Lions.com.au’s Carl Nimb caught up with Fitzroy’s last ever Captain Brad Boyd, who played 85 games in eight seasons with Fitzroy and the Lions from 1992-1999.

After spending most of your development years with Collingwood, how did you end up at Fitzroy?  

I was at Collingwood from the age of 14 through the development squad, as I was zoned to the Magpies back in the day. I went through the Under 14s, Under 15s, Under 17s and then the Under 19s. I then progressed onto the Reserves and then finally the senior list as an adult in 1990 – which happened to be a premiership year.

I was still there in 1991 and at the end of the year was part of a trade between Collingwood and Fitzroy. Collingwood wanted to get Tony Woods across to the club and Fitzroy requested me in return – that was a good deal for Collingwood. It wasn’t like I was on the trade table, rather it was opportunistic from Fitzroy to get me across to the club.

These days the draft process is much more elaborate and young players are scrutinised more now than ever. How does this compare with your draft experience?

I was basically zoned to Collingwood and went straight through their system to the senior side, so I kind of missed the process that is being done now.

It was a different period back then. And for the record it was a good way to do it – being developed through the club from an early age.

Collingwood used to come and watch me all the time from when I started in the Under 14 development squad. I played Under 19s at the age of 16 and then I was playing Reserves at the age of 17.

You learnt the hard way playing against men but it was a great system and you just went right through and that’s all I knew really.

Were you happy to go to Fitzroy considering that Collingwood had come off a premiership only a year earlier?

I was quite happy at Collingwood, and I wasn’t looking to go anywhere else.

But when you are traded and your time is up, then that is what happens and it was really taken out of my hands.

At Fitzroy, were you and the playing group aware of the financial difficulties the Club was facing at the time?

You always knew that there was financial trouble because there were always late payments, and one time we were even locked out of a training facility.

So we were aware that their was administrative issues but they did try and keep the playing group together in good spirits. What probably made it more difficult was that I had just come from a powerful club like Collingwood.

Do you think those sorts of issues made you tighter as a playing group?

It did, but there was a big exodus at the end of 1993. Alastair Lynch went to the Brisbane Bears and then Ross Lyon and Paul Roos left at the end of 1994 when things got worse.

We were then left with a lot of young kids in that last year or two. No doubt it was difficult times but you just did what you could do.

In 1995 you were not only appointed Captain, but also took out Fitzroy’s Best & Fairest award. How did the Captaincy role come about?

Good question, I don’t really know to be honest. It may have been because of the exodus at that time, there were not that many senior players left and maybe they were not the right senior players to be Captain.

The Club may have been looking at a long-term option for the Captaincy and it was really just a decision for the Match Committee and the Board.

I didn’t really know that it was going to take place to be honest and I was as shocked as anyone when it was announced.

You were only 22 at the time when you became Captain. These days, clubs tend to steer away from appointing Captains too young, but do you think it may have helped elevate your game?

It was definitely an extra responsibility. Being down the bottom of the ladder, it was very tough on-field to get your hands on the ball at times.

I had issues in 1996 with injuries too, which was frustrating because as Captain I was not able to play the footy I wanted to.

You had the opportunity to play State of Origin in 1994 and 1995, what was it like to represent Victoria and play with some of the modern day greats?

There was a game that I played, probably the final State game that I played in 1995, and our forward line that day was Garry Lyon, Jason Dunstall, Gary Ablett Sr, Stewart Loewe and Tony Lockett.

It was a ridiculous side. It was hard to know who to kick it to, I can tell you.

That was a side that had Stephen Silvagni at full-back also.

They were the good old days and that was also the match where Ted Whitten did a lap of honour before the kick-off. I loved it. When I was playing, that was the pinnacle of the game other than if you were playing Finals.

To get selected was an honour and it would be great to see it come back, but whether it does or not time will tell.

Do you think State of Origin has a place in the modern AFL calendar considering that we now have an 18-team national competition?

It’s hard for me to answer given I’ve been out of the game for so long.

It would need to be supported and they would need a week for it to be done correctly. It would need to be organised well. It depends on whether the AFL wants to continue with the International Rules or not. Whether that series has worked the way that the AFL thought it would, it’s hard to know as well.

Maybe the International Rules hasn’t done as well as anticipated. It can’t beat the WA, SA and Victoria rivalries.

You were Captain at Fitzroy in 1996 when the news broke of the merger with the Brisbane Bears.  Were you given a heads-up that Brisbane were interested in you and wanted to take you as one of their preferred players?

Yes. Straight away I was told.

It must have been a strange period of time knowing that only a handful of Fitzroy players were going to be selected as part of the Brisbane Lions’ side?

From memory I was the first one signed and approached. I knew well in advance.

What do you do, it was the reality of it at the time and I knew I was going to be one of the eight selected and a lot of my teammates had to either find new homes or retire.

Nothing much was said (between the players at Fitzroy). I was in talks with Brisbane at the time and there was plenty of rumour and innuendo of who was being approached.

Injuries restricted you to just 15 games in three seasons with the merged Lions. What was the nature of the injury?

It was my back, and I ended up having surgery on it.

There were underlying issues and Brisbane tried everything possible to fix it. It just got to the point where I’d had enough. You just know when it is not going to happen for you.

I did try and come back one final time and played some good footy but then got injured again and that was it.

Today you’re living on the Mornington Peninsula and last year you were involved with the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League Under 18s. Are you coaching again this year?

No, I’m not doing any coaching this year.

I am having a year off and just concentrating on work. I own my own business, Abode Real Estate Mount Martha, and just enjoying watching my kids (Liam and Matt) play footy on a Sunday.

Are your boys keen to get into the AFL system one day?

I am sure that they would be. They have some talent but as we all know, talent alone is not going to get you where you need to go in the game.

The ever-changing rules of the game are always a hot topic for discussion in the media. Are there any rule changes that have either perplexed or annoyed you as a fan of the game?

I never liked umpires anyway mate (laughs).

It is not easy umpiring obviously and I think they are trying to find the right balance.

Last year it was a bit ‘tiggy touchwood’ and you couldn’t touch anybody, whereas this year they’ve put the whistle away even when some free kicks seem blatantly obvious.

I think it is just the interpretation of the rules. Just keep it simple and protect the person going for the ball. These bump rules makes it hard on the players to know what to do.

When we were playing it was just go in a get it at all costs. If you pulled out, you would get questioned.

It’s a different world now. I’d suggest maybe going back to basics and protect the person going for the ball. If it is a high tackle or head high bump then pay the applicable free kick. Ultimately, it is a contact sport.