Having tread an alternative route into the elite league himself, Boyd, 25, knows all about the difficulties faced by young hopefuls who don't find themselves selected for TAC Cup representation.
He was recruited by the club in the 2002 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, and was forced to fight his way onto the senior list, which he did the following year.
"It's not the same path that a lot of other people take, through the TAC Cup and straight into senior footy," Boyd said, ahead of his 100th milestone match.
"But it's something that I've really enjoyed and I don't think I'd change it for anything. I think I was more ready to play AFL footy when I got the chance, so that worked for me and I'm happy with that path."
Boyd doesn't consider himself a role model to those youngsters who are attempting to enter the League through different routes, but hopes his story encourages budding players to keep persisting if the first plan falls through.
"I don't know if [being an] inspiration is the right word, but it's important for them to know there's still hope for guys who don't go down that path," he said.
"You're seeing a lot of guys these days coming off the rookie list and playing really good footy. [Austin] Wonaeamirri, [Nathan] Foley; really good players who are making an impact straight away.
"That's because they're ready to play. I suppose if I talk to the rookies on the list at the Bulldogs, my message is that you can still make it and you're not just here to make up numbers; you're here to serve a purpose and that's how they've got to look at it."
Boyd said reaching the milestone was "nice to get to", but is more focused on beating the top-of-the-table Hawks on Saturday.
"It's good that you can get to 100 games, and I suppose it will be good when you look back on your career when you're finished and say you've played 100 league games," he said.
"But with the old clichés, it's just another game and it's more important for the team to win than for me to play well".
He also said it was nice to know that any future sons he has will be eligible to be recruited by the club under the current father-son rules.
"I'm just recently married so I'm going to have to start working on that one," he said.
"If I ever have a son, it would be great for him to come and play at the Bulldogs."
Coach Rodney Eade paid tribute to the tenacious ball-winner, and said Boyd is one of the "great stories" of how the rookie system operates.
"He came off the rookie list, struggled to get a game in the under-18s, playing VFL seconds for a long time before he was drafted here as a rookie," he said.
"To be able to play 100 games and probably be one of our best midfielders is a great story, and is a great testament to his perseverance and courage."
