Jack Bird Discussion

[Jason Simmons]

It's official now apparently...

JACK Bird has decided this morning that he will move to Queensland and join the Brisbane Broncos on a three-year deal worth $2.1m.

The Broncos contract offer is believed to be worth $350,000 more over three seasons, than what the Sharks were offering.

Bird, who won last year’s premiership at centre, made the decision before training this morning after also weighing up a multi-million dollar offer from the Newcastle Knights.

However, the 22-year-old advised his management to inform Knights officials that he would be declining their offer to join the Broncos.

Bringing the prolonged contract negotiations to an end, Bird has been adamant that the lure of playing five-eighth at the Broncos would be a major factor in his decision.

How Bird adjusts to playing five-eighth alongside unorthodox Broncos halfback Anthony Milford is considered a major gamble by some experts and will become a major talking point ahead of the 2018 season.

The premiers were preparing for the NSW Origin utility’s departure and have drawn-up a hit list of targets for which they will now use the salary cap money they had reserved for Bird to sign a marquee outside back.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/09f32304df28451d94d03e0b4072e11b

 

[jarro65]

I hope Wayne knows what he's doing.

 

[Sproj]

There are no direct quotes there, still not official I'd imagine.

 

[Sirlee oldman]

I'm happy. He's a good tough player. We will make him fit.

 

[Rhys van Beurden]

Still not sure about this... but what do I know?

 

[Sproj]

I've been wrong before but if this is official, I really, really don't like it.

 

[Unbreakable]

Confirmed by Chris Garry, we got him.

 

[Morkel]

"However, the 22-year-old advised his management to inform Knights officials that he would be declining their offer to join the Broncos".

Good English there...

 

[Unbreakable]

"However, the 22-year-old advised his management to inform Knights officials that he would be declining their offer to join the Broncos".

Good English there...

What's wrong with that sentence? :o

 

[Danoz Direct]

I think he is great signing...

 

[Renegade]

as i said in the other thread, this is a great signing, he will be great for us and we have a young player that's hitting their straps NOW rather than hoping they do in the next 12-24 months.

 

[BroncsFan]

I am not keen on this signing at all. It makes no sense for the proposed positions :
Centre - great but overpriced, bird also doesn't want to play there
Lock - appears undersized, bird has minimal NRL experience there and unknown how the defensive workload will affect him
5/8 - good fit as a runner however just doesn't help us with our organizational requirements
Halfback - definitely not what we're after no apparent organizational skills, kicking game or passing abilities
Fullback - potentially his best position however we have the current best no 1 in the game and I don't believe Boyd's game will suit a move to the halves
2nd row - probably his next best position defensive load is lessened and he runs good lines however we are completely stacked in that department as it is and he's also untried at NRL level.

On pretty much every account he doesn't really suit our current squad. There may be a call for him to move into right 2nd row and Gillette to lock??
Boyd to halves and bird to fullback
Milf to 7 and bird to 6

But there are negatives and weakening one position to slightly strengthen another...

 

[Unbreakable]

I don't think he's a great signing, I think he's a necessary signing. One thing this Broncos team has lacked in the last few years is some determination, Bird has plenty of that, good luck stopping him 1 on 1 within 5 metres of the try line. I reckon the plan is to put a bit of muscle on him and play him at Lock. He wants to be in the middle of the field to get more involved, that solves that. He's already an above average metre eater, I think with a full pre-season in the forwards and some extra bulk he could be a great Lock for years to come, would add a completely different dimension to our attack with a legitimate ball running / ball playing forward.

 

[Battler]

I remember this place melting down when we signed Boyd. Bird is a very good player with a long rep future, it's now down to how and where we play him.

 

[Kyall]

Early release on the books at all?

 

[Renegade]

Early release on the books at all?

where would he fit? unless we release hunt i don't see him joining us prior to 2018.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

In Wayne we trust

 

[broncsgoat]

I don't think he's a great signing, I think he's a necessary signing. One thing this Broncos team has lacked in the last few years is some determination, Bird has plenty of that, good luck stopping him 1 on 1 within 5 metres of the try line. I reckon the plan is to put a bit of muscle on him and play him at Lock. He wants to be in the middle of the field to get more involved, that solves that. He's already an above average metre eater, I think with a full pre-season in the forwards and some extra bulk he could be a great Lock for years to come, would add a completely different dimension to our attack with a legitimate ball running / ball playing forward.

He's listed at 93kg's; you'd imagine he'd need to be 100+, that'll be one hell of an off season. But yeah agree it's the only position that makes any sense.