3 minute read
Sending veteran fullback Darius Boyd into NRL retirement on a high will be Brisbane's primary motivation for Thursday's derby against North Queensland.
His farewell season has been one to forget but Brisbane are determined to give Darius Boyd one last reason to celebrate.
The Broncos veteran is set to play the 337th and final game of his career at Suncorp Stadium against North Queensland on Thursday.
Even with a win over the Cowboys, the last-placed Broncos could finish the night with the first wooden spoon in club history.
Interim coach Peter Gentle said avoiding that unwanted piece of history wasn't what would be driving his team in their final fixture of a dreadful 2020 campaign.
"We've had an awful season ... we're sitting where we are for obvious reasons," Gentle said.
"We could still win and Bulldogs win and still get it (wooden spoon).
"What we're trying to do is send Darbs out a winner. That's the motivation this week."
Boyd isn't the only NRL 300-gamer who is out for a happy farewell on Thursday with Cowboys backrower Gavin Cooper playing his last game for the club.
While Cooper's playing future is undecided, the 2015-premiership winner's teammates are eager not to end his time at the club on a low.
Stand-in captain Jordan McLean also admits the chance to condemn Queensland rivals Brisbane to last place adds some extra spice to the clash.
"It probably does a little bit," McLean said.
"They've had our number the last couple of games that we've played them.
"There's a few reasons there ... there's a lot of motivation to go down there and play well.
"They're sending Darbs off, we're sending Coops off. Very similar."
TOP 10 MOST NRL APPEARANCES
(* - denotes still active)
427 - Cameron Smith (Melbourne)*
373 - Cooper Cronk (Melbourne, Sydney Roosters)
355 - Darren Lockyer (Brisbane)
350 - Terry Lamb (Western Suburbs, Canterbury)
349 - Steve Menzies (Manly, Northern Eagles)
348 - Paul Gallen (Cronulla)
347 - Corey Parker (Brisbane)
338 - Chris Heighington (Wests Tigers, Cronulla, Newcastle)
336 - Darius Boyd (Brisbane, St George Illawarra, Newcastle)*, Brad Fittler (Penrith, Sydney Roosters), John Sutton (South Sydney)
332 - Cliff Lyons (North Sydney, Manly)
