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Jack Bird

j0nesy

Bench
Messages
3,747
Well I hope that not one Saints player makes SOO selection. This season we need everyone on deck to help us make the top 4.

I still believe Bird will make a good right edge forward.
He’s got the strength, aggression, can offload and hits well. I’d like to see him put on a few kg and tighten up in defence a bit more before making the switch. For now I like him at centre.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485

Dragons star Jack Bird’s desire to return to the backs despite “brilliant” back row performance​

Jack Bird excelled in the back row in St George Illawarra’s big win over Brisbane, but he feels like he belongs in the backs.

Martin Gabor
NCA NewsWire
June 4, 20212:06pm

  • Dragons lay 50 on weak Broncos

St George Illawarra star Jack Bird has no desire to remain in the back row even though his coach described Thursday’s baptism of fire against the Broncos as “brilliant”.

The 26-year-old scored a try and set up another with a silky offload on the edge in the space of eight minutes as the Dragons ran out big winners over his former club, the Broncos.
Bird combined well with Matt Dufty, Ben Hunt and Corey Norman as the Red V finally found some spark in attack, but the former Blues representative could be moved straight back to the centres for the Queen’s Birthday clash with Canterbury.
“I thought he was brilliant,” Griffin said of Bird who was filling in for Origin forward Tariq Sims.
“He hit some really tough lines on the edge, but the fact he did it made room for Dufty and Norman and Hunt around the back. Defensively it was his first game there, so he got a little bit lost…but in general, his effort was enormous.
“Whether he plays there next week or the week after…we’ve got a few people on the sidelines that will come back into the side over the next few weeks.”
Jack Bird excelled in the back row in St George Illawarra’s big win over Brisbane, but he feels like he belongs in the backs. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

Jack Bird excelled in the back row in St George Illawarra’s big win over Brisbane, but he feels like he belongs in the backs. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images
Bird grew up playing plenty of footy in the forwards, but Thursday’s game was the first time he had officially been named amongst the big boys in the NRL.
He spent the bulk of the pre-season training on the edge and as a ball-playing lock but told Griffin with no uncertain terms that he wanted to play left centre because he didn’t think his body could handle the extra workload after back-to-back ACL injuries.
It will be tempting to stick with a winning formula, especially given Bird is willing to do whatever is best for the team, but the strike centre made it clear what his preference was moving forward.
“It wasn’t my decision. It was Hook’s decision, and I didn’t know what to think of it at the start because I thought I was going all right in the centres,” he said on Thursday.
“I just thought it was best for myself and the team at the start of the season to go back to centres, and I still believe that. But Hook’s the coach and he makes the decisions around here.
“We’re pretty short on outside backs lately with a lot of injuries and stuff like that, so it was probably the best decision for me at the start of the year to start in the centres.
“I think Hook has always had a plan to put me in the back row. I enjoy centre and I enjoyed tonight, but I wouldn’t say that I’d stay there forever.”


 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485

Reluctant forward Bird 'brilliant' in switch to pack​


Author Chris Kennedy NRL.com Reporter Timestamp Sun 6 Jun 2021, 02:01 PM
Chris Kennedy


Share on social media​



Dragons centre Jack Bird's first ever NRL start in the forward pack was a rousing success, and while the man himself still doesn't see it as a full-time switch, his coach Anthony Griffin is happy with what he saw.
Bird looked more back-rower than centre as he chugged his way to the try line supporting an early Matt Dufty break, being easily caught by Brisbane's backs before pushing them off to score.

His ball skills were on show with an offload for Brayden Wiliame to score not long after while there was an occasionally shaky moment in defence with his edge complicit in two quick tries set up by Albert Kelly for TC Robati.
The 80-minute outing eventually netted the 2016 premiership-winner 31 tackles (four missed) and 131 metres with one bust and one try.
"I thought he was brilliant," Griffin said.
"He hit some really tough lines there on the edge and the fact he did, it made room for [Matt] Dufty and [Corey] Norman and [Ben] Hunt around the back.
"Defensively it was his first game there, he got a little bit lost for that couple of tries they got in a row but in general his effort was enormous I thought, I was really happy for him.

Bird relishing new edge role early as Wiliame crosses

Bird relishing new edge role early as Wiliame crosses


"He's played 13 games in a row, he's just done 80 minutes in the back row. It's good signs for him.
"Whether he plays there next week or the week after, we've got a few people still on the sidelines that will come back into the side over the next couple of weeks so we'll have a look at that."
After a mooted off-season move to the pack, it was Bird that went to the coach to suggest his return from successive ACL injuries may be better off in the centres for now and he remains a reluctant forward despite the early success.

"I've played in the centres and moved to the lock position when someone gets injured or whatever but that was the first time I've started there," Bird said.
"I enjoyed it, it was good. It was a little bit more work but that's the first time. If I stay there I'll only improve my fitness. I really did enjoy it."
Bird said he initially wasn't sure what to think of Griffin's decision to move him to NSW edge forward Tariq Sims' vacant spot this week.
"I thought I was going all right in the centres but whatever's best for the team, I said to him at the start of the week. In saying that I did enjoy the back row but that was Hook's decision," Bird said.


Bird joked that his initial reluctance to move to the pack was because he didn't want to train with the forwards.
"I just thought it was best for myself and the team at the start of the season and in pre-season to go back to centres," he said.
"I still believe that but Hook's the coach and he makes the decisions. I just think we're pretty short in the outside backs lately with a few injuries and a few young fellas coming through so it was probably the best decision at the start of the year for me to start in the centres.
"I think Hook's always had a plan to put me in the forwards. I enjoy centre and I enjoyed tonight. I wouldn't say I'm going to stay there forever but we'll wait and see."

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2021/06/07/reluctant-forward-bird-brilliant-in-switch-to-pack/

 

Maddragon99

Juniors
Messages
2,075
This forum insists Bird has had a good season - I'm obviously watching something else

This guy is the biggest liability in the team

His errors outweigh his good plays 20:1
Perhaps but he’s not the reason we are rubbish. He does play with passion, I think he’ll be faster & better next year. He’s been under done all year in my opinion. Master coach consistently playing him out position hasn’t helped either. Bird at Fullback was an absolute joke considering how well Sloan is playing.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
Again, got him on the cheap and only one year to go on his contract so no damage done really. The fact that we look like getting another centre shows to me that his backline days are done ( which they should be ) it was a matter earlier in the season that the coach took heed to Birds reluctance to play in the forwards, now that should be his only chance to play first grade or bench.
 

dungay dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,014
Again, got him on the cheap and only one year to go on his contract so no damage done really. The fact that we look like getting another centre shows to me that his backline days are done ( which they should be ) it was a matter earlier in the season that the coach took heed to Birds reluctance to play in the forwards, now that should be his only chance to play first grade or bench.
At best can only see him off the bench next year , which may suit the side better and himself..
Brought on for 20 min bursts in a roving role may do the trick
 

boardlumps62

Juniors
Messages
1,481
Jacks got some mongrel but he got burnt for speed in that missed try by Feldt. He did have a calf or knee injury earlier I remember.
 
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