If you take Greater Western Sydney at its word, and their position is consistent with industry sentiment and expectation, the Giants will not trade Boyd during this year's trade period.
The Giants remained adamant on Monday night the 19-year-old would remain with the club in 2015.
And the Bulldogs would only say in response they would wait to see how things played out.
As it happened: how Monday's trade moves played out
The 200cm key forward is hot property and was always going to be chased keenly by all clubs throughout 2015 as he neared the completion of his first two seasons at the Giants.
However, on the weekend, stung by the defection of its captain Ryan Griffen who is seeking a trade to the Giants, the Bulldogs jumped in with an early bid.
The bid is said to be massive, with industry speculation that it is a multi-year deal worth anything up to a million dollars a season, with the big money to kick in in 2016. (A second year player's base salary and match payments are set under the CBA so the Bulldogs can't pay Boyd more in his second season than the Giants).
The 200cm key forward is hot property and was always going to be chased keenly by all clubs throughout 2015 as he neared the completion of his first two seasons at the Giants.
However, on the weekend, stung by the defection of its captain Ryan Griffen who is seeking a trade to the Giants, the Bulldogs jumped in with an early bid.
The bid is said to be massive, with industry speculation that it is a multi-year deal worth anything up to a million dollars a season, with the big money to kick in in 2016. (A second year player's base salary and match payments are set under the CBA so the Bulldogs can't pay Boyd more in his second season than the Giants).
That must be enticing for a big bloke who is said to enjoy being the number one man.
The offer is also consistent with the Bulldogs philosophy during this trade period.
The club has been aggressive, making big money offers to Geelong full back Tom Lonergan and North Melbourne midfielder Levi Greenwood.
Both players were offered at least $500,000 a year in multi-season deals that stunned most observers and were impossible for their clubs to even contemplate matching.
However, it didn't land either player, with Greenwood preferring Collingwood and Lonergan choosing to stay put after senior coach Brendan McCartney lost his job on Friday, so money remained unspent.
It may remain unspent this year, but the Bulldogs know they are able to take advantage of the new rule that allows clubs to spend 105 per cent of the salary cap if they did not pay more than 95 per cent the year before under new competitive balance measures.
It also has a history of chasing key forwards in order to find that missing link that might provide it with premiership success.
Barry Hall made his way to the Bulldogs in the twilight of his career – and played well – and they attracted Stewart Crameri last season.
They were also reported to have chased Jonathon Patton before he sadly hurt his knee and then re-signed with the Giants.
The club has space in the cap and a president in Peter Gordon who is pugnacious and taking on the air of someone who has just about had enough of coming second.
And in Boyd it found a target with the potential not only to join the club, but to add some rhetorical volume to the Bulldogs’ response to last week's shocks.
But having reacted to the Griffen news with metaphorical punches left, right and centre, they may well advance their case better with a cool head.
It also has a history of chasing key forwards in order to find that missing link that might provide it with premiership success.
Barry Hall made his way to the Bulldogs in the twilight of his career – and played well – and they attracted Stewart Crameri last season.
They were also reported to have chased Jonathon Patton before he sadly hurt his knee and then re-signed with the Giants.
The club has space in the cap and a president in Peter Gordon who is pugnacious and taking on the air of someone who has just about had enough of coming second.
And in Boyd it found a target with the potential not only to join the club, but to add some rhetorical volume to the Bulldogs’ response to last week's shocks.
But having reacted to the Griffen news with metaphorical punches left, right and centre, they may well advance their case better with a cool head.
Bulldogs deserve 'unprecedented' deal for Griffen, says Peter Gordon
If Boyd is not to be traded they need to act on Griffen to get a result that allows the opportunity to snare the highly rated Peter Wright.
The Bulldogs have selection No.6 in the draft, a selection unlikely to land Wright.
However, with savvy dealing around Griffen they can land the Giants' selection four, and possibly even the outside chance of pick seven – which the Giants should get when they trade Kristian Jaksch and Mark Whiley to Carlton – placing themselves in a perfect position to get Wright.
Alternatively the Bulldogs could offer St Kilda two picks for pick No.1, which would allow them to get power forward Paddy McCartin and, if lucky enough to have pick seven too, add talent to its defence with someone such as South Australian defender Sam Durdin.
Their keenness to get up the draft order is well established and the abdication of Griffen gives it a perfect chance to do so without anyone being short-changed or having their salary relativity thrown out.
The theatre is not as dramatic, but the end production might be sounder.
Of course, Greater Western Sydney could blink too, trade out Boyd as long as it received Griffen and the Bulldogs pick No.6 in return. This would give it a chance to land the Saints pick No.1, exchanging picks four and six for pole position.
If it found itself in that spot on the starting grid then midfielder Christian Petracca would be its main target.
Despite Gordon's overtures to Giants' chairman Tony Shepherd, GWS will be leaving discussions in the hands of its experienced duo Stephen Silvagni and Graeme Allan.
Those dilemmas are questions the respective club presidents aren't equipped to handle, and situations experienced people such as Allan know well.
By late Monday night though, the odds on the Giants blinking were long.
Patton won't play much football in 2015 and Jeremy Cameron needs support.
Griffen can't possibly stay at the Bulldogs and he wants to get to the Giants.
Whatever happens now Boyd has thrust himself front and centre to the football conversation.
It's the only place we know for certain he wants to be.
If Boyd is not to be traded they need to act on Griffen to get a result that allows the opportunity to snare the highly rated Peter Wright.
The Bulldogs have selection No.6 in the draft, a selection unlikely to land Wright.
However, with savvy dealing around Griffen they can land the Giants' selection four, and possibly even the outside chance of pick seven – which the Giants should get when they trade Kristian Jaksch and Mark Whiley to Carlton – placing themselves in a perfect position to get Wright.
Alternatively the Bulldogs could offer St Kilda two picks for pick No.1, which would allow them to get power forward Paddy McCartin and, if lucky enough to have pick seven too, add talent to its defence with someone such as South Australian defender Sam Durdin.
Their keenness to get up the draft order is well established and the abdication of Griffen gives it a perfect chance to do so without anyone being short-changed or having their salary relativity thrown out.
The theatre is not as dramatic, but the end production might be sounder.
Of course, Greater Western Sydney could blink too, trade out Boyd as long as it received Griffen and the Bulldogs pick No.6 in return. This would give it a chance to land the Saints pick No.1, exchanging picks four and six for pole position.
If it found itself in that spot on the starting grid then midfielder Christian Petracca would be its main target.
Despite Gordon's overtures to Giants' chairman Tony Shepherd, GWS will be leaving discussions in the hands of its experienced duo Stephen Silvagni and Graeme Allan.
Those dilemmas are questions the respective club presidents aren't equipped to handle, and situations experienced people such as Allan know well.
By late Monday night though, the odds on the Giants blinking were long.
Patton won't play much football in 2015 and Jeremy Cameron needs support.
Griffen can't possibly stay at the Bulldogs and he wants to get to the Giants.
Whatever happens now Boyd has thrust himself front and centre to the football conversation.
It's the only place we know for certain he wants to be.
