'One bad year': Why Brisbane Broncos 'still need' Darius Boyd

Former Brisbane captain Justin Hodges has dismissed calls for Darius Boyd to step down as skipper and retire, saying the NRL veteran still has something to offer in the centres on or the wing.

Hodges admitted Boyd, 32, was not at his best in 2019 and may benefit from sharing the Broncos captaincy with recently re-signed back-rower Alex Glenn in 2020.

But Hodges said a young Broncos outfit desperately needed the former Test fullback's experience next season in the wake of veteran back-rower Matt Gillett's retirement.

"I know everyone is asking for him to be demoted as captain and retire but you still need that older head, you still need that experience - that's what he brings," Hodges said on Wednesday.

"He is the sort of guy you still need around the club. He has won premierships, he's done everything in the game.

"Whether you put Alex Glenn as co-captain with him that's another avenue for them to explore.

"But if you take Darius Boyd out of it there are not too many other older blokes there.

"Hopefully he stays and everyone gets behind him. He deserves to go out the right way, on his terms."

Boyd battled in his 14th season in 2019, looking ineffective at fullback before being switched to five-eighth.

Critics called for Boyd to walk away from the game, saying he was risking tarnishing his legacy after his failed halves experiment.

The knives were out for Boyd when he failed to provide direction for a Broncos outfit that ultimately suffered an embarrassing NRL finals exit, a record 58-0 loss to Parramatta.

But Hodges believed Boyd could reignite his form going back to where it all began 13 years ago - on the wing or in the centres.

Boyd started on the Broncos wing in his debut 2006 season, juggling the centre position before stamping himself as one of the game's premier fullbacks.

"Obviously he didn't have the best year but you can't put him down for one bad year - he's had 13 other good seasons," Hodges said.

"Moving from fullback to five-eighth disrupted him a little bit as well.

"For him I think he should got back to the centres or even the wing.

"He's played a lot of wing for Queensland. He's the second highest try scorer (in State of Origin) besides GI (Greg Inglis).

"I think he's valuable in that position and with good ball he can come off and play in that fullback role where he can link up.

"But (next year) he just needs to come in relaxed and just play rugby league."