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Brisbane Broncos recruit Darius Boyd has snapped his Achilles tendon at training and will spend up to nine months on the sidelines.
It is a bitter setback for the Queensland State of Origin outside back who returned to Red Hill for the 2015 NRL season after stints at St George Illawarra and Newcastle.
Scans have confirmed the injury and Darius will undergo surgery next Tuesday which is expected to sideline the club’s fullback for six to nine months.
The 27-year-old was in his second week of pre-season when the injury occurred about 40 minutes into training.
While the injury is a blow to the club, Chief Executive Paul White said previous injuries of this nature had proven that full recovery was normal.
“The one thing we do know from previous experience – such as with Justin Hodges – is that players return from this injury to full fitness,” said White.
“At this stage are thoughts are only with Darius and helping him get ready for his operation so he can begin his recovery with as much support as possible.”
Broncos Coach Wayne Bennett said the player will receive the best medical treatment.
“It’s the achilles. My initial thought is that’s footy, that’s life, we get on with it,” Bennett said.
“I just saw Darius on the ground, he’s done his achilles, so that’s the bottom line, it’s a six-month injury and we have to get on with life.
“They were just doing a simple training drill, we call them shuttles, and Darius did a turn and that’s as simple as it will be. It’s no-one’s fault, it just happens.
“There’s nothing we can do now. If you do enough training in life, things like that will happen.”
“We have a team of players, it’s no dramas. I wish it didn’t happen but it’s happened,” he said.
“Halfway through the season he will be back playing for us, we’ll manage it while he’s away and get on with life.”
The club is making no further comment on the matter and will get on with pre-season training.
Boyd was in his first week of training after spending time in a mental health clinic to treat depression. He didn’t play the final portion of the season with Newcastle because of this.
Boyd followed mentor Wayne Bennett back to Brisbane where he was to assume the fullback position.
Now it appears Brisbane’s plans of playing fellow recruit Anothony Milford in the halves are shot, and he will have to take up the fullback spot. Brisbane are likely ruing the losses of Josh Hoffman and Ben Barba, the former to Gold Coast and Barba to Cronulla.
He has been a mainstay on the wing for Queensland for the past seven seasons, racking up 15 tries in 21 games playing outside Greg Inglis.
With AAP
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