Australian Football

Local product and lifelong Port Adelaide supporter Davey Boyd (he was almost never referred to as ‘David’ or ‘Dave’) made his league debut with the Magpies in 1948, after topping the club’s seconds goal kicking list with 80 goals from full forward the previous year. He did not play at full forward in the seniors, however; after spending most of his debut season as a half forward flanker, in 1949 he replaced retiring champion Lew Roberts in the centre and never looked back.

Tireless, beautifully balanced, and a superb stab pass, Boyd went on to play 222 SANFL games for Port in thirteen seasons and was never once dropped. He was also a near automatic choice for South Australia for much of his career, playing at the 1950 Brisbane, 1953 Adelaide and 1956 Perth carnivals. One of his greatest displays came against the VFL in Perth when he lowered the colours of champion Footscray centreman Peter Box; later that year, Boyd and Box would win their respective competition best and fairest awards.

A member of seven Magpie premiership teams, Boyd was often cited as a primary reason for the team’s dominance, and yet somewhat surprisingly never won a club best and fairest award. Part of the reason for this may have been his tendency to reserve his finest performances for big games - he was almost invariably among the best players afield in grand finals, for instance - but his Magarey Medal win in 1956 suggests that he was also perfectly capable of playing well consistently.

In 2000, Davey Boyd was selected on a half forward flank in Port Adelaide’s official ‘Greatest Team 1870-2000’. His sons Greg and Russell later maintained the family tradition by playing premiership football for the Magpies.

Author - John Devaney