Jack Bird has spoken out to clarify his future, stating he wants to remain with the St George Illawarra Dragons, but it hasn't stopped rival journalists and publications from becoming involved in an online slanging match.
Breaking earlier this week, Channel 9's Danny Weidler revealed Bird wanted out from the struggling Dragons.
Despite re-signing just months ago, and being contracted to the joint venture until at least the end of 2024 with a mutual option for 2025, it was reported the club's form and struggles were tempting Bird to look elsewhere.
Weidler revealed however that Bird had contacted him personally before the story went live to tell him he wasn't going anywhere.
The Dragons, who sit 16th on the ladder, with just two wins from their nine games to date in 2023, are reportedly set to sign a new coach for 2024 as well, with Anthony Griffin asked to reapply if he wants to stick around beyond the end of his current deal.
That, in short, looks to be a slim chance of happening, with calls for his position to be axed growing louder by the day on the back of five straight losses and baffling team selection choices, which have also seen Bird moved from lock to second-row and back to lock again.
Bird doubled down on his future from a Dragons' camp in Queensland this week.
โYou know what footy's like, that's what journalists do, they make stories up to get some viewers,โ Bird told News Corp.
โI've only just re-signed last year. It's frustrating (losing) but I'm happy (at the Dragons). It's hard to lose games but it is what it is.
โYou've got to let the journalists do what they want to do, let them make stories up and run with it. You've got no control over those things.
โLike Danny said, I rang him when I heard about it and tried cooling the air and telling him not to do it. But he still goes ahead and does it.
โIt doesn't matter, they do what they want to do and you can't control what they do.
โThere's no truth to it so if he wants to go and say that stuff, I can't help it. He's got the control over it.โ
Bird confirmed his future was at the Dragons, but that didn't stop the News Corp report from labelling the Manly Sea Eagles - where Anthony Seibold and Shane Flanagan have both coached Bird previously - as the likely new home.
Weidler wasted no time in calling that out, seeming to back his own story, that, despite Bird's comments, he has indeed been looking for a way out of the Red V.
Weird โฆ because in the third paragraph of this report the journalist states as fact that Manly is shaping as a new home for Jack. So is the original yarn right in the Telegraphs eyes? And is the next story the Tele writes going to be Bird denying their denial story? https://t.co/FALtxiGtyk
— Danny Weidler (@Danny_Weidler) May 10, 2023
Bird, who is rumoured to be on north of half a million dollars per season, was a Dragons' junior who spent time at the Cronulla Sharks and Brisbane Broncos before returning to his junior club where he has ultimately managed to string his first two seasons without injury together since 2016.
Bird has played 137 NRL games and will go past the 150 barrier if he stays fit during this season.
