Sharks devastated by Jack Bird’s Broncos move, concerned he will struggle under Wayne Bennett

CRONULLA thought they had their man — but Jack Bird is going to Brisbane. And the Sharks believe the 22-year-old will struggle under Wayne Bennett’s rule.

Bird and Gallen catch up before the news broke. Photo: Gregg Porteous

CRONULLA believe coach Shane Flanagan was the only person who could have got the best out of Jack Bird while there were also concerns his unique personality will not suit Wayne’s World.

Bird became emotional on Thursday when he told his Sharks teammates at lunchtime he was bound for Brisbane on a whopping $4 million four-year deal.

Only a few hours earlier Bird was high-fiving teammates and embracing the likes of skipper Paul Gallen in scenes that suggested he was about to snub the Broncos and Newcastle and remain in the Shire.

TEMPTING: Bird’s deal worth $4 million

AURA: Bennett’s doubters must take notice

REACTION: Bird’s move splits fans

Cronulla declared they had tabled the biggest offer in the club’s history to Bird, $3 million over four years, with the final year an option in Bird’s favour.

“In the end we couldn’t match the financial terms and we chose not to,’’ Sharks boss Lyall Gorman told The Daily Telegraph last night.

The person most devastated by Bird’s decision to link with Bennett was Flanagan, who poached Bird from St George Illawarra and handed him his NRL debut.

There had also been some subtle allowances made for the quirky 22-year-old, such as allowing him to regularly skip recovery sessions in Cronulla so he could stay at home in Wollongong and receive massages.

Bird gives Chris Heighington a hug during Sharks training. Photo: Gregg Porteous

There will be no such special treatment under Bennett at Red Hill. More than 30 per cent of Telegraph readers polled felt Bird would struggle to fit into Bennett’s structure.

Flanagan met with Bird on Wednesday afternoon in one last-ditch attempt to get him to recommit, and had no idea Bird was about to fly the Shire coop as he left a training session in Sylvania Waters around 11am Thursday.

Half an hour later, The Daily Telegraph broke the news Bird would join Brisbane.

Bird and Gallen catch up before the news broke. Photo: Gregg Porteous

“There’s nobody more disappointed than the coach,’’ Gorman said. “Shane has invested a lot of personal time and faith in Jack, so he’s extremely disappointed.

“If you wanted evidence about Shane’s ability to bring out the best in someone, in the two years Jack has been here, he made his NRL debut, was the NRL rookie of the year, played State of Origin, and won a premiership. There can be no more supportive evidence than that.’’

The League Central podcast: The Gold Coast Titans to make the eight! Plus a full preview of Round 7.

Gorman and Cronulla chairman Damian Keogh met with Bird last Thursday, and were still confident late Wednesday they would keep their man. Gorman, however, said Cronulla were not prepared to add another dollar to their record deal.

The Broncos outlaid $4 million with the fourth year an option in Bird’s favour.

“We couldn’t match the financial terms and we chose not to,’’ Gorman said.

“We could have, but what would that have done to our short, medium and long-term future, and we’re of the view it would have caused challenges we didn’t want to confront.’’

Bird was keen to see more of the ball, and Flanagan was keen to play him at lock, admitting last month ‘’he’ll probably change the game a bit with the way No. 13s play — he won’t be playing in the middle, but sweeping both sides of the field’’.

Shane Flanagan embraces Bird after the Sharks GF triumph. Photo: Colleen Petch.

If Paul Gallen was to play on, he would have accommodated Bird at lock and moved into the front row.

He becomes just the second player since Glenn Lazarus to join the Queensland club after making his Origin debut for NSW.

The spare cash means the Sharks will be on the lookout for an outside back. Gorman said they had already made a point of locking up a host of their talented juniors, while talks with halfback Chad Townsend were sure to advance.