Bird’s year gets worse at Broncos

JACK Bird’s maiden season at the Broncos has become a nightmare with Brisbane’s $ 3.5 million recruit set to undergo a second bout of surgery in a crippling blow for the former NSW Origin star.

Bird will see a specialist on Monday for a treatment plan on a sternum injury that has plagued him for the past nine months dating back to his stint at former club Cronulla.

The Broncos face the Sharks this Saturday night in Sydney and Bird, who has not played since Round 10, was hopeful of being passed fit to confront the club he quit in controversial circumstances last October.

But Bird is no hope of taking on the Sharks – and is now fighting to save his debut season at Red Hill as he braces for another extended stint on the sidelines.

The 23- year- old missed the entire pre- season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction and Broncos medicos are resigned to Bird spending another four to eight weeks in the casualty ward.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett last night confirmed Bird – who is on $ 800,000 this season – faces another trip to the operating table.

“We’re looking at getting more surgery for Jack,” Bennett said.

“We’re getting more advice so we need another specialist to look at him on Monday.

“I’m hoping his season isn’t over.

“They ( Broncos medical staff) are saying if he has the operation it could be six weeks so there’s a possibility he could be back this year.

“But to be honest, Jack can’t play at the moment. He’s in pain.

“He’s no good for us can’t play to his potential.

“It ( his sternum injury) wasn’t our doing, he came to our club with this injury.

“We need to get things sorted out for him.”

Bird was hailed as the bigmoney purchase who could help the Broncos break their 12- year title drought.

Instead, he has endured a luckless campaign, failing to score a try in the eight games he has played, most of which have been riddled with the pain of a sternum problem that won’t go away.

Bird’s horror year has sparked speculation he wants out of the Broncos, but Bennett insists the attacking dynamo will honour his four- year contract with the club. if he