Jack Bird set to be sidelined for Broncos’ clash with Sydney Roosters

BRISBANE coach Wayne Bennett will officially unveil his 21-man squad later today but hooker Andrew McCullough says the side is preparing to face the Roosters without Jack Bird.

Jack Bird during a Brisbane Broncos training session.

JACK Bird’s nightmare season at the Broncos has continued with the struggling big-name recruit set to be sidelined for Friday night’s blockbuster against the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

Bird has attempted to play through the pain barrier for the past eight weeks but the NSW Origin utility has finally succumbed to a sternum injury that has plagued him since the pre-season.

The $3.5 million recruit played a secondary role at Broncos training on Tuesday, running with the Renegades squad while wearing a red vest to signify he was off-limits for contact work.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett will officially unveil his 21-man squad later today but hooker Andrew McCullough says the side is preparing to face the Roosters without Bird.

Jack Bird is set to be sidelined for Brisbane’s clash with the Roosters.

The loss of Bird, Alex Glenn (knee) and Payne Haas (shoulder) will pave the way for two more debutants in former Cowboy Patrick Mago and Queensland under-20s centre Gehamat Shibasaki.

The rookie duo trained with the main squad today and are likely to appear on the interchange bench for the showdown with the Roosters team which broke Brisbane’s hearts in last year’s finals series.

“Jack’s sternum has been giving him grief and injuries like that are pretty sore,” McCullough said.

Gehamat Shibasaki is in contention to make his NRL debut.

“It takes the pressure off Jack to make sure he gets his sternum right and gets back into it. I’m not sure how long he is out but it gives someone an opportunity this week.

“They (Broncos medicos) are trying to manage him.

“There is still a lot of football this year and if he can have a break over the next few weeks, it will be a blessing for him.”

McCullough says Bird has fitted well into the group despite his below-par form.

“Mentally he is fine,” he said. “He just wants to do his best for the team and it’s hard to do that when you are carrying a niggling injury.

“You worry about your performance and being a key recruit ... he will be fine, we’ll see how he goes after this week.”

McCullough backed young guns Mago and Shibasaki, who is highly-rated by former Broncos centre Justin Hodges, to handle their Broncos baptisms.

“The club is doing a tremendous job to create some depth for ourselves to rely on those guys coming through,” he said.

Andrew McCullough training with the Broncos.

“There’s a few interchange spots there and Patrick has been playing well in the Queensland Cup and that’s the reward you get.

“It’s popped up for Pat and he gets his chance.”

McCullough said the Broncos, languishing in ninth spot, were desperate to hit back after last week’s dismal 38-24 loss to the Sea Eagles.

“It’s a great challenge,” he said.

“What the club needs at this stage is for myself, Sam (Thaiday) and Darius (Boyd, skipper) to stand up and the younger guys to step up.

“We were outenthused (against Manly), it shouldn’t come to that and to see our fans going home early is disappointing, you don’t like seeing that.”