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The player on the wrong end of Greg Bird’s lifting tackle hopes the NSW enforcer isn’t wiped out of the State of Origin series over it.
But South Sydney winger Bryson Goodwin says other than wishing Bird the best, the Gold Coast star’s fate is out of his control.
The Titans on Tuesday announced Bird would plead guilty to a dangerous throw, but challenge the grading of the offence in a bid to save his Origin series.
Bird will be banned for six weeks and miss the entire series if he fails to have the grade three charge reduced at Rugby League Central on Wednesday night.
“That’d be sad to see him miss the whole Origin series, but I can’t do anything. It’s up to the judiciary,” Goodwin said.
Should the charge be downgraded to a grade two, Bird will miss only two games, including the Origin opener on May 28, but he will be available for the rest of the series.
“Hopefully he gets off and he’s able to play in the Origin, but that’s up to the panel when he goes and fronts them,” said Goodwin, who was surprised to learn of Bird’s grade three charge.
“But I guess they’re just cracking down on the lifting tackle.”
Rabbitohs hardman Sam Burgess is also hoping Bird doesn’t get hit for six, but says all players have been placed on notice in the wake of Jordan McLean’s seven-match ban for his part in the three-man tackle that left Alex McKinnon with devastating spinal injuries.
“It’s the stance the NRL has taken. No matter how much people say they don’t agree with it or what-not, at the end of the day it’s the NRL’s decision to do that,” Burgess said.
“I just question whether you get some of the game’s best players in terms of Greg Bird sitting out for a long time … six weeks is a long time. I’d hate to see him miss Origin.
“It’s a tough one. As a player, you’ve got to play by the rules.
“But on the other side of it, Bryson got up walking and played the rest of the game.”
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