When the Broncos won their 2006 premiership, Darius Boyd was just happy to be there.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was literally on the outer of that side, the 2006 rookie of the year was playing on the wing opposite fellow teen Karmichael Hunt in the grand final and still pinching himself at being in the NRL.
"I didn't really know what was happening a lot, I was just along for the ride," he said of that win.
Nine years and two clubs on, with a 2010 premiership under his belt in the Wayne Bennett-coached Dragons, he will be playing a far more central role in the Brisbane number one jersey.
The Brisbane fullback is one of four players from the 2006 team that beat the Storm still at Red Hill this season with Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker and Justin Hodges, and he said there's a very different feel.
"If we got to win one now, I'd feel more of a part of it... it'd be a special occasion," he said.
"It's good because I was just happy to be playing first grade at the time, so it was so different just riding the wave with guys like (Darren) Lockyer and (Brad) Thorn and Petero (Civoniceva).
"I definitely feel more a part of it and I'm more experienced...it's my 10th year now, you know how hard it is to win them and even get in this position so it will definitely be very special.
In a way this Broncos outfit has mirrored the 2006 side, topping the table at the midway point for the first time since that season, though they will almost definitely finish second whereas the '06 crop were third.
A team filled with household names, including Shane Webcke, Thorn, Lockyer and Civoniceva all on the verge of or past 30 in 2006, Boyd said this was a different mould to Broncos' success.
Gun five-eighth Anthony Milford is just 21, his halves partner Ben Hunt is 25 and with Justin Hodges' successor likely to be 24-year-old Jordan Kahu, this is a team with the better part of a decade in front of them.
"In a different way, it was a lot older, more experienced group back then, now we're a different side I suppose younger and (with) more attacking flair in different ways," Boyd said.
"We've really gained that experience that we need the last couple of weeks and we'll need to improve a few things in the next coming weeks."
It wasn't until those back-to-back Sydney matches against the Roosters and Souths that Boyd genuinely felt Brisbane could challenge for the premiership, despite their scintillating start to the year.
"I think it's only been the last couple of weeks for me personally. While we've had a really good year, I think we've definitely needed to improve on some things," he said.
"I feel like the last two weeks against the Rabbitohs and the Roosters we were definitely on our way to doing those, but there's still a little way to go."
