The Canowindra Tigers have fired an early warning shot to their 2025 Woodbridge Cup opponents with the signing of former Canberra Raiders, Gold Coast Titans and Kangaroos prop forward Shannon Boyd.
Boyd, 34, who returned home to Cowra several years ago after an injury enforced retirement from top level rugby league will join Ron Lawrence on the coaching staff of the Tigers in 2025 following successful negotiations which started on the sidelines of a junior league game.
“His young fella’s playing under 8s in Canowindra,” Tigers president Malcolm Miller explained after the Tigers announced Boyd’s signing.
“Ronald Lawrence’s young fella was playing under 8s as well and our other front rower ‘Wally’ Gaytor, his young fella was playing as well.
“They went down to Condo (last season) to play down early morning and they went down on the Friday night and sitting around having a few beers Ronnie put the acid on him and planted the seed.
Latest Stories
“He was nearly going to have a run last season but decided he wanted to do a full season and have a proper pre-season because he hasn’t played for four years.
“His experience will be invaluable,” Miller said.
Boyd played alongside Lawrence during his days with the Cowra Magpies more than a decade ago but hasn’t played since his retirement from the NRL in 2020.
Signing with The Canberra Raiders, Boyd played for the club’s youth league sides from 2010 to 2012 and played for NSW Under 18s and Under 20s.
He made his first grade debut with the Raiders in 2014, coming off the bench against the North Queensland Cowboys.
His debut in the Australian Rugby League team came just two years later in the startling line up against New Zealand in a Four Nations tournament match.
Between 2014 and 2018 he played 111 for the Raiders before moving to the Titans where injuries restricted him to just 14 games in 2019 and 2020.
His representative career included one game for NSW Country and five appearances for Australia.
Just how much game time the Tigers get out of Boyd, will be left to the former international.
“A man of his experience, he’ll know and he’ll tell us,” Miller said.
“We’re just happy to have him in the club and every game he can play will be a bonus.
“He’s always been in the gym and he works on the farm and since he made the agreement to play he’s been losing weight and looking after himself.
“He’s been through a system where they know how to train and look after themselves,” Miller said.
Boyd is just the start of what could be a major rebuild for the Tigers with two regular first graders making the move to other clubs in 2025 and several others considering retirement.
“There’s plenty in the pipeline,” Tigers co-coach Ron Lawrence said.
“We’re just going to let the dust settle on this before announcing any other signings, probably after Christmas.”
The Tigers have lost Jack Grant to the Cowra Magpies and Charlie Frendo is leaving to join the Grenfell Goannas.
“Obviously after a grand final appearance it's important to keep the core or most of the lads together,” Lawrence said.
“A couple have decided to leave and we’re working to replace them and others have decided to retire, but we’re working on talking them out of retirement,” he added.
As for any impact the signing of Boyd will have on the Player Points Index System Miller says the club is still placed for more signings.
After finishing in the top four last season the Tigers are restricted to a roster coming in under 42 points next year.
Boyd will take up 15 of those points.
“If he played any time sooner he could have been 20 points, because of his Australian duties” Miller said.
“We’ve only got 42 points because of our success the last couple of years and we’ve calculated even with the other players we’ve got and all the players from last year that are staying we’ll be okay.
“Some of those who came with points last year, because they were already with us, get a deduction and drop a couple of points (next season).
“We’ve still got a few points up our sleeve. We have a lot of locals who have been with the club for a long time who come with no points,” he said.
The Tigers expect to start pre-season training in mid January.
“It’s just going to be good for the town, it's already got the town abuzz and created interest,” Miller said.
