, representing Australia in 17 Test matches." According to the NRL's official website, players are considered for Hall of Fame selection based on their "outstanding feats on and off the field" throughout their careers. Boyd went on to play eight State of Origin games for NSW, as well as 229 first-grade games with Western Suburbs, Manly and Warrington in England.

Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis in 2014.
Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis after South Sydney's premiership triumph in 2014. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said on Wednesday: "I'm in awe of this group of players and what they have each done in the game and for the game. This is the best of the best across several phenomenal eras. The group is full of premiership winners, Dally M Medal winners, Clive Churchill Medal winners, Australia, New Zealand and England representatives. There are brilliant halves, powerful and durable forwards and gifted outside backs. All of these players are exceptional."

Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Billy Slater in 2010.
Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Billy Slater after a Test match for Australia in 2010. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

The elevation of Smith and co into the Hall of Fame paves the way for their potential naming as the league's 14th Immortal. Debate has erupted in recent months about whether the next Immortal should be a modern-day great or one of the older legends. The NRL opened the door for the likes of Smith, Thurston and Slater to get the nod by shortening the time from five to three years that players can enter the Hall of Fame after retirement.

with AAP