The No.6 curse at St George Illawarra has continued after the Dragons’ latest five-eighth option, Jack Bird, suffered a knee injury at training.
First-choice five-eighth Junior Amone is facing serious assault charges and is sidelined under the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy, Jayden Sullivan is nursing a hamstring injury, while Bird, who only became the club’s preferred halves option a fortnight ago, will undergo a minor clean-out of his meniscus on Friday.
On the same day it emerged the Dragons had made inquiries about luring Brodie Croft back from England, Bird was spotted limping after injuring his left knee – the same joint in which he twice ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament while at the Broncos.
Bird confirmed there were no issues with his ACL this time, and while he would be forced to skip the pre-season trials, was optimistic he would be fit to return for the round-two clash against the Gold Coast alongside skipper Ben Hunt. The Dragons have the bye in round one.
The 27-year-old spent the bulk of the pre-season training at lock before coach Anthony Griffin moved him to five-eighth.
“I got through training on Monday, and I was doing some extra kicking at the end when I felt a little ‘click’ in my knee,” Bird told the Herald.
Jack Bird will have minor knee surgery on Friday.
“It didn’t buckle. I’ve done the left knee twice, but I spoke with the doctor, and he said the ACL was good – both ACLs are strong. The stitch that was holding down the meniscus has come loose.
“I’ll go in for an arthroscopy on Friday. It’s just a cleanout – I’ll be right to go [by round two]. Unfortunately with what has happened with ‘Junes’ [Amone], and ‘Bud’ [Sullivan] being injured with his hamstring, we don’t have a No.6 at the moment.
“I started training at No.6 two weeks ago. I asked him [Griffin], ‘Is this a thing we’re going with in the future, or a quick fix?’ He said, ‘I just want you training there’, and I’ve been training there since’.”
Skipper Ben Hunt has been busy trying to adapt to the ever-changing ‘spine’ at St George Illawarra.Credit:James Alcock/SMH
Hunt has been at the club since 2018 and already had eight different starting halves partners. Hunt, who has a huge opinion of Amone, said Bird loomed as his likely offsider ahead of Sullivan because of his experience.
The captain added the changes to the spine for a variety of reasons, including retirement and season-ending injuries, naturally made it more difficult to build on-field chemistry.
For the best part of three seasons at the Broncos, Hunt played with Anthony Milford, Darius Boyd and Andrew McCullough.
“I think if Birdy is fit he will be there, and he’s shown enough through his career to deserve that [first] shot,” Hunt said.
“The first few rounds of the year you want to go with your most experienced side. It’s never the prettiest footy, you need to defend well, and Birdy brings that.
“Birdy’s versatility is his biggest strength, I’ll take control and let him be a runner of the ball and pop up when he wants.
“But whenever [Amone] gets back to playing again, he will be a great player.”
Amone will appear in court on March 1 in relation to charges of causing reckless grievous bodily harm in company, damaging property and stalking during a November 15 incident where it was alleged he attacked a roofing contractor with a hammer. The Dragons have since applied for cap relief.
Hunt said he did not feel any extra pressure on himself, even though fans will concede the only way the Red V will reach September this year is if their halfback stays on the field and reproduces the outstanding 2022 form.
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