According to reports both in the UK and Australia, Leeds Rhinos are set to sign Wests Tigers outcast Jack Bird in a late move before the season begins.
The Daily Telegraph down under reported earlier this week that Bird had been released from his contract “effective immediately” and will join the Rhinos prior to the season start.
Leeds have not made a raft of recruitment changes this year, and the ones they did make were all completed well before Christmas, meaning they had time to settle and gel with the squad prior to the new campaign.
Should Bird make the move, and it should be reiterated that Leeds have not confirmed the deal, and it is only speculation, he won’t have that time to adapt to his new surroundings, and with the club’s first game of the Super League campaign less than a fortnight away, he will have to adapt pretty quickly to the Headingley setup.
However, the move for Bird is an excellent piece of recruitment for Brad Arthur’s side, especially given their current injury situation.
Analysing Jack Bird’s potential switch to Leeds Rhinos
So, let’s start with an overview. Who is Jack Bird?
The 30-year-old’s CV is as affluent as they come for an overseas import, and after winning an NRL Grand Final in 2016, he has prior knowledge of achieving success – something Leeds are putting all their efforts into under Arthur.
As well as that, Bird is a 176-time NRL player, and a five-time State of Origin player with New South Wales.
He was named the Dally M Rookie of the Year – the NRL’s equivalent of the Young Player of the Year – in 2015, and can play a number of positions in the side.
What makes this move an astute one from a Leeds standpoint is that versatility, and after picking up a number of injuries in the pre-season, Bird has more than enough talent to provide cover and squad depth.
His primary position is at centre, and that is where he has played over half of his NRL matches.
How will he improve Leeds?
With Max Simpson out for the season with an ACL injury, and Ash Handley also on the sidelines, Bird can slot straight into the side and will be a solid addition to the 17.
He can also play in the back row, and whilst Leeds do have cover there, if another player goes down it could leave them in a spot of bother.
James McDonnell’s injury will see Kallum Watkins and Ethan O’Neill become first choice, but beyond that they would be relying on youngsters to fill the spot.
Whilst the likes of Ben Littlewood and Zak Lloyd have potential, having someone like Bird that can cover multiple positions, and do it to a high level, is a no-brainer.
He has also played, at full-back, in the halves and at loose forward in his NRL career.
Leeds currently have three overseas quota spots open, so getting him on board wouldn’t be an issue.
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