Boyd has all the essentials of a key forward. He pulls down contested marks (19 in six games for the Ranges this year), is good when the ball hits the ground, and finds a metre to get marks on the lead. Always big and strong, Boyd has learned to better use that power. He throws his hands at the ball, and has added the 'pack-crash' to his repertoire. Even though his size might be of benefit at the under-18s, Boyd has the smarts to succeed at the next level, too. In one-on-ones his positioning is right, and when he gets the ball he converts his shots. The 18-year-old has a clean, uncomplicated set-shot technique, and rarely wastes an opportunity. Boyd dominates games.
WEAKNESSES
There really isn't too much here for Boyd. His time on the sidelines probably kept him from improving his tank, but that will come with a full pre-season, which he'll be ready for. At his size Boyd is never going to be an enormous runner, but that will gradually grow with more and more summer campaigns.
PLAYS LIKE
Tom Hawkins. Has an near-identical frame to the Geelong spearhead and a similar game style, too. When on his game, Boyd is very hard to stop, outmuscles opponents, and makes the most of his chances.
DRAFT RANGE
Has carried the tag as the No.1 player all year and that's not changing now. Headed to the GIANTS.
The perfectly-built power forward, with a hunger for goals and success. He sits clearly as the best player in this draft, and there is no one else like him.
The GIANTS will have the following picks in tonight's NAB AFL Draft:
1, 2, 14, 29, 48, 72, 73, 81, 91, 95, 97