Boyd up to his old tricks and proving he's 'still got it'

Darius Boyd has vowed to resort to his favourite play more often after answering his many critics with a vintage performance in last week's much-needed win over Manly.

Boyd's former coach Wayne Bennett threw his support behind the under siege Brisbane captain, declaring he has "still got it" after Boyd chimed into the backline to fire a perfect cut-out pass to Corey Oates early in the second half to give the Broncos the lead for the first time.

"That is my best play and it always has been," Boyd told NRL.com.

"I need to be a bit more dominant and call those plays that suit me more often, which will only help the team as well.

"My best play is just out the back and trying to hit the winger. We knew Manly would jam so when teams do that that it suits me if I can get the ball in my hands early enough and throw it to Oates or the winger on the other side.

"We have practised a few things that suit my game a bit better, which is the old shape where it is just get the ball to me and I throw it long to the winger."

Boyd was working overtime on the play with Oates and Jamayne Isaako at Broncos training on Monday in preparation for the blockbuster clash with the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Bennett said Boyd's assertion that he needed to call the play more often was "probably true" while adding that the Brisbane fullback was a master of the play after learning off one of the best.

"When Darius has been at his best the teams he has played in have been at their best, because he nails it," Bennett told NRL.com.

"It is just practice. Karmichael Hunt spent a lot of time with him and was very good at it, and on occasions he'd go and work with Karmichael on it.

"He has got the authority to do that [play] and the games behind him to do that. It is something that he should be naturally doing … and not something he's thinking he needs to get permission off someone for."

Boyd, who also scored after following an Anthony Milford kick, had his best all-round game of the year against Manly with his bravery under the high ball, try assist and leadership all coming to the fore.

"I don’t think he was playing that bad personally," Bennett said.

"He has always been easy to criticise for some reason, so when he's not absolutely perfect he gets more criticism than most other guys.

"When you train like he does and you are as honest as he is, you know when you haven’t got it anymore, and when you haven't got it anymore you are not going to do it anymore.

"He knows he has still got it and that it was just a matter of time before he would come back into form."

Boyd has been aware of the criticism coming his way in recent weeks but said he had not been fazed by it.

“Nothing really changed for me. I come in with the same game plan every week," he said.

"I am a professional. I prepare the same way every week. I train hard. I work hard. I watch video and study the plays we want to do.

"The key to being an elite player is to be consistent. My game, for whatever reason, has been up and down this year. I am just pleased I could contribute to a win."

Oates scored his 50th try at Suncorp Stadium last Friday night on the end of a  Boyd pass. His captain has been the provider of more than a handful of those tries from Boyd.

"It is a massive play," Oates said.

"If we can pull it off every time it will work wonders throughout the year."