Furious NSW back-rower Greg Bird has called for different rules to be used in State of Origin after being charged with a grade-one dangerous lifting tackle during Wednesday’s State of Origin encounter in Brisbane.
Bird was one of four players charged by the NRL match review committee after he was deemed to have lifted Gold Coast teammate Nate Myles into a dangerous position.
Myles was also charged with a grade-one dangerous contact sanction after catching Bird with a raised forearm when running with the ball.
Bird, who suffered a ‘stinger’ in his neck following the incident, said neither he nor the Queensland prop should have been charged and said he had no idea how he was supposed to tackle any more.
“It’s State of Origin and it gets tossed up as the toughest arena in rugby league. You pick someone up and land on their back and you get suspended,” Bird said.
The Titans’ star is facing a one-match suspension following the incident but will miss two matches if he fights the charge and loses.
It is the second time he has been charged this season with a dangerous lifting tackle, missing Origin I after being sidelined for two games for a challenge on South Sydney’s Bryson Goodwin.
Myles won’t miss any games with an early guilty plea, but NSW five-eighth Josh Reynolds could miss three having been slugged with a grade-two shoulder charge for his hit on Will Chambers.
Queensland’s Ben Te’o will also miss one game if he pleads guilty to a grade-one dangerous contact charge for a late hit on Trent Hodkinson.
“Neither me or Nate should have been put on report and, as for Joshy Reynolds, he’s 80 kilos. All he has done is put his body in front of him,” Bird said.
He also angrily hit back at claims from Mal Meninga that he took a dive in the incident that led to Myles being put on report.
“That’s ridiculous. Can someone please explain to me how I am supposed to tackle?” he said.
“I bend my back, I get penalised. I go high, I get accused of taking a dive.
“It’s stupid. Origin, we are all told, is a different game – there should be different rules.
“It’s always been drummed up as the most intense encounter in sport. If that’s the case, how can it be like every other game?
“It can’t be adjudicated like a normal game. It’s frustrating. If a bloke doesn’t land on his head, you shouldn’t get suspended.”
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
There are times when players should be seen and not heard.Bird is a classic example.He sails close to the wind in club games,and based on his public outrage he believes it should be open slather in SOO. News for Bird rugby league has a set of rules in place,from the top to the bottom.SOO is just a top tier , higher paced,played by the best of the best rugby league players. As shown in SOO 1 and SOO3 the best of the 3 games,they were played as per the rule book open,little dirty play which was penalised .The view that punch-ups,or playing outside the normal rules should be tolerated,smacks of someone who has the concerns of himself and not of the viewing public and potential supporters of the game. To use a vernacular Bird should be given the bird.
Watcher
Guest
Personally I think that Bird is dishonest diving gutless cheap shot merchant. However, he does have a point with his charge. What is so different from his and Reynolds tackle in a previous game. I do not agree with his assertion of different rules. Unless they can show that Origin players are not susceptible to concussion and spinal injuries. That is why those rules are in place. What needs to happen also is for players, otherthan Captains to be penalised for getting in the Referees faces during the game. Both sides guilty of it, however, Bird an Reynolds have raised it to an art form.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Reynolds appeared before the judiciary and accepted a 3 week layoff, Bird has a two week holiday and Te'o will miss a week. Myles escapes a suspension.
WQ
Guest
If the NRL had treated Bird correctly after the first lifting tackle he got in trouble for this year then perhaps he would learn a lesson, but no pathetically they let him off so that he could play Origin. Then during Origin he watched one of his Team mates do the same thing and get away with it as well. So he does it again, this time not as bad, so what happens?, well who knows but I would not mind betting now that Origin is done he cops a lengthy suspension! I have no sympathy for Bird, he is a blight on the game, however in this instance I sympathise with him. Why would he not argue that this was not a problem last time so why is it a problem now? This is a big issue for the NRL, I have mentioned on another post that the next player injured by one of these tackles needs to sue the NRL for every penny they can get. The NRL have clearly identified this type of tackle as dangerous, they have branded it foul play and yet continue to do nothing about it!
Adsa
Guest
If they changed the rules to suit Bird, we might see a good old drunken glassing
Adsa
Guest
If they changed the rules to suit Bird, we might see a good old drunken glass
Cadfael
Roar Guru
State of Origin is the pinnacle of the game. Probably the grand final is the only game that comes near it for crowd support. As such it should be the show piece of the game. Not the showpiece of back alley niggling tactics. If anything the rules should be more strictly enforced here than in club games. Of course, this is just pie in the sky stuff. No way the ARLC will want to clean the game up.
Trenno
Guest
Yeah, because if they dont change the rules NSW wont ever win again...
Clark
Guest
Bird should have got suspended for that dive
Meesta Cool;
Guest
Bird is a well known 'grub (Some call it enforcer, some a bash brother), the defining of it just doesn't matter!, Heaven forbid if they play Origin to his rules, there has been too many injuries and reports come out of this years series as it is!. some because the umpires have let the game go a bit!, It's the old adage, "give some people an inch and they will take a mile: , Meesta Bird is one of these people, the more he gets away with the more he will try!. AND, What a performance for his injury!, he almost pleaded with the umpire to put his Club team mate on report!. Good one Birdy!. I have seen lots of people get 'stingers' but I have never seen a command performance in all my life like last nights effort!. He should also have been binned or penalised for his constant efforts of fronting the ref every time a decision was given against NSW, Gallen is a big enough boy to do his job and supposedly he is the only one on the team that is supposed to Cry to the ref!.
The eye
Guest
Absolutely,Bird on Miles was the modern day equivalent to Artie on the Crow..suspension is asbird..absurd