Gold Coast’s Greg Bird on Newcastle Knights shopping list

NEWCASTLE have identified Greg Bird as the man to rebuild the struggling club and have made moves to poach the NSW Origin star.

NEWCASTLE have identified Greg Bird as the man to rebuild the Knights and have made moves to poach the NSW Origin star.

The Courier-Mail can reveal a Knights official contacted the Titans recently to inquire about Bird’s contractual status.

Coach Neil Henry said the 225-game veteran was contracted to the club next year.

It is not the first time Bird has been linked with a move to his home town but this time the interest is genuine.

Bird, 32, will be looking for one final contract before he retires and the Knights could snare him with a longer deal than what he is now on.

Henry said the Titans were not ready to begin contract negotiations for 2018.

“We don’t feel the need to at the moment,” he said.

“He’s certainly a valuable part of our squad. He’s our only profile representative player and mainstay of our pack with leadership on the field.”

Greg Bird has been linked with a move to the Knights in his home town of Newcastle. Picture: Getty Images

Bird’s tenure at the Titans has been a talking point since he was stripped of the co-captaincy he shared with Nate Myles in late 2014.

The Roosters identified Bird as a potential signing in the pre-season.

Bird and wife Becky welcomed their first child recently and Henry said they were settled on the Gold Coast.

“All I know is he’s contracted here next year and is very happy and settled on the coast,” he said.

“They’ve bought a house and recently had their young daughter. ”

In Coffs Harbour preparing for his 18th Origin appearance, Bird said he had not heard about the Newcastle link.

Hosting Manly on Monday, the Titans will look to hit back from their disappointing loss to the Eels in Darwin. But they will have to do it without Warriors recruit Konrad Hurrell, who could miss up to three weeks with a calf injury.

Originally published as Gold Coast’s Greg Bird on Newcastle Knights shopping list