Darryl Brohman vs Les Boyd: Footy star turned commentator explodes over NRL Hall of Fame honour for rival who broke his jaw – and fans agree

A major row has erupted following the latest NRL Hall of Fame announcement, with the inclusion of one footy legend angering fans and a former player. 

Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith was the pick of 11 male players confirmed as Hall of Fame inductees on Wednesday ahead of next week’s Immortal unveiling, with Sam Burgess, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater also recognised. 

But the decision to award former NSW and Kangaroos forward Les Boyd with Hall of Fame status has angered ex-Origin rival Darryl Brohman, who led the outcry against the decision.

Boyd famously broke Brohman’s jaw in a feisty Origin match back in 1983, with some arguing that his behaviour flies in the face of the NRL’s claim that the Boyd is one of ‘an extraordinary class of inductees into the NRL Hall of Fame, featuring pioneers, record-breakers and game-changers’. 

Forty one years after that infamous moment, Brohman has let rip at the decision. 

‘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!!!!’ he wrote on X.

Footy fans were united in their view of Boyd’s induction.

‘Absolutely horrible decision,’ one fan said. ‘How has the game come to this? Credibility out the window.’ 

Former NSW Blues star Boyd was inducted with 10 other footy greats on Wednesday

But Boyd was involved in a string of controversies during his career, including breaking Brohman’s jaw during Origin in 1983. Brohman missed nine months of footy as a result

‘Well said Darryl,’ said a second fan. ‘Completely disrespectful by the NRL.’ 

‘It’s a disgrace,’ said a third fan.

‘Majority of the game agrees with you Darryl,’ added a fourth fan. ‘It’s an absolute disgrace. Really really poor from the NRL.’ 

‘It was certainly eye raising from my recollections working on the league beat at the time,’ said Robert Smith. ‘That hit on you in the Origin was reprehensible.’

The NRL, explaining its decision to induct Boyd, said: ‘Boyd was one of the game’s hardmen during one of the toughest eras, in the 1970s and 1980s, representing Australia in 17 Test matches.’ 

Yet his career was marred by a string of controversies, including the Brohman incident that left the Queensland star unable to play for the rest of the 1983 season.

Brohman was reportedly paid $30,000 following a legal action against Boyd.

The pair came face-to-face in 2019 at the Snake Gully Cup races at Gundagai, but refused to shake hands.  

‘At the end of the day he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him,’ Brohman recently told News Corp.

‘I am happy for him not to be part of my life and he would feel the same.’