‘He’s in agony’: Horrific Jack Bird ankle injury sight rocks NRL

Injuries are a sight no NRL fan wants to see, particularly when one of the unluckiest stars in the sport suffers yet another ugly blow.

They were tough scenes to watch. Photo: Fox Sports

The Canterbury Bulldogs have bared their teeth in a brutal 44-12 thrashing of the Dragons at Accor Stadium on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs have been showing signs of turning a corner in 2024 but had not fired a shot like this — going from 12-6 at half-time before piling on 38 unanswered points in a ruthless second half.

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Making matters worse for the Dragons, they spent most of the match two players down.

After losing Hame Sele to a shoulder injury early, the Dragons were rocked as centre Jack Bird was medicabbed off the field in horrific scenes just before halftime.

As the Bulldogs attacked down the left edge through Bronson Xerri late in the first half, Bird made the tackle but clutched at his angle before crawling off the field in agony.

“Oh no, Bird’s in massive pain,” Andrew Voss said. “Jack Bird, over the sideline in awful trouble for the Dragons.”

In a move that may be considered heartless by some, the Dragons were forced to play the ball as they shot concerned looks at their teammate.

But as Voss explained, “there's no obligation to stop play because he’s off the field”.

Ankles shouldn't bend like that. Photo: Fox Sports

Lomax immediately went to Bird's aid. Photo: Fox Sports

Lomax went to his mate. Photo: Fox Sports

“Geez, that’s hard to watch,” Michael Ennis said of the injury, adding that Bird was “a friend of mine”.

After the Dragons set, referee Adam Gee had to stop play as Bird needed the medicab.

And after play had stopped, the replay showed exactly why after he stood on Xerri’s foot, rolling his ankle in ugly scenes.

“Oh Jesus, the ankle just rolled completely,” Ennis said.

On Channel 9, Andrew Johns said: “He is in agony.

“It’s a great story of resilience. He has had a history of knee injuries, but he suffers really bad rheumatoid arthritis. He has to take constant medication.”

Fortunately, Dragons officials revealed it may not have been as bad as it first appeared.

At the break, Bird was seen in the sheds with his foot in a bucket of ice with the green whistle.

While the initial fears on the sideline was that Bird had suffered a broken leg, after halftime, the Dragons staff believed it was a syndesmosis injury and that it would be a four to six week lay-off for the star.

Bird has a long history of injuries, suffering an ACL injury as a teen before being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager.

After winning a premiership with the Sharks in 2016, Bird’s time at the Broncos was ruined by injuries including a shoulder, sternum and back-to-back ACL blows.

Bird was seen icing the ankle in the sheds. Photo: Fox Sports

Fans felt for the unlucky star.

Knights half Jackson Hastings, who suffered a broken leg off a hip drop tackle in 2022 tweeted: “I love you bro.”

The Western Weekender’s Lachlan Jeffrey posted: “No wonder poor old Jack Bird is in so much pain. Ankles are not meant to bend like that.”

The Red V Podcast added: “Thoughts with Jack Bird after that horrific injury. Hope everything is OK. Awful to see this kind of stuff, especially when it’s your own player.”

Another fan commented: “Oh no man jack bird doesn’t deserve this he’s been so unlucky over his career.”

“Jack Bird – always sad to see injuries like this. Hope it’s not as serious as it looks, great player. On 2nd viewing, looks horrid. Thoughts go to the big fella,” another said.

It’s been a tough night for the Dragons, who also lost Sele after just 14 minutes with a shoulder injury.

While the Dragons held the lead at the break, it was all Bulldogs after halftime as they blew out the scoreline.

Originally published as ‘He’s in agony’: Horrific Jack Bird ankle injury sight rocks NRL