SUSPENDED Cronulla five-eighth Greg Bird has vowed to spend the rest of this year proving he is not "a thug".
The 20-year-old continues on his path to redemption tomorrow when he rejoins team-mates at Toyota Park for training.
He will also start development work with Cronulla's juniors and visit schools in the area to conduct coaching clinics.
Bird is expected to announce that during his 10-week suspension for kneeing Souths winger Shane Marteene he will help a charity group that assists sick children.
"I've got to turn everything into a positive," Bird said in his first interview since being fined $15,000 by the Sharks last Tuesday.
"I made a big mistake out on the field, so I've got to turn around my image and people's perception of me. Every step I've taken since then I've covered pretty well.
"I think everyone realises now that I regret what I did and it definitely won't happen again. If people have a false perception of me, I've got to change that.
"When I get on the paddock after my suspension I'm going to show that I'm not just a common thug.
"But right now it's about doing it off the field."
The Newcastle junior could have cracked over the past fortnight as the sickening image of him striking Marteene was splashed throughout the media.
The suspension handed down from the NRL judiciary and hefty fine imposed by his own club were further body blows.
Bird has impressed with his attitude throughout his ordeal, but he knows people won't forget.
"The odd person on the street gives me a mouthful, but you've got to deal with that," he said from the family home in Maitland.
"I'm sure it's like what the Bulldogs players are going through at the moment.
"All I can say is I know I did something wrong, but wait until I get back on the field and show what I can really do," he said.
"Most people have been really good, though, and I've had a lot of calls of support from people I haven't heard from in years."
It was Bird's contrition before the Cronulla board last Tuesday night that saved him from being fined the maximum of $30,000 under the clause in all NRL contracts.
His penalty was a $15,000 fine, $12,000 of which was suspended. Any further breaches would see him incur the suspended fine.
"I can't speak highly enough of him," Sharks president Barry Pierce said.
"He has apologised to all involved and he realises he left us in an awkward position.
"We had to find another player and as a club we had to show we can't tolerate it. But we do have to give the kid a chance and I honestly believe he'll come back better for it."
Cronulla are one of the few clubs to enforce the docking of earnings. that amounts to 1/30th of a player's contract for every week of suspension.
Yet Bird is even being positive about the slug to his hip pocket.
"Even though the club did fine me, I find that understandable and they were actually quite lenient, so that's another good point," Bird said.
"They've been really supportive about the whole thing and my family and friends have been real good as well. It will be good to get back into training and I'm sure everyone will be positive towards me."
Bird is confident his career will not be derailed by his moment of madness.
"I'm 20 years old and hopefully I've got another 12 to 13 years left in me, so in that context it's not really a great setback to my career," Bird said.
"It's a hurdle I've got to get over and I'm sure I will."
http://www.sundaytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,9353,9307605-28780,00.html
The 20-year-old continues on his path to redemption tomorrow when he rejoins team-mates at Toyota Park for training.
He will also start development work with Cronulla's juniors and visit schools in the area to conduct coaching clinics.
Bird is expected to announce that during his 10-week suspension for kneeing Souths winger Shane Marteene he will help a charity group that assists sick children.
"I've got to turn everything into a positive," Bird said in his first interview since being fined $15,000 by the Sharks last Tuesday.
"I made a big mistake out on the field, so I've got to turn around my image and people's perception of me. Every step I've taken since then I've covered pretty well.
"I think everyone realises now that I regret what I did and it definitely won't happen again. If people have a false perception of me, I've got to change that.
"When I get on the paddock after my suspension I'm going to show that I'm not just a common thug.
"But right now it's about doing it off the field."
The Newcastle junior could have cracked over the past fortnight as the sickening image of him striking Marteene was splashed throughout the media.
The suspension handed down from the NRL judiciary and hefty fine imposed by his own club were further body blows.
Bird has impressed with his attitude throughout his ordeal, but he knows people won't forget.
"The odd person on the street gives me a mouthful, but you've got to deal with that," he said from the family home in Maitland.
"I'm sure it's like what the Bulldogs players are going through at the moment.
"All I can say is I know I did something wrong, but wait until I get back on the field and show what I can really do," he said.
"Most people have been really good, though, and I've had a lot of calls of support from people I haven't heard from in years."
It was Bird's contrition before the Cronulla board last Tuesday night that saved him from being fined the maximum of $30,000 under the clause in all NRL contracts.
His penalty was a $15,000 fine, $12,000 of which was suspended. Any further breaches would see him incur the suspended fine.
"I can't speak highly enough of him," Sharks president Barry Pierce said.
"He has apologised to all involved and he realises he left us in an awkward position.
"We had to find another player and as a club we had to show we can't tolerate it. But we do have to give the kid a chance and I honestly believe he'll come back better for it."
Cronulla are one of the few clubs to enforce the docking of earnings. that amounts to 1/30th of a player's contract for every week of suspension.
Yet Bird is even being positive about the slug to his hip pocket.
"Even though the club did fine me, I find that understandable and they were actually quite lenient, so that's another good point," Bird said.
"They've been really supportive about the whole thing and my family and friends have been real good as well. It will be good to get back into training and I'm sure everyone will be positive towards me."
Bird is confident his career will not be derailed by his moment of madness.
"I'm 20 years old and hopefully I've got another 12 to 13 years left in me, so in that context it's not really a great setback to my career," Bird said.
"It's a hurdle I've got to get over and I'm sure I will."
http://www.sundaytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,9353,9307605-28780,00.html
