Ex-Origin star out as Dragons injury woes worsen

1 year ago 56

Still immoderate 4 weeks retired from the commencement of the NRL season, the St George Illawarra Dragons are already facing a halves situation with up to 3 candidates for the No.6 jersey perchance unavailable.

Talatau 'Junior' Amone was suspended by league bosses past month done the no-fault stand-down policy, portion different prima up-and-comer successful Jayden Sullivan is besides battling a hamstring injury.

Now, Jack Bird - the 3rd antheral successful enactment to capable the slot - is himself successful a contention against the timepiece to beryllium acceptable aft picking up a meniscus wounded astatine training.

He volition acquisition country connected Friday.

The Dragons wounded headache is further deepened with young weapon Cody Ramsey to miss the full play with illness.

Bird told Nine helium was doing immoderate other kicking aft grooming erstwhile helium felt "[his] genu click a small spot connected the inside".

He said the country was "just a small procedure" with an expected betterment clip of 4 to six weeks.

He said earlier suffering the wounded helium was "confident and comfortable" with the imaginable of playing astatine five-eighth.

"Not galore radical mightiness deliberation I'm a five-eighth, but I've got to bash what's champion for the team, and if that's for maine to play five-eighth past I conjecture I'll bash that," helium said.

Scheduling is connected the Dragons' side, though; they person the circular 1 bye, earlier getting their play underway against the Titans astatine Kogarah successful circular two.

Bird said helium had been hating the thought of starting the play with a bye, but was present thankful for the other week off.

"Before I did this I was disconnected it; I wanted to play circular one," helium said.

"But present that I've done this ... if it was going to spell by conscionable kicking a football, it was going to go.

"So erstwhile you deliberation astir it, it was astir apt the close timing for it to happen."

Bird has played successful conscionable astir each presumption passim his NRL career, and so played five-eighth passim his debut play for Cronulla successful 2015.

"I truly enjoyed it then. Then I moved to the centres. I've played a batch of positions successful my time."

Former Storm and Broncos halfback Brodie Croft was successful discussions to beryllium Amone's replacement, but Dragons bosses person baulked astatine the monolithic transportation interest enactment connected his head.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Super League broadside Salford demanded a interest of adjacent to $250,000, which Dragons bosses are reluctant to fund.

Croft made 12 appearances for the Broncos successful 2021, earlier heading to the motherland. He has made 28 appearances for the Red Devils, who finished sixth and were knocked retired successful the semi-finals against eventual premiers St Helens.

Moses Mbye is different Dragon who has played successful the halves astatine immoderate constituent successful his NRL career.

The Dragons volition contention South Sydney for the Charity Shield successful Mudgee connected February 18.

Amone volition look tribunal connected March 1, the time earlier the NRL play gets underway successful a clash betwixt the Eels and Storm astatine CommBank Stadium.

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