:lol: I've just looked up the Newcastle Herald's archives, and Birdy was disciplined for streaking during a Year 12 prank.
Stripped of awards after streaking
Author: By DONNA PAGE
Date: 27/11/2001
Words: 410
Publication: Newcastle Herald
Section: News
Page: 3
PROMISING Hunter rugby league player Greg Bird has been stripped of two sporting awards following his involvement in a school streaking incident.
Bird, a former Knights Jersey Flegg player, has signed with the Sharks for the 2002 National Rugby League season.
The Lochinvar 18-year-old was one of two NSW athletes to be recognised with a Combined High Schools Blues award for 2001.
He was to receive a Hunter Secondary Blues award at a special function in December.
Both awards acknowledge students who have attained an outstanding level of sportsmanship and citizenship and have displayed excellence in sporting achievements at area, State and national levels.
The honours have been stripped from Bird because of his involvement in an end of Year 12 prank that went wrong.
Bird and three other Rutherford Technology High School students ran naked, except for balaclavas, through school grounds.
Two others video recorded and took photographs of the stunt.
Bird told the Herald yesterday that the streak was a dare he wished had never happened.
`I don't think it is that fair that the punishment continues like this,' he said.
`We were punished by the school and cautioned by the police at the time. The awards meant a lot to me and I just want to put the whole thing behind me.'
Police were called to investigate the school incident and the youths received official cautions.
Hunter Schools Sports Association spokesman Peter Moore said Rutherford Technology High School had nominated Bird for the awards.
`In the case of these awards they involve school or a sporting organisation's support,' Mr Moore said.
`The school has withdrawn that support.'
This year the Australian Schoolboys representative was suspended for four games after his part in a brawl in a Newcastle under-18 division two grand final.
The Newcastle Knights gave Bird permission to play for Wests Maitland in the grand final.
He was sent off in the last five minutes for joining a brawl and subsequently suspended for four matches.
The suspension ruled him out of the Knights' Jersey Flegg finals campaign.
Rutherford Technology High School principal Sharon Parkes told the Herald last week that running naked through school grounds was totally unacceptable.
The action had appalled many students and parents.
Source:
http://newsstore.f2.com.au/apps/vie...clsPage=1&docID=NCH011127CQI9F48F75U&cwv=true
What happened there exactly?
