February 20, 2016 12:00am
EMMA GREENWOODGold Coast Bulletin


THE Titans have been given no indication Greg Bird wants to leave the club before his contract expires despite reports linking the forward to the Roosters from 2017.

Reports emerged from Sydney last night that the Roosters were chasing Bird for next season but Gold Coast chief executive Graham Annesley said there was nothing to the speculation.

There have been no official approaches from Bird or his management to the club suggesting he will not fulfil his contract, nor has there been any suggestion the firebrand forward is unhappy despite being passed over for the club captaincy this week.

“There’s nothing to it as far as we’re concerned,’’ Annesley said.

“Birdy’s under contract to the end of 2017 and as far as we’re concerned it’s business as usual.’’

Annesley also dismissed speculation Bird had an option on his contract for next season, confirming the Blues Origin representative was tied to the Titans until the end of 2017.

A former Gold Coast co-captain, Bird lost the formal leadership position at the end of 2014 after being fined for urinating in public and had a testing 2015 season after being embroiled in the Titans cocaine scandal, of which he was cleared, and missing Origin through suspension.

He remains a favourite with his fellow players though and speculation remains that he was a captaincy candidate before being rejected by the Titans board.

Annesley refused to reveal board discussions on the leadership position.

“As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing to this speculation at all,’’ he said.

“We can’t control what goes wild in the Twittersphere but it’s certainly not coming from us and it’s not because of any approaches that we’ve had.

“I don’t want to speculate on something that is merely rumour.’’

Bird has been forced out of the Titans’ trial against the Rabbitohs tonight but trained with his teammates at Pizzey Park yesterday and chatted to fans after the session.

He will be available for the club’s Round 1 match against Newcastle on March 6.

Bird and his management did not respond to calls from the Bulletin last night.