2024 Squad List

[jak]

I’m a January birthday, never been sent anything for my birthday

mybe you have been a bad boy.

 

[Crush]

I'd let him go now , too slow , the game has passed him ....... Needs to play on in the UK .......

He’ll need to get into shape, he was overweight last year. And he’ll need to cut out the “tough guy” niggle rubbish. Just play football son.
If he can get his fitness and head right, he could be good in the back row.

 

[Desperate Dragon]

Sad but true many of the comments here about Bird.
Unless things can be turned around physically, Flanagan will need to make a tough call early on Bird's future.
At least during the trails and early part of the premiership, I would play him exclusively at lock.
His days in the backline are over, and also he should only play 2nd row in a time of desperate need.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Bird on his day can be pretty damn good. If Flanno can get him to that level again it would be a huge coup for the Dragons. He will be like a marquee signing compared to what he had dished out under Hook. I am sure Flanno will manage him properly as well as the other players that dropped in form.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I think the hard part for Bird as a backrower is that he just struggles to run that straight line..........not enough size or power to run this savage lines

His halves need him to and it is not something he can do week in week our nor set in set out

Not many 96kg backrowers can........

We dont want him drifting driving his centres, halves and FB nuts

Lets alone supporters

I truly believe his lack of pace and acceleration has him no longer a 26 round centre either.

Sadly for Birdy and our squad......Jack is an opportunity cost to what else we can do with $500k-$550k pa

I know i have made 10 or more posts on this over the last 12months but he just really struggles to give us what we need.

and we need alot more !

 

[hewi]

Aside from what is above he runs sideways and has brain implosions as well.

 

[blacksafake]

Aside from what is above he runs sideways and has brain implosions as well.

Yep & too busy fighting in tackles instead playing for a quick play the ball which leads to a slow ruck & at times a dropped ball.

 

[BLM01]

I think the hard part for Bird as a backrower is that he just struggles to run that straight line..........not enough size or power to run this savage lines

His halves need him to and it is not something he can do week in week our nor set in set out

Not many 96kg backrowers can........

We dont want him drifting driving his centres, halves and FB nuts

Lets alone supporters

I truly believe his lack of pace and acceleration has him no longer a 26 round centre either.

Sadly for Birdy and our squad......Jack is an opportunity cost to what else we can do with $500k-$550k pa

I know i have made 10 or more posts on this over the last 12months but he just really struggles to give us what we need.

and we need alot more !

I agree he is not a battening ram but he can be a good hole runner if put into half gaps by his inside men (good attack structure)
He does attract defenders ad has an offload in him at the line and supports well
Agree if can’t succeed on the edges under Flanno then at best a 14 or a 18

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

sorry i meant either straight line

the one for a quick play of the ball or the one in the gap

that is a major problem for an edge backrower if deficient..........i mean his stats in this area of his game would be miles behind many quality edge backrowers

 

[saintmar]

Aside from what is above he runs sideways and has brain implosions as well.

You are 100% correct Hewi.
He is terrible and on what he has displayed for us so far he is not a first grader.

 

[Rod Coil]

You are 100% correct Hewi.
He is terrible and on what he has displayed for us so far he is not a first grader.

He’s not alone on that. In our last few games this year we had only 4 or 5 players performing at a First Grade level - certainly not the fullback, wing, centre, five eighth & most of the forward pack.

 

[Trifili13]

I agree he is not a battening ram but he can be a good hole runner if put into half gaps by his inside men (good attack structure)
He does attract defenders ad has an offload in him at the line and supports well
Agree if can’t succeed on the edges under Flanno then at best a 14 or a 18

I'd prefer if he was 31 in our squad, ie not part of it.

 

[Budpower]

the type of crabbing style running and play of Bird, looking for holes to get a ball away just doesnt work in the modern game, well, not for Jack as hes just too slow and the games sped up, Luc has a mighty offload and can batter, hes 10 times the player get Luciano back! bring him home Deano!!

 

[hewi]

We wouldn’t need to bring Luciano back if the peanut hadn’t pissed him off. He was one of ours, along with Garrick and Saab to mention just a few.

 

[brissiedragon]

Bird is a liabilty. His stats for 2023 are pretty average. Zero line breaks in 2023 tells me he is an ineffective attacking option. Id rather see playing time given to the two Manly boys or some of our up and comers.

Official NRL profile of Jack Bird for St. George Illawarra Dragons | NRL.com

The NRL profile of Jack Bird including career statistics, season stats, games, tries, goals, tackles and fantasy scores.

www.nrl.com

 

[hewi]

The real problem as I see it with Bird is he has a player option in his favour for 2025

 

[Parko1310]

The real problem as I see it with Bird is he has a player option in his favour for 2025

Think it might be a mutual option? I hope it's not all in Bird's favour or that's a massive waste of 500-550k on the 25 cap already

 

[Slippery Morris]

I am hoping that there will be a big difference in 2024 as opposed to other years and that players like Bird don't get picked each week if they play poorly. If Bird plays similar to the last couple of years I am sure Flanno will sort it out. He got the best out of him at the Sharks so definitely knows how to use him more effectively.

 

[Lethal25]

I am hoping that there will be a big difference in 2024 as opposed to other years and that players like Bird don't get picked each week if they play poorly. If Bird plays similar to the last couple of years I am sure Flanno will sort it out. He got the best out of him at the Sharks so definitely knows how to use him more effectively.

I always ask myself the same question about a player when debating whether they're worth hanging on to. Would you be worried about them if they played for another team against you. My response for Bird is definitely not worried, if anything I'd see him as an asset who can be exploited.

Only problem is with a player option for '25 we won't inspire anyone else to pick him up if getting played in reserves. Hopefully it is a mutual option

 

[hewi]

Maybe we can dodge a bullet

However, Bird has always been determined to stay with the Dragons and late last week it was revealed the club agreed to meet his demands for a longer deal by adding a third year to their offer as a mutual option