The NRL is poised to block a secret plan for a shock return to State of Origin I for the suspended NSW Blues star Greg Bird.

NSW management and coach Laurie Daley were last night locked in discussions about whether Bird could now be eligible to confront Queensland next Wednesday night.

Bird will serve the second week of a two-game suspension tonight when Gold Coast play New Zealand Warriors at Cbus Stadium.

Under the NRL rules Bird is now free to be selected. Daley isn’t looking at picking Bird in his run-on squad, but as the 18th man.

Read more at the Daily Telegraph