Re: Bird

[lynx000]

What are our thoughts about Bird? If we can offload him in the off-season with no or minimal impact on our salary cap, do we do it?

He has had no luck with injury, but you would have to say that his stint with us to date is a fail, at a fair cost in terms of our salary cap. To me, I think if we can move him on, we should do so. He seems to be the most likely that we could move on with minimal impact on our salary cap (provided he wants to head back to Sydney).

I just can't see clubs lining up for Boyd or Macca, I think we are stuck there, in the absence of an injury caused retirement or them deciding to pull the pin.

That would then allow us to park Boyd in the centres and out of the spine. With Boyd, Shibasaki, Coates and Farnworth we seem to have enough cover for centre.

 

[theshed]

I’m a huge fan of Bird but his best position is currently right centre and Staggs owns that now.
The biggest issue like you said, is this apparent need to accomodate Boyd both on the field and financially. If Boyd goes and frees up that cash and space on the field I’d be happy to keep Bird until his contract is up.

 

[Skyblues87]

I say get rid. Too injury prone and whilst he is a tremendous player he is not worth the money. We could use his cap in other areas.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

**** him off

 

[Maddy1to9]

In all honesty, having Bird in our squad will make us more strong but financially, it might cripple us. It’s sad on our part that we couldn’t get the benefits of having him for couple of years. That being said, Staggs proving solid for us. I absolutely love him at right center. Added to him, we have Coates, Farnworth & Shiba( I am skeptical about him) as options.

As we all know Rugby League careers are short and will only last until early 30’s to mid 30’s. If the injuries are taking a toll on Bird mentally, I wouldn’t blame him to try his luck somewhere else. He’s gem of a player. If he decides to move somewhere else, it would free up some of the cap space which we should use to lock in DaFifi & Flegler.

Now, to Boyd. His best position is left center if he decides to hang around (in all likelihood) next year. In hindsight though, we couldn’t find a capable left centers long term post J.Reed. Though he’s not a gun player, we looked more settled with him there. Wish we find one real soon who’s a gun.

 

[Nepal Donkeys]

Bird naysayers were eating their words earlier this year, and everyone has quickly forgotten.

Bird is a gun, he's only played 1/3 of the games he's been here due to injury. He has 2 years left on nowhere near the money he's alleged to be on, and we need a strike back now that Roberts is gone. Shibasaki is shithouse and all of our other centres are prospects at this stage.

No way are we offloading Bird, and nor should we.

 

[Dash]

With Staggs making right centre his own, I think Bird would serve the team best at 5/8. He'd basically play the role Boyd is now, except better in every way. Boyd goes to left centre for a year until one of our young guns is ready.

 

[007]

Keep, no discussion.

He has proven talent, and is a competitor to the bone. Competitors create other competitors and win games. I just hope these injuries havnt mentally messed him. If he comes out ok, he will be hungrier and stronger than ever.

 

[Wolfie]

He could play fullback, center, 5/8th or even lock for us and be good in every role. I wouldnt get rid of him. I dont see him as injury prone. He was let down by the Sharks with his Sternum injury and his ACL injury was just him getting his knee caught in a tackle, could have happened with anyone. WE would be mad to let him go.

 

[Footy Fanatic]

Him at 5/8 with Dearden at halfback could work well.

 

[lynx000]

I’m a huge fan of Bird but his best position is currently right centre and Staggs owns that now.
The biggest issue like you said, is this apparent need to accomodate Boyd both on the field and financially. If Boyd goes and frees up that cash and space on the field I’d be happy to keep Bird until his contract is up.

Yes mate, agree with you, and that would be the best outcome for us.

 

[Battler]

Bird naysayers were eating their words earlier this year, and everyone has quickly forgotten.

Bird is a gun, he's only played 1/3 of the games he's been here due to injury. He has 2 years left on nowhere near the money he's alleged to be on, and we need a strike back now that Roberts is gone. Shibasaki is shithouse and all of our other centres are prospects at this stage.

No way are we offloading Bird, and nor should we.

This. Fully fit he's up there with the best centres in the game with the potential to be the best. He gets more involved than someone like Lazy Latrell (only mentioning him because he's considered the best outside back in the media), busts tackles, has a good passing game, is a very good defender, and is a more versatile player in the sense that he can play multiple positions well instead of just distribute the ball like LM does when he plays in the halves.

 

[Footy Fanatic]

I'd like to see Bird get an extended run at five-eight next season.

For me Boyd is offering absolutely nothing at five-eight and I just really don't think he is a first grader in our side next season.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'd like to see Bird get an extended run at five-eight next season.

For me Boyd is offering absolutely nothing at five-eight and I just really don't think he is a first grader in our side next season.

I think this could work, but only if Dearden plays as the first receiving genuine halfback.

Bird would then sit on the right as a second fullback, Boyd hiding at left center and Milf floating around everywhere. A right side of Bird, Gillett, Staggs would be pretty handy.

The only issue I have with it is the potential of Bird crowding that right side and restricting the space and time of Milf... who I think is best when running from left to right.

As it has been since Bird signed we still have no idea where he should play and it still looks like a luxury buy rather than necessity.

If there was an offer for Bird to go back to Sydney I'd be looking to let him go. Fifi is more important to this side than Bird in my eyes.

 

[Mustafur]

Given his Fav role is where Staggs is, and he is on big money he is starting to not make sense being in our team.

He showed alot of promise but has missed most of his contract already with injuries, if we can offload him for an elite left centre go for it I say but Bird can play at Left pretty well still, but he is on alot more money then what a Centre should ever be at so not sure on this one.

I would still give him Next season to prove himself, if he gets another big injury then he is gone anyway as it's his last season of the contract, he needs to be Origin level to even be worth keeping any longer imo.

 

[something]

As stated above, I would be looking to put Bird in at 6. The guy is a weapon, it’s like the greatest Broncos tragedy he isn’t playing this season.

 

[pagey]

Bird naysayers were eating their words earlier this year, and everyone has quickly forgotten.

Bird is a gun, he's only played 1/3 of the games he's been here due to injury. He has 2 years left on nowhere near the money he's alleged to be on, and we need a strike back now that Roberts is gone. Shibasaki is shithouse and all of our other centres are prospects at this stage.

No way are we offloading Bird, and nor should we.

It's the 1/3 part that's got people ready to boot him.

 

[Skathen]

Bird has played 17/51 games for the broncs (assuming he does not make it back by the end of the year) and also assuming we don't count this year's finals series yet.

That's 1/3.

He's got the talent and I don't think anyone questions his effort, you can see it written all over his face when he is out there - but injury prone players are a liability - particularly very highly paid ones. Even if we did find a club to offload him to, he would go for massive unders as his reliability is shot. He played a fair chunk of 2017 injured too - only lined up for 17/27 games for that year for the sharks. In fact, I don't think he has played out a full season since hitting the NRL?

Money is better spent elsewhere. Not to say he is a bad player, he just is not worth the money given he is not really a game breaker and has yet to stay fully fit for a single season of the NRL.

If it came down to offloading him and picking up some of the tab so we could keep someone we need to, say David Fafita, then it's a no-brainer really.