I see there is no more "lighting and appliance" panelboard in the 2008 so I suppose the defacto 2 breaker disconnect limit is gone too.
Is this saying you can put a 6 breaker panel in the detached garage without any other means of disconnect? (assuming it is adequately protected at the house)

I'm not sure I know what '2 breaker' limit you're referring to. Nor do I see how the '6 disconnect' rule aplies.

The 'six throws of the hand' rule applies to services, not to 'sub' panels. You have that panel protected by just one disconnecting /OCPD means, though that can be at either end of the feeder, or any place inbetween.

What that little change in vocabulary means is that the 42 breaker limitation is gone, as are all the arguments over whether something is a 'poer' or 'lighting' panel. That panel can have a gazillion breakers in it, and it doesn't matter how many of the circuits need neutrals.

There used to be a rule that said a lighting and appliance panelboard had to be protected by 1 or 2 main breakers. AHJs read that to mean if you had a sub panel in a detached building with 6 breakers you needed a main breaker so the 6 disconnect rule was moot.