Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Lestronge]

I agree that a player has a limited time in the game to make their fortune (early thirties)
He was sitting on a good $ deal and gambled it by asking for a release to make bigger bucks with the breakaway union mob.
Now that hasn’t turned out as expected, he wants back in 😁
IMO
Parramatta are only doing what they are legally entitled to do,
Maybe other clubs and players should have done the same instead of just agreeing to be released mid contract without compensation.
Remind me what did Wests get out of releasing TDS early ?
If the answer is zilch then I would say that is extremely poor management.
Remembering this is a business hopefully making a profit not just giving away assets to your business competitor.

I’m not saying they’re not doing what’s best for them . I’m saying I have zero empathy for them in regards to losing an elite talent and getting nothing in return . When they are the one club due to their Isaac Moses ties, that is always in and amongst the absolute muck of player movement . Nearly every situation I can think of where a player left a club in pretty poor fashion the eels have been in and amongst it . Like I said dating back to Matterson and even further to Moses .
Maybe this will cause that club to pause and reflect , on how they have been pretty the driving force behind guys like Isaac Moses being able to do what he does.
TDS by the way , is meh . He’s Jacob Liddle 2.0. Liddle is 30 and only now starting to play at a level that has people saying “he goes alright”.
I’m far more confident in the skill set of Heyward and Lanyon , and more importantly the slow transition into first grade .
He was an absolute liability in defence. He needs to lift , because there’s absolutely no reason Reilly smith should be in front of him in the pecking order .

 

[weststigers]

Who tf does our website ? Just went on Fonua’s profile and the description is about Jack Bird 💀

Seems like the old digital blunders are back once they got rid of Richos son.

Prepare for more incompetence.

 

[TheEnz]

Seems like the old digital blunders are back once they got rid of Richos son.

Prepare for more incompetence.

That's an interesting point...it does feel to me like our digital and marketing presence seems to be reverting back to the John Bateman Anzac jersey days.

 

[batboy]

Seems like the old digital blunders are back once they got rid of Richos son.

Prepare for more incompetence.

Existing Profiles haven't been changed since then, Just some Removed / Added.
As has been said 1000 times before, The NRL farms out that side of the Websites
(Why they're all the same template)

It's not directly handled by the club.

Reserve Grade is handled in the same fashion via the NSWRL (Before that offends anyone)

 

[wstigers11]

Seems like the old digital blunders are back once they got rid of Richos son.

Prepare for more incompetence.

You’re right he was actually doing a great job.

 

[balmain boy]

Who tf does our website ? Just went on Fonua’s profile and the description is about Jack Bird 💀

The NRL manages the profiles.

 

[balmain boy]

Think the stigma goes back to the days when retired front rowers used to run behind garbage trucks, unfortunately today that jobs gone lol.

I've seen a few former first graders as garbos in the inner westn in the past year or two

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I've seen a few former first graders as garbos in the inner westn in the past year or two

Driving the truck, all the bin collection is picked up by an automated mechanism up here, except for bulk waste collection some of that's done by hand.

 

[2041]

Of all the positions we need to pinch players from the warriors m, hooker and half are not them. We need big fast outside backs and forwards.

At that age what we need is good players, and as many of them as possible. If a decent half becomes available, you take them. Most of them won't work out so you'd be bonkers to turn down talent on the basis that you have someone else ahead of them in the development ladder.

 

[BunganHead Tiger]

I've seen a few former first graders as garbos in the inner westn in the past year or two

You could almost call that recycling!

 

[Dr_Ice]

Think the stigma goes back to the days when retired front rowers used to run behind garbage trucks, unfortunately today that jobs gone lol.

Back in those days it was often current players doing this during the week

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Back in those days it was often current players doing this during the week

True saw Olsen Filipaina doing the garbo run when he was playing around North Ryde when I was living down there.

Big Ollie man that guy had legs like tree trunks.

 

[balmain boy]

Driving the truck, all the bin collection is picked up by an automated mechanism up here, except for bulk waste collection some of that's done by hand.

Nope we have manual stuff here. Yahoos hanging off the edge of a truck grabbing all the bins. Not enough space for automated stuff.

 

[Tiger Morgs]

According to the telegraph Bird might be off to the ESL.

 

[wstigers11]

According to the telegraph Bird might be off to the ESL.

Wonder if we are moving him on for a spot for someone?

 

[Ecto-1]

Wonder if we are moving him on for a spot for someone?

Maybe to give Bunty a top 30 contract.

 

[jstigers]

Maybe to give Bunty a top 30 contract.

I heard he is getting a contract after the trials. hopefully its the case

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

According to the telegraph Bird might be off to the ESL.

NRL career over? Ex-Origin, Wests Tigers star Jack Bird shopped to Super League clubs

Jack Bird looks to have played his final game for Wests Tigers. The former premiership winner and NSW Blues star’s career remains in limbo after a swap deal with an NRL club collapsed.

Tyson Jackson
January 28, 2026 - 12:56PM

Jack Bird looks to have played his final game at Wests Tigers, with the utility player being shopped to English Super League clubs in an attempt to revitalise his career.

Bird fell out of favour with the Tigers midway through the 2025 season, missing the club’s final six rounds before being given permission to leave at the end of the year.

Bird missed the club’s annual army camp a couple of weeks ago, with the former premiership winner believing the deal had been struck between London and his management.

The former premiership winner was initially believed to be part of a swap deal which would’ve seen Bird move to Manly in place of front-rower Nathan Brown, who would return to the Tigers after starting his career at the club in 2013.

That deal fell over and Bird was believed to be staying at the Tigers, but this masthead can reveal the 30-year-old had been in talks with the London Broncos to play in England’s second division competition the Betfred Championship.

But the deal had fallen over due to the club not being promoted into the Super League and a tight salary cap restraint for the Championship.

The Broncos, who were recently purchased by Queensland great Darren Lockyer have wasted no time filling their squad with NRL players with Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Dean Hawkins, Savillia Havili and Luke Smith already at the club.

They are also now coached by former South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou.

It is understood Bird is still looking for a home in the Super League, with multiple clubs in the UK competition still interested in the former representative star’s signature.

Bird’s departure from the club won’t only mean salary cap relief for the Tigers, which will help them retain the likes of fullback Jahream Bula, but also an extra spot in the club’s top 30.

The likes of veteran Bunty Afoa, and new recruits Javon Andrews and Ethan Roberts are all currently on development deals with the Tigers.

Bird joined the Tigers after stints at the Dragons, Broncos and Sharks and hasn’t played more than 17 games in the last three years.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Wonder if we are moving him on for a spot for someone?

We already have 2 spots available, Bird would make 3.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Two key points in the story ...

Bird missed the club’s annual army camp a couple of weeks ago, with the former premiership winner believing the deal had been struck between London and his management.

It is understood Bird is still looking for a home in the Super League, with multiple clubs in the UK competition still interested in the former representative star’s signature.

I'd say Bird's head is already in the UK now so very good chance he will be goneski. His management (whoever Tartak has representing him given he is suspended) will be working overtime to land him an ESL deal.