Following a tremendous performance in the 2016 grand final victory, Tom Boyd has struggled to rediscover that form. The former Giant continued to split his time between ruck and forward last year, producing half a goal per game and never winning the hit out battle. Since becoming a Bulldog, Boyd has played only 48 of a possible 88 senior home and away fixtures, with a further 18 VFL appearances, and struggled with a back issue in preseason. The Dogs have committed to Tim English as their long-term first ruck, but as he develops they will continue to lean on Boyd to help out as well as resting forward. In attack, Boyd will look to further develop alongside fellow high draft pick Josh Schache. Expect continued improvement in the role he began to play just 24 months earlier, but even the most ardent Bulldog fans are unlikely to take the gamble in fantasy drafts.
Another sequel in Toyd story
Following a tremendous performance in the 2016 grand final victory, Tom Boyd has struggled to rediscover that form. The former Giant continued to split his time between ruck and forward last year, producing half a goal per game and never winning the hit out battle. Since becoming a Bulldog, Boyd has played only 48 of a possible 88 senior home and away fixtures, with a further 18 VFL appearances, and struggled with a back issue in preseason. The Dogs have committed to Tim English as their long-term first ruck, but as he develops they will continue to lean on Boyd to help out as well as resting forward. In attack, Boyd will look to further develop alongside fellow high draft pick Josh Schache. Expect continued improvement in the role he began to play just 24 months earlier, but even the most ardent Bulldog fans are unlikely to take the gamble in fantasy drafts.
Thumb on Tom's equilibrium
A year on from premiership glory, Tom Boyd's last campaign ended in the VFL after two months off treating clinical depression. Before that, he was tried as lead ruck with a couple of successes and some shockers while Jordan Roughead was out injured, and also as a ruck/forward where he was solid if unspectacular. His contested percentage dropped by 12 points, which is the opposite to what normally happens when a player shifts into the ruck. The Tom Boyd story is mostly being written off the field at the moment. On field, he is looking more and more like Kurt Tippett, who had to be given the lead ruck role for him to be the best player he could be. You won't be able to miss the media hype when Boyd returns to senior footy, and if he replaces the replacement-level Roughead in the middle then he would be worth a speculator pick, keeping in mind all the possible downsides.
