Clubs ready to swoop if Titans give Bird the flick

THE manager of Greg Bird has refused to speculate on whether the controversial Gold Coast forward is bound for another NRL club.

Manly and Newcastle are reportedly still interested despite the former Test forward being investigated by the NRL integrity unit over two alleged alcohol-fuelled incidents in the space of 24 hours.

Bird, 31, is contracted to the Gold Coast until the end of next year but has attracted interest from the Sea Eagles along with the Knights who have launched a poaching raid for the former Maitland junior.

Bird’s manager Chris Orr would not comment when asked about his charge’s future yesterday.

Bird’s priority will be the NRL integrity unit’s investigation into the alleged drunken incidents during Titans teammate Anthony Don’s bucks party weekend.

Former Test centre Steve Renouf believed Manly would still be interested in Bird despite the investigation.

“You know he is going to give 100 per cent, it’s just controlling those things off the field,” Renouf told Fox Sports.

“He has a chequered history on the drink. It would be a shame if these little incidents were the end of his career.

“He’s still a very, very good player and someone you want in your team.”

Knights great Tony Butterfield hoped Gold Coast sacked Bird so Newcastle could snap up the former NSW forward.

“I hope the Gold Coast are true to form and adopt the ready-aim-fire approach and send him packing,” Butterfield wrote in a newspaper column.

“The Titans’ loss would be the Knights’ gain in my view.”

Butterfield admitted Bird was a “wild bit of gear” but believed he would only benefit the Knights.

“The Knights are right to profile the best character traits in their recruitment strategy, but right now we need what Bird has to offer: experience, leadership, skill and mongrel,” he wrote.