Boughton was an Engadine Dragons junior in the Cronulla-Sutherland District Rugby Football League.
In 1991 he made his first grade début for the Cronulla Sharks.
He played 82 games for the club between 1991 and 1996 before signing for the new Adelaide Rams franchise in 1997.
Boughton was part of the inaugural Rams side on 1 March 1997 and played in seventeen matches for the club over two seasons.
He played in twenty seven matches that year before retiring.