Greg Bird

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Greg Bird
fullname = Greg Bird

---

caption =
country =
position = rlp|LK|FE
currentclub = leagueicon|Cronulla|16 Cronulla Sharks
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|2|10|df=yes
placeofbirth = Newcastle, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
height = convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|102|kg|stlb|abbr=on
club1 = leagueicon|Cronulla Sharks|16 Cronulla Sharks
year1start = 2002
year1end = present
appearances1 = 106
tries1 = 35
goals1 = 6
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 152
teamA = leagueicon|Country|16 Country Origin
yearAstart = 2007
yearAend =
appearancesA = 1
triesA = 0
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 0
teamB = leagueicon|New South Wales|16 New South Wales
yearBstart = 2007
yearBend = 2008
appearancesB = 4
triesB = 0
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 0
teamC = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearCstart = 2007
yearCend = 2008
appearancesC = 2
triesC = 1
goalsC = 0
fieldgoalsC = 0
pointsC = 4
updated = 29 August 2008
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Greg_Bird.html RLP]

Greg Bird (born 10 February, 1984 http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/player/0,26796,100235-126,00.html] in Newcastle, New South Wales) is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. He has represented at state and national levels. He plays at either second row, lock or five-eighth.

Early career

Raised at Lochinvar in the Hunter Valley, Bird played junior football for West Maitland and Maitland Pumpkin Pickers. A schoolboy sensation in rugby league, playing for Rutherford Technology High School, he was a member of the Newcastle Knights under-18 SG Ball side, going on to represent and captain the junior Australian Kangaroos side in 2001. [cite web|url=http://maitland.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/city-league-stars-aussie-jersey/680099.aspx|title="City league star's Aussie jersey"|accessdate=2008-08-26|work=Maitland Mercury|publisher=Maitland Mercury|date=2001-07-17]

While attending Rutherford High School, Bird played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2001. [cite web |title=SportingPulse Homepage for Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League |url=http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2130-0-0-0&sID=26424 |accessdate=2008-10-10 | publisher="SportingPulse"]

enior career

2002

Bird made his NRL debut for the Cronulla Sharks on 28 April, 2002, Round 7 v Bulldogs at Toyota Park.

2003-2006

Bird played regular first grade for the Sharks in 2003.

Bird obtained notoriety in 2004 after kneeing Souths winger Shane Marteene in the head during their round four clash, which resulted in him not only being sent off by the referee but also in a 10 week suspension from the judiciary. [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1083587.htm ABC Sport - Rugby League - Sharks lash Bird suspension ] ] According to his agent, Gavin Orr, Bird had "said he copped a couple of blows to the face during the match and he got an elbow from Shane Marteene in the tackle and just lost it." [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/04/1081017039232.html?from=storyrhs Bird says sorry for 'cowardly act' but he's prepared to pay the price - League - www.smh.com.au ] ] Chief executive of the club, Steve Rogers claimed that Bird had "been made an example of" and was angered that there "wasn't much consideration given to Greg's youth and his previous record". [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1083587.htm ABC Sport - Rugby League - Sharks lash Bird suspension ] ] But the judiciary stated that it took Bird's remorse and good record into account, but decided upon the lengthy suspension due to the severity of the offence. [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1083470.htm ABC Sport - Rugby League - Bird gets 10 weeks for kneeing ] ] After the game Bird apologised to Marteene in the dressing rooms and also wrote letters to the player and the Souths club. [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1083587.htm ABC Sport - Rugby League - Sharks lash Bird suspension ] ] Greg Bird was charged with two assaults including girlfriend in 2008

Bird had a strong year in 2006 and was voted as the Cronulla Sharks "Player of the Year" despite missing seven games of the season through injury. [ [http://www.sharks.com.au/index.php?id=79 Greg Bird ] ] He suffered a serious rib injury in a Round 21 game against the Newcastle Knights which ended his season. Also during 2006, he posed for the "Naked Rugby League 2007-08" charity calendar, which was produced to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia. In March, 2006 he was alleged to have sent model Lara Bingle inappropriate text messages, although Bird denied this, Sharks spokesman Rob Willis saying "Greg's thrown up his hands... He says he's done nothing inappropriate. There's been nothing obscene written. There's been no harassment.". [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/australias--face-claims-shark-attack/2006/03/03/1141191849454.html Crude texts less than model behaviour - League - Sport - smh.com.au ] ]

2007

Following outstanding club form, Bird made his debut for Country Origin and the NSW Blues in game II. His performance earned him a recall for game III of the series, this time in the position of five-eighth where he played most of his early football. He was also awarded "Man of the Match". Bird made his Australian Test debut in 2007 and was named the "Player's Player" in the one-off test match between Australia and New Zealand.

2008

Bird made a strong start to the 2008 and was selected for Australia for May's Centenary Test, retaining his five-eighth jersey in place of an injured Darren Lockyer. Following the Test, Bird was again named in the NSW Blues side, controversially chosen again in the five-eighth position. In the 2008 State of Origin game one Bird was named Man of the Match.

Following NSW's loss in Game II, Bird claimed he was "jokingly" arrested outside a Brisbane nightclub as part of a practical joke by Queensland Police. Queensland Police responded in a press release stating Bird was arrested after he failed to follow police instructions. He was released after five minutes without charge.

There have been calls for Bird to be placed at lock to make way for Sydney Roosters five-eighth Braith Anasta for the Origin decider.

In August, 2008, Bird was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. [cite news|author=Liam FitzGibbon|publisher="Fox Sports News (Australia)"|title=Surprises in Kangaroos squad|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24111780-23214,00.html|accessdate=2008-08-02|date=2008-08-01] cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/01/sports/AS-RGL-Australia-Squad.php|title=Veteran Lockyer named in Australian squad|publisher=International Herald Tribune|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-02]

On August 25, 2008, Bird appeared in Sutherland Local Court charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on his 24-year-old American girlfriend Katie Milligan at his flat in Cronulla. It was alleged that he had smashed a glass into her face. It was reported that she is undergoing surgery for a fractured eye socket and facial injuries. He was granted bail. The Cronulla club's chief executive, Tony Zappia, advised Bird would be stood down from the playing roster pending further investigations. Ms Milligan had moved to Sydney to be with Bird earlier in the month, having met him in Las Vegas while has was on holiday there earlier in the year. cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24237719-5001021,00.html|title=Greg Bird allegedly blames Brent Watson for glassing Katie Milligan|last=Gee|first=Steve |date=2008-08-25|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=News Ltd|accessdate=2008-08-25] [cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24241381-2722,00.html |title="Sharks' shame as Greg Bird bailed" |accessdate=2008-08-25 |work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=News Ltd|date=2008-08-25] [cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,24165659-5013560,00|title="Katie Milligan flies into arms of Cronulla Sharks' Greg Bird"|accessdate=2008-08-25|work=news.com.au|publisher=News Ltd|date=2008-08-25] In September 2008 Bird's legal representative was advised that Bird would be facing additional charges of public mischief and false accusation. [cite news|url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/greg-bird-new-charges/2008/09/29/1222650970757.html|title=Greg Bird faces mischief charge|last=Ramachandran|first=Arjun|date=2008-09-29|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-09-29]

Representative career

* Represented and captained the Australian Schoolboys
*"Country Origin:" 2007.
*"State of Origin:" 2007 and 2008
*"Australia:" 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.sharks.com.au/index.php?id=621 Cronulla Sharks profile]
* [http://www.nrl.com/myclub/players.cfm?TeamID=11&PlayerID=671 NRL profile]

See also

*List of rugby league incidents