Bird has yet to play for us (W/P & Visa pending) If he gets here and plays for us perhaps in Menzies and Morrisson we have 2 people who can help him sort his head and his game out. Things just may be on the up! This also gives us breathing space to find 2 long term half backs. You never know he may just like it over here and decide to pick up his option of the extra 2 years.....

I'm not too concerned about the spin put on by the Aussie press for his reasons to come here. Let's just concentrate on 09 before worrying about too far into the future. My gut feeling is he will play 2 seasons over here.

He will play one unless he cant get a gig back in NRL for 2010, dont kid yourself. Thats why he signed 1 year, 2 as optional just in case. Still, great signing and cant wait to see him play (just not against Wire)

Although with trying to sort a visa now which can take 2 months+ & then going back in April for court case, how many games will he play this first (and maybe last) year

Is your guess fact then? Truth is he may well be looking at going back for 2010 NOW. But when it is time to make the decision things may well have changed. Which is why I am looking forward to seeing him 09 and then seeing how things pan out.

Given the fact that no-one in Oz wants to touch him with a bargepole it might not be that easy for him to get a NRL club in 2010.

So what we want is for him to be good but not so good that he can treat options for a contract extension as though they were an option.

I think he could walk in to any team in the NRL. Ricky Stuart has already said he'll have him back in 2010, just hope he stays here for a few years.

Quote: 6Iestyn6 "I think he could walk in to any team in the NRL. Ricky Stuart has already said he'll have him back in 2010, just hope he stays here for a few years.'" www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 07,00.html Here's stuart's view.

Quote: 6Iestyn6 "I think he could walk in to any team in the NRL. Ricky Stuart has already said he'll have him back in 2010, just hope he stays here for a few years.'" www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 07,00.html Here's stuart's view.

Ricky Stuart might be willing to have him back, but would the club?

Unless the law in Australia is vastly different, banning him from playing in the NRL because he might have committed an offence wouldn't stand up in a court of law, and if the Sharks wanted him playing for them then I'm sure he could be.

Even if he comes over here and is able to play a full season, and does extremely well, his past behaviour means he's landed himself with a reputation that will always count against him and walking back into a NRL contract might not be so easy - especially as clubs down under seem to be a bit sensitive to player misbehaviour at the moment.

What shirt number will Bird get?

Another piece of good work by Hetherington...

As long as it's not one with arrows on or part of an orange jump suit we should be alright.

32 is the first number available, so I'd assume that. Unless he has a preference to something higher.

The only other shirt that isn't filled already is 21, but that was retired for Sir Karl.

rlHood articlerl

They wouldn't dare!