As Darius Boyd milled around the NRL season launch on Thursday, he was approached by three elderly ladies.

“We just want to know how are you?” one enquired.

“We hope you’re doing well,” said another.

The three ladies are part of the Knights Nannas, a group of elderly, fanatical Newcastle supporters who attend every home game and give the players a kiss and a hug as they head up the tunnel at fulltime.

During the off-season the Queensland Origin representative made a tumultuous switch from the Knights to Brisbane, just months after sitting out the back end of the 2014 campaign after entering a mental health clinic to help in his battle with depression.

Notoriously prickly and media-shy, Boyd gave the impression he had turned over a new leaf as he spoke to journalists at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday.

Judging by the reception given to him by Newcastle’s matriarchs it appears there is no animosity between him and Knights fans and he said could not be happier being back at Red Hill.

“Things change,” he said of his seemingly new attitude towards public speaking.

“Things have been a bit different for me the last six months and I want to help out and give back. The game’s been great to me.

“I love playing football and wherever I can I want to give back.”

Boyd said he planned to play out the rest of his career at the Broncos after following mentor Wayne Bennett back to the club that handed him his debut.

“It’s my favourite club, I started there and I’d like to finish there and I’m so happy to get another opportunity,” he said.

“Also my family and friends are there (in Brisbane). It’s where I’m from so I’m 100 per cent happy there.”

Boyd will miss at least the opening 13 rounds of the NRL after breaking down with an ACL injury in pre-season training.

He revealed he hoped to begin running next week and was aiming to return in June.

“I’m on the right track, it’s a slow process but I’m enjoying the progress it’s making and looking forward to maybe running next week,” he said.

“I won’t really know until I start running how it’ll pan out.”