Team of the Decade (2010s): Fullback
Main billing at fullback has changed very little over the past 10 years at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Sure, a number of players donned the No. 1 jersey, but few managed to stamp their authority in the 2010s while in the custodian role.
Three men became synonymous out back for the Dragons in this period: Darius Boyd, Josh Dugan and more recently Matt Dufty.
The first of our St George Illawarra fan-voted Team of the Decade (2010s) player position votes is aimed to help Red V members and fans navigate, and distract, through these harrowing times.
Offering up a great opportunity to look back at not only the club's 2010 premiership success, the Team of the Decade will reflect on a whopping 48 players who traversed the triumphs, the trials and the tribulations in the years that followed.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and stay tuned to Dragons.com.au for not only the latest on the Team of the Decade but all Red V-relevant news.
Voting for your favourite fullback of the 2010s closes at midnight, Thursday, April 9. This Team of the Decade (2010s) vote is proudly brought to you by Westfund Health Insurance.
Fullback of the Decade (2010s) nominees
Darius Boyd (2009-2011)
Dragons appearances: 69 (47 games in the 2010s)
Darius Boyd may have played over 300 games in the NRL but it’s fair to say his short stint at the Dragons allowed for some of his greater showings. The custodian was instrumental in the Dragons' 2010 premiership win, where he was awarded the Clive Churchill medal for best on ground. This preceded earlier honours in 2010, including Dally M Fullback of the Year, the RLPA Player of the Year and the Red V Members' Player of the Year. A representative mainstay for Queensland and Australia while at the Red V, another solid campaign followed for Boyd in 2011 before his departure to the Newcastle Knights the year following.
Matt Dufty (2017-present)
Dragons appearances: 50 (49 games in the 2010s)
When people think of Matt Dufty, they think speed. Able to turn on a dime and jump to top gear in the blink of an eye, Dufty quickly become a fan favourite at the Dragons following his try-scoring debut in 2017. The zippy fullback has since found the white stripe 23 times. The Penshurst RSL junior worked his way into the side courtesy of an outstanding 2016 season from the Dragons’ lower grades, resulting in a place in the Holden Cup Team of the Year. For what he lacks in size, the 'Duft Man' makes up for with pure pace and acceleration. At just 24, he will certainly feature in plenty more future highlights reels.
Josh Dugan (2013-17)
Dragons appearances: 85
Heavily inked with a fend to match, Josh Dugan played some of his career-best footy while at the Dragons. Dugan had a point to prove upon his arrival at the Dragons in 2013 after falling in hot water in Canberra, and quickly excelled at the Red V. A handy goalkicker with the capability of playing anywhere in the back five, Dugan was rewarded in the form of consecutive Immortals Trophy in 2014 and 2015 and all the while became a representative mainstay for New South Wales and Australia, including the Kangaroos' 2017 World Cup win. Dugan’s time at the Dragons came to an end in 2017 after signing with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, where he remains currently.
