It has been rollercoaster ride for the 29-year-old throughout his 11 seasons in the NRL.

He won a premiership with Brisbane in his rookie year as a teenager, before following Wayne Bennett to the Dragons, Knights and then back to Red Hill in 2015.

He helped the Dragons to the 2010 premiership. 

Boyd took time off at the end of 2014 to deal with depression before maturing greatly upon his return to Brisbane.

"I am humbled to be here, bit nervous and emotional to be honest," Boyd said before pausing to compose himself.

"I never thought this would be possible.

"(But) with the things I have changed and turned around in the last couple of years, I am ready - on and off the field.”

Bennett said he gave Boyd a year to get his head around the role.

"I told him 12 months ago he would be captain," Bennett said.

"Because he's introverted it's not straight forward for him - I am one of them as well.

"It takes a while to get his head around it, make sure it was what he wanted to do.

"It wasn't a hard decision, it was just the timing."