Bird turns Kangaroo!

[DIEHARD]

Redemption complete for reborn Titan


Greg Bird's re-emergence is complete with his call-up to the Kangaroos side. Photo: Inga Williams

GREG Bird has capped his remarkable return to the NRL with selection in the Kangaroos' squad for the Four Nations tournament starting later this month.

Given a career lifeline by the Titans last December, Bird's strong form and the Titans' consistent season earned him a place in a 24-man squad, which also includes Mudgeeraba junior and Dragons Clive Churchill Medal winner Darius Boyd.

The Darren Lockyer-led Kangaroos boast six rookies, headed by Dally M Player of the Year Todd Carney, Roosters teammate Nate Myles, Cowboys prop Matt Scott, Canberra's Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Tiger Chris Lawrence and St George star Dean Young.

Bird is the only Titans player in the squad. Skipper Scott Prince was overlooked, with selectors opting for Carney and Storm halfback Cooper Cronk while forwards Ash Harrison, Anthony Laffranchi and Mark Minichiello were unlucky omissions.

Thrilled to hear of his selection this morning, Bird was confident of cracking his way back into the 17-man Australian team for the opening game of the series against PNG on October 24.

Bird's last game for the Kangaroos came in the 2008 Centenary Test against the Kiwis, just three months before he was sacked by former club Cronulla over allegations he glassed then girlfriend Katie Milligan.

He fought the charges to clear his name and returned to representative football with Country and NSW.

Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Congratulations to Greg Bird for becoming a Kangaroo and completing his rise!

Well done Greg we are proud of you and we will all be following you closely during the Four Nations.

[DIEHARD]

I just hope Travelling Titan remembers to bring his Greg Bird banner to The Roo Crew!!

[Titan2007DH]

If anyone was to have been chosen out of our team, it certainly would not have been Greg Bird! Sorry to disagree with you, but I feel there were a couple MORE deservng of a Roo call up than him. I can not understand how selectors can hold personal grudges against players for leaving their beloved team to go to a much hated rival team, and vow never to select them in a Australian side regardless of their form on and/or off the field. It has been proven to me once again that this has happened. It is not fair to these players that strive, not only for their team, but for State and Australian selection. Yes, sure, there are many a good player that miss out, that is my only consolation in all of this political rubbish. I am only one voice, but I certainly won't now give two hoots about the 4 nation contest. I'd rather play bingo lol.

[walley]

If anyone was to have been chosen out of our team, it certainly would not have been Greg Bird! Sorry to disagree with you, but I feel there were a couple MORE deservng of a Roo call up than him. I can not understand how selectors can hold personal grudges against players for leaving their beloved team to go to a much hated rival team, and vow never to select them in a Australian side regardless of their form on and/or off the field. It has been proven to me once again that this has happened. It is not fair to these players that strive, not only for their team, but for State and Australian selection. Yes, sure, there are many a good player that miss out, that is my only consolation in all of this political rubbish. I am only one voice, but I certainly won't now give two hoots about the 4 nation contest. I'd rather play bingo lol.

have fun with bingo then mate

[Ryan]

If anyone was to have been chosen out of our team, it certainly would not have been Greg Bird! Sorry to disagree with you, but I feel there were a couple MORE deservng of a Roo call up than him. I can not understand how selectors can hold personal grudges against players for leaving their beloved team to go to a much hated rival team, and vow never to select them in a Australian side regardless of their form on and/or off the field. It has been proven to me once again that this has happened. It is not fair to these players that strive, not only for their team, but for State and Australian selection. Yes, sure, there are many a good player that miss out, that is my only consolation in all of this political rubbish. I am only one voice, but I certainly won't now give two hoots about the 4 nation contest. I'd rather play bingo lol.

From what I understand, they pick the players by whos best suited to that position with what style the coach wants to play - not by who was the best player at each club. But then again, alot of those selections baffle me no matter which way you look at it....

Bird is one of the most damaging forwards in the game, in attack and defense. Like him or not he deserves his spot, and he has proved it beyond doubt several times before.

Harrison deserves selection and is as good as player as Bird, but plays a very different style. Obviously not the style that the coach and selectors are looking for though.

As for Prince - well **** knows why they refuse to select him :boo:

[TITAN PETE]

From what I understand, they pick the players by whos best suited to that position with what style the coach wants to play - not by who was the best player at each club. But then again, alot of those selections baffle me no matter which way you look at it....

Bird is one of the most damaging forwards in the game, in attack and defense. Like him or not he deserves his spot, and he has proved it beyond doubt several times before.

Harrison deserves selection and is as good as player as Bird, but plays a very different style. Obviously not the style that the coach and selectors are looking for though.

As for Prince - well **** knows why they refuse to select him :boo:

Agree with u mate but i don't think the man himself does as he'll be on a beach in Bali at the time

[Titan2007DH]

Agree with u mate but i don't think the man himself does as he'll be on a beach in Bali at the time

Sorry, wrong there As for Prince, he gets the raw deal all the time. I feel for these players, and I know there are plenty out there disappointed at non selection.

[Titan2007DH]

have fun with bingo then mate

Thanks, I will! Then I will look forward to next season when it starts all over again.

[walley]

Thanks, I will! Then I will look forward to next season when it starts all over again.

haha yeh man i am already pumped for next year.... i already went down to the local TAB and put a lazy $100 on the titans to win at $17

[Rage]

Congratulations to Bird!

It's a shame more Titans didn't get called up but he'll represent the boys well.

[Titanic]

Bird gets a shot and I can't argue with his call up and he gets a little rub from the Carney reformed-boy factor too ... no worries and onya, mate.

However, I must agree with the Bingo boy ... Prince was dudded by Tim Shines. We'll win 4 nations by about ... four nations, so Cronk over Prince is just a sham.

[DIEHARD]

Bird enjoys view back at the top

Greg Bird has felt his Kangaroos teammate Todd Carney's pain, writes Glenn Jackson.

Greg Bird hopes many people will be inspired by Todd Carney. He hopes some of them will be inspired by his own story, too, which is now intrinsically linked to the remarkable resurrection of his club opponent - who is about to become his national teammate.

Last year, both players shared the ignominious honour of being banned from playing in the NRL, having been forced a long way away to fulfil their thirst for the game.

Carney did so in northern Queensland, while Bird did so in the northern hemisphere, with Catalans Dragons. Both returned to the NRL and didn't just repair their reputations - they reinforced them, both reaching the final weekends of the competition and securing selection in the Australian squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.

''Coming from where he's come from, having the problems that he had a couple of years ago, I think for anyone out there who's struggling in their life with something, he's the perfect inspiration for them, to show that with a bit of dedication and hard work, you can do anything, and come back from anything,'' Bird said of Carney this week. ''He's gone from being a young superstar to playing park football - to then being the best player in the NRL. It's remarkable.''

Their stories are similar, but at the same time very different. We know both of them well. Carney's drinking had become so out of control that he had not just been sacked by the Canberra Raiders, he had been barred from his home town of Goulburn. Bird's life was even more tattered: he faced the prospect of jail after being charged with glassing his girlfriend. He was ultimately cleared, but you could have forgiven Bird for staying in France, where he would have enjoyed a life full of more money and less fame.

But he came home, to the Gold Coast Titans, and faced his own demons head on - as well as the people who still look sideways at him - in the hope that he would repair his reputation, and maybe, just maybe, his representative career.

When he was selected for Country, alongside Carney, he was well on his way to doing both. And his Test return further gives his return a redemptive feel. Even, like Carney's, an inspiring one.

''I'd like to think it is,'' the 26-year-old said. ''I've worked hard to get back to where I am. There's always room for improvement, but I'd like to think that after the 18 months or so that I've had ? if anybody could gain something from that, I'd be quite happy.

''Hopefully I can make my way back to where I was a couple of years ago.''

He has more than hope behind him. Having represented Country and NSW this year, and now being in a position to claim a Test jumper, he concedes he is ''well on my way there - being close to my best football''. But he is not there yet.

With seven back-rowers (while Bird has alternated between the forward pack and five-eighth for the Titans, Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has already stated he sees him as a back-rower) fighting for positions in the Australian squad, he is not yet assured of a third cap. ''Hopefully we all get to share a lot of the football,'' Bird said. ''There'll be a lot of competition for the positions in the big games, and especially the starting positions.''

You would even think that given how far Bird had slipped, he would be content just to be in among the squad, without any game-time. You would be mistaken though. ''I'd be massively disappointed if I didn't play a game,'' Bird said. ''If that's what Tim sees as the most beneficial for the team in the tournament, so be it, but I'm really looking forward to getting a ball in my hands. I never wanted that game against the Roosters [in the preliminary final] to be my last game of 2010. It's always disappointing to bow out in the semi-finals, especially one game short of the grand final. But to be given the chance to represent my country, it's a massive consolation.

''It was always a goal to make it back. I never really put a time frame on it, but I guess honestly, I never expected to come back so fast. But I've been blessed with a great team, and they've given me an opportunity to play some good footy. You're only as good as the blokes next to you.''

In a few weeks, one of those blokes will be Carney. Both will be wearing green and gold; a sure sign of how far they had come, and how good they had become.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au