The pain from Greg Bird’s chest injury has almost subsided but it seems the departure of NSW State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart will hurt more for the Blues bruiser.
Moments after confirming he was still a week away from returning for Gold Coast from the pectoral complaint he suffered in Origin III, Bird called on the NSWRL to ensure Stuart was involved in the next interstate series – even if it wasn’t as Blues coach.
Stuart has been consistently linked to Canberra next year but is yet to thrash out a deal with the NSWRL to ensure he can share the Blues and NRL coaching reins.
A melancholy Bird sounded resigned to losing Stuart as NSW coach next year after hearing the NRL rumours that have swirled since the Blues’ heartbreaking one-point loss in the Origin decider.
But Bird hoped Stuart would remain close to the Blues camp in some capacity, such was his admiration for the incumbent NSW mentor.
“I would love to see Ricky there next year,” Bird said on Wednesday.
“I am sure NSW officials would love to see him there.
“But Ricky has to look after himself. He’s a great club coach and I am sure that is the role he will take on next season.
“There’s no reason why he can’t come in as a coaching administrator, or a role similar to that to keep him around the playing group because he has such an influence on the team.”
Bird said the pain of losing a seventh straight Origin series stung more than the pectoral injury he aggravated in game three and is still nursing.
“After my first one (series loss), I never thought we would be 7-0 down but we are and we have to dig ourselves out,” he said.
“We have to re-evaluate but, hopefully, it is a very similar staff and team next year so we can give it another lash.”
Bird said the NSW series loss would steel him to help the Titans pull off a last-gasp finals spot.
But he won’t jeopardise Gold Coast’s chances by fast-tracking his return and playing in the NRL derby with Brisbane on Friday night.
“If it was a semi-final, I may be able to push for this week but we have some pretty important games after this one so I am going to rest up,” Bird said.
“There is (a temptation) but if I come back and re-injure it, like I did at the last Origin, it will probably rule me out for the rest of the season.
“I will sacrifice this game for the last six.
“With the rehab that I have had, I am pretty confident it should be right for next week’s game against the Roosters.”
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