Darius Boyd being treated for depression

Newcastle Knights full-back Darius Boyd will not play for the Newcastle Knights again this season, after being admitted to a rehabilitation facility on Wednesday.

The player is being treated for depression. His club have confirmed that there is no timeframe for his return to playing.

“We are ensuring Darius gets the best possible care and treatment at this time,” Knights CEO Matt Gidley said.

“Depression is a serious illness in our society and we are pleased Darius has taken the first step in his recovery by acknowledging he needs help.

“Football is secondary at this point, it is important Darius’ focus is entirely on his treatment.”

The news follows reports that Boyd wrecked a hotel room at a luxury spa in the Hunter Valley. Staff found a hole in the wall, a smashed television and broken glass in a room which Boyd is believed to have shared with his wife Kayla.

Boyd has apologised to the hotel and paid for the damage.

“He rang me after they had left and apologised and offered to pay for the damage that had been done,” resort manager Joe Spagnolo told The Daily Telegraph.

“There was a television that had been smashed, a small hole to one of the walls and a broken wine glass was on the kitchen floor.

“It’s disappointing but I’ve seen a lot worse. We’ve had the CEOs of banks driving cars on to the golf course and doing doughnuts and causing all sorts of damage.

“I don’t know what the two of them were doing and I don’t want to know. As long as he came good with the money to repair it.

“The bill came to $1500 and he’s paid it so that’s where it’s been left.”

Knights coach Wayne Bennett has offered his full backing to the player.

“I am pleased for Darius that he has recognised he has a problem, it is a self-admission one and he booked himself into rehab this morning,” Bennett told reporters in Australia.

“He’s always had different little issues, but no more than I’ve noticed in the past.

“I’ve always had a close relationship and good communication with him, but late last week he started to talk more about it… and he realised he needed to get some professional help.

“You have to make the first admission yourself, he has probably been fighting that for the last few months.

“Were there absolutely certain signs? No. Were there some signs? Yes.

“Darius has been working with counsellors for quite a period of time.”

Bennett went on to explain that Boyd is reconciled to his illness being public. The coach also believes that his player is strong enough to make a full recovery in the future.

“Darius is comfortable with that, he isn’t trying to hide anything,” Bennett explained.

“There are no lies and no deceit, we all know about it and he can get on with his life.

“I am quite confident he can recover from this and be recognised for the wonderful player that he is and let us all understand that he has a few demons.

“The public Darius, he has struggled with that, it’s just somethig he is not comfortable with and he has probably made it into a bigger issue that what it really is.

“Hopefully through this process it might bring it to a point where he can handle it better going forward.

“It may explain some of his behaviour… it is easy to sit in condemnation of people, and we have a great habit of that.

“We all have to make our own choices in how we handle situations and people and what we say about someone else.”