GREG BOYD has spent the past decade on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast but the four-time Port Adelaide premiership player says black and white is burnt into him and he “can’t change his stripes”.
Boyd was a keen onlooker as the club trained at the Maroochydore Multi Sport Complex on its pre-season camp, taking in three separate training sessions.
Having lived at Mount Moffatt for ten years hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for the club he grew up with.
“It was all about a change of lifestyle. My wife’s dad was living up here at the time and we initially were going to come up to give it a go,” he told portadelaidefc.com.au as he watched training.
“It was only supposed to be a couple of years but it’s turned into ten but we love it, we’re enjoying it up here.
“I still follow the games, I enjoy watching them but I don’t get to as many as I’d like anymore.
“I watched the draft and have been pleased with what they’ve done in the last couple of years. Last year particularly they picked up three very good players and hopefully they’ve got another three or four this year.”
Boyd played 172 games for Port Adelaide between 1979 and 1990, booting 110 goals.
His family ties to the club run deep with his brother Russell playing 82 games and winning a premiership with the club and his father Dave Boyd among the absolute greats, winning seven premierships in 222 games before embarking on three decades as an administrator for the club. All three are pictured below in a shot from the Advertiser in 1987.
The 1956 Magarey Medal winner, Dave Boyd’s influence over Port Adelaide and his family remains strong to this day despite his death at the age of 90 nearly two years ago.
“There’s no other club. It’s burnt into you from a very young age. Through Dad being there and me being there with my brother – it’s burnt into you and you can’t change your spots, or your stripes even,” Greg Boyd explained.
“I’d like to be there for some of the celebrations in 2020. There are some really important dates so I’ll definitely get to at least one event. I’ll try get down for the Carlton game to celebrate the club’s birthday.”
Boyd was happy to bump into another former Port Adelaide star in Roger Delaney at the club’s training session.
Delaney lives at Coolum, not far from where the training was being held and his children Jada and Cooper were on hand to run drinks and help club staff with other tasks.
The former backman, who played 208 games and won six premierships with Port Adelaide, was a welcome site having endured treatment for prostate cancer.
Delaney was happy to report he had completed treatment and his health had improved, although he was yet to receive the all-clear from doctors just yet.
Three-time premiership ruckman Russell Johnston joined Boyd and Delaney at Monday’s open training session.
The twice premiership captain played 207 games for the club and won the 1989 best and fairest award along with selection in the club’s Team of the Century.
Like Boyd and Delaney, he has lived on the Sunshine Coast for some time.
For Boyd, it was just nice to catch up with old mates.
“We don’t live in each other’s pockets or anything because I’m up one end of the Sunshine Coast, Roger is up the other and Russell is somewhere in the middle,” Boyd said.
“But it is good to catch up.”
