Bird: Bad boys deserve chance

Controversial international Greg Bird says players who are charged with criminal offences should be permitted to continue in the NRL with no disciplinary action from their club or the League.

In his most outspoken interview since returning to Australia, Gold Coast’s Bird tells magazine Rugby League Week he can see no reason why Newcastle accused Danny Wicks and Chris Houston are not still turning out for the Knights.

The players stood themselves down pending police investigations into drugs charges.

“Danny Wicks hasn’t been found guilty of anything, so he is innocent until he is proven guilty and that should be the stance that the NRL takes,” Bird tells today’s RLW.

“That is the stance society takes, so why can’t the NRL have exactly the same stance?

“I can’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be allowed to play football.

“And I can’t see why I wasn’t allowed to play football either. That was in the past and I can’t do anything about it now, but it was the wrong decision.

“Innocent until proven guilty should be the way to go and while it wasn’t the case for me, hopefully the League can have a look at how they do things.”