http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/depressed-bird-could-sue/2008/10/18/1223750401810.html
Depressed Bird could sue
Adrian Proszenko | October 19, 2008
EXCLUSIVE
Greg Bird will consider taking legal action against Cronulla for standing him down if he is cleared of assault charges, while his mother revealed he was suffering from depression before the incident.
Bird has taken medication for depression and has had counselling sessions with behavioural analyst Charlie Hunter since he was accused of recklessly wounding girlfriend Katie Milligan.
The former Kangaroos star fled the country to escape the media glare, but has promised his mother and his manager he won't breach his AVO by reuniting with Milligan in the US.
Bird's family has a history of depression and his mother Iris believes he had been battling the condition before the alleged assault.
"Even before all this happened, he had a few problems he needs to deal with," she said.
"He's just not himself. He's not the happy Greg that he used to be.
"I just hope it all sorts itself out and once it's all finished he gets back to doing what he loves doing most, which is playing football.
"We just want everything to be good for him and hopefully he and Katie can sort it out, that everyone lets them get back to their lives."
Iris Bird said she wasn't sure of her son's whereabouts. "I have heard from him, he said everything's OK and that he's with friends," she said. "It's all just getting to him a bit over here and he just wants to get away."
Despite pressure to reinstate Bird for the finals, the Sharks stood him down from all official club activities until the outcome of his court case.
That stance could come back to haunt them, with Bird's manager Gavin Orr warning there may be grounds to sue the club if his client is cleared of charges.
Orr said he understood the club was in a difficult position, pointing to the pressure applied by sponsors. And while he acknowledged the Sharks were providing Bird with counselling and pay - the star pivot earns more than $350,000 a year - he wouldn't rule out legal action if Bird was cleared.
"We're going to look at all the legal avenues," Orr said. "The club has been advised by the board that they were in fear of losing their sponsorship.
"I can cast a stone at the Sharks for the way they've handled things, but you have to understand the pressures on them. First things first, we have to make sure Greg Bird is cleared of all allegations."
Orr took a swipe at the reporting of the case by some sections of the media and claimed defamation action could be an option, believing some rumours had been presented as facts.
"Once the dust settles we'll re-evaluate our situation and go after a lot of the stuff that's going on out there on radio, television and newspapers," he said.
Orr, who claimed "there is no doubt Greg is suffering from depression", admitted Bird hadn't handled the public scrutiny well.
"He's gone from being a star in everybody's eyes, as an Australian and NSW player, to looking like a murderer," Orr said.
Although selectors ignored Bird due to the assault charges, Karmichael Hunt and Darius Boyd were called into Kangaroos' team. The Broncos pair were questioned over an alleged sexual assault but have not been charged.
