Greg Bird hoping Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga sticks to picking incumbent players

TEST incumbent Greg Bird is hoping a spur of the moment “joke” will not count against him at the Kangaroos selection table.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 06: Greg Bird of the Titans runs with the ball during the round one NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Newcastle Knights at Cbus Super Stadium on March 6, 2016 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

TEST incumbent Greg Bird is hoping a spur of the moment “joke” will not count against him at the Kangaroos selection table.

Coach Mal Meninga will on Tuesday name his first national team for Friday week’s Test against the Kiwis in Newcastle.

Bird played in last year’s corresponding Test and received an eight-match suspension for a lifting tackle. But he is set to be overlooked this year.

Tim Sheens was the coach who selected Bird for his 17th Test match last year and has since been replaced by Meninga, who led Queensland to nine Origin series wins.

In 2014, Bird and Meninga traded verbal barbs in the media following an incident in the Origin series.

“It was an Oscar winning performance. He should have been at the World Cup for soccer,” Meninga said of a clash where Maroons forward Nate Myles collected Blues enforcer Bird with a forearm to the throat.

When informed of Meninga’s comments by a television reporter, Bird fired back.

“Mal said that?” he said

“He’s welcome to pull the jersey on and come out and run at me. I don’t care.”

Bird has started the season in sizzling form for the Titans, running for 181m and setting up a try in last Saturday’s loss to Canterbury.

Greg Bird takes on the Bulldogs defence.

The 32-year-old veteran has a fight on his hands to return his Kangaroos jersey and said he hoped Meninga saw the funny side of their banter two years ago.

“I hope he can take a joke,” Bird said.

“At the end of the day you’ve just got to turn up and play your best at clubland. I think I’ve been going all right.

“Mal’s said he’s going to go with incumbents and experience so hopefully that’s going to work in my favour.”

Bird had a season to forget in 2015, missing the entire Origin series because of the Test match tackle.

Bird is hopeful his cheeky remarks a few years back won’t hurt his chances for Test selection.

He has been the Gold Coast’s best player in the opening rounds this season and said he was thriving with his new role.

“I’m enjoying playing in the middle,” he said.

“I played the last few years on the edge.

“With the new interchange rules, moving into the middle has suited my game.

“I’m drifting in and out of ball playing and having a bit of fun. I’m a link between the halves and forwards.”

Originally published as Greg Bird hoping Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga sticks to picking incumbent players