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UPDATE: Bird responds to allegations of off-field incident during a night out

Greg Bird (Digital image by Shane Wenzlick, copyright nrlphotos.com)
20th September, 2016
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Greg Bird’s career at the Gold Coast Titans is on the line – again – with reports the NRL Integrity Unit is investigating the game’s most suspended player over an alleged incident in a northern NSW pub.

Bird is said to have been on teammate Anthony Don’s bucks night when the representative backrower was involved in an altercation with bouncers at the Hotel Brunswick.

Bird has responded to the reports via Instagram:

“I would like to put out the actual version of events from the Saturday night at the Brunswick Hotel in mention.

“I was with a group of people on a bucks party and we all were refused entry. I left the premise and someone from our party stayed and got into a physical altercation with the security.

“Me along with everyone else in the group ran into separate the two involved and no one else threw any punches. There is footage and witnesses to verify this.

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In response to the reports, the Titans released the following statement:

“The club is aware of an investigation currently underway by the NRL Integrity Unit regarding an alleged incident at a hotel in northern NSW last weekend.

“At this stage those investigations are yet to be completed so the club is not in a position to comment further until the outcome has been determined.”

Police are said to be investigating the matter, as are the NRL.

“Integrity unit investigators will prepare a report on the incident and provide it to the Gold Coast Titans, who will determine what, if any, actions is required,” an NRL spokesperson told AAP.

It is the latest in a long line of incidents for Bird, whose rap sheet on the holiday strip includes urinating next to an unmarked police car, and being charged for the supply of cocaine (he was acquitted).

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Bird’s career on the Gold Coast followed a stint in France with Catalans, which came about after he was released from Cronulla following a 16-month jail sentence for a charge of grievous bodily harm against his girlfriend, although he was eventually acquitted.

The NSW Blues enforcer is hardly a cleanskin on the field either, with his 31 weeks on the sidelines putting him third on the game’s all-time most suspended list, with by far the longest record of any current player.

Still, this latest incident will have piqued the Newcastle Knights’ interest, with the wooden spooners having spoken of their desire to bring local junior Bird back to the Hunter – although each time they have also acknowledged Bird is signed with the Titans until the end of 2017.

Though their offseason is barely a fortnight old, it’s been a rough end to an unexpectedly bright 2016 for Gold Coast, with star signing Jarryd Hayne last week caught up in a scandal involving $5000 cash, an alleged member of the Hell’s Angels, some Eminem karaoke, and a cigarette that the former NFL player definitely didn’t ask for.

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