September 3, 2026 — 2:24pmIt was a very different version of Darius Boyd who fronted the cameras on Thursday afternoon to the man who offered one of the most infamous press conferences in rugby league history.As he was unveiled as Billy Slater’s successor as coach of the Queensland Maroons, Boyd was asked about his evolution since that fateful media appearance as a player in 2014 – one which lasted roughly 40 seconds, in which his answers were more grunts and dismissive retorts.“Are you trying to make me emotional?” Boyd laughed, before reflecting on his transformation.New Maroons coach Darius Boyd, pictured celebrating a try in game three of the 2016 series.GettyBack then, the former fullback and winger who managed 28 State of Origin caps – scoring 17 tries to sit second on the all-time list – was battling internal demons which eventually rose to the surface.Now, he is a passionate mental health advocate, and has used his experiences to become the new face of the Maroons, as they hunt retribution following the 2-1 series defeat this year.“I’ve been on a journey, we’re all on a journey and have all had adversity, and it’s not about what happens to you, it’s about what you do next and the strategies you have in place,” Boyd said.“I’ve learned a lot over my time, I’ve got a young family now as well, and these things for me are not about ego. It’s about wanting to be better and make a difference.“So many wonderful people have helped make a difference to me, and I want to repay that in spades.”Boyd’s upbringing had thrown roadblocks in his path well before his NRL career launched. He never met his father, while he became estranged from his mother as a teenager and moved in with his grandmother Delphine, who passed away in 2017.“She was a big part of my life in my last few years of high school and childhood. It wasn’t easy, but we made it work, and she would be extremely proud,” Boyd recalled.So deep did Boyd fall throughout his 341-game NRL career – one highlighted by premierships with the Broncos and Dragons – he put himself into a mental rehabilitation facility after his wife left him for a short period.But he believes his road to redemption can be one which inspires the Queensland side in his two-year tenure.“Going to that mental health facility, I needed to make a change – I knew that, and needed some support from key people in my life. I needed to grow my support network as well, and that didn’t happen overnight,” Boyd said.“I went there and learned a lot about myself; I needed to grow and become a man and make good decisions. I’ve been on that journey ever since, and whether it’s my young family at home or the players I coach, I’m trying to make a difference and better not only my life but theirs as well.“When you think about the mental side of the game, everyone runs the same shapes, the same plays, similar programming, and sometimes it’s the team and players who turn up with the right mindset more often than not.“I think Origin is the pinnacle for that.”Since retiring from the NRL, Boyd has slowly built himself into a coach – working as an assistant at his former club under Kevin Walters, while spearheading Queensland’s under-19 outfits to back-to-back wins in 2025 and 2026.Given the youth within the state’s ranks – Robert Toia, Sam Walker, Reece Walsh and Jeremiah Nanai the leading examples of the stars under the age of 25 – he felt Queensland was “in a great space” to wrestle back Origin ascendancy.Wayne Bennett with Darius Boyd.ninevmsBoyd chuckled he was “not particularly” interested in a future as an NRL head coach, but confirmed he would seek out others who have filled the Maroons role before him – notably Wayne Bennett.Boyd played under Bennett at the Broncos, Dragons and Knights, and hinted he would be a key mentor ahead of his 2027 debut.“I’ve got a lot of professional and personal support, I’ve been leaning on them for a long period of time now, and Wayne’s a part of that, for sure. He’s the super coach, it’d be silly not to get his advice on different things,” Boyd said.“But Billy’s been there and done a great job, and there are so many wonderful Queenslanders – Cooper Cronk, Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, JT [Johnathan Thurston] – who want the best for Queensland. I’ll be using all those guys to make sure we get the job done.”Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.More:State of OriginNRL 2026NRL 2026Queensland MaroonsBilly SlaterFrom our partners