Personally I'm disappointed, he's a class player, but this smacks of us taking up the responsibility/pay for a player who hasn't an option in the NRL until 2010 when he'll happily return. Spending a fortune on a player who may be on trial in Auz for a crucial part of the season (if we can believe the papers) seems an odd choice to me.

And as for ME's 'I'm not bothered what they do off the park' remark, well, that about sums him up. I'm happy to stick with innocent until proven guilty but everything about this, and Cronullas stance makes it look problematic. It could make the Harris deal look clean cut before it's over.

We'll see, hope I'm wrong.

LMAO at "the worlds greatest talents" bollox.
Good player but will he be here because he has to be or because he wants to be?
We all know why, although now if he does get clearence you will finish at least 5th rather than 7th!!

Call for Mystic Eddie? Is there a Mystic Edddie on the boards?



Assuming all this comes off (visa's et al), you've surely got to be A) a bit excited about the prospect B) Impressed with Mr Hood C) Assume Mr Bird has some faith in Macca, nes pas?

EDIT - Bugger. Just read your earlier post. Top man for that ME.

Great signing for Bradford will be one of the top players in the League next year. Personally gutted Wigan did not snare him, look forward to watching him in 09.

In my opinion makes you real contenders for a trophy this year.

Massive signing and credit to the club.

Ussually an option is given by one party to an other to buy should certain circumstances occur. I'm guessing here but the scenario might be that due to there being few serious contenders for his signature this year that we have him on a fairly low 1 year deal with an option to purchase a further 2 years at a higher amount. Perhaps there are other possibilities but I don't see what the club would gain by giving Bird the option to stay for 2 years if he wants or leave if he wants. That basically means if he's rubbish he can stay for 3 years and if he's great he can leave after 1. Doesn't make sense.

As far as visa's are concerned we'll have to wait and see. There must be something in the contract about being available to play so if, and it is an if he is found guilty and cannot complete his obligations then the Bulls can sack him.

With Lynch out, Langers to prop and Bird to 13. It's not without it's dillemmas and possible pitfalls but exciting or what!!!!

COME ON YOU BULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So a quick recap, then.

The Bulls have made probably the best (re)signing of them all in tying Sam Burgess up with a new extended and improved contract, and that was the key signing for me.

Then we have signed current GF winners from both hemispheres is Scruton, and the truly legendary Menzies.

And now we announce the signing of Greg Bird.

To marquee lovers everywhere, I'm sure this array of talent must at least be beginning to resemble a tent, and by rights there should be a significant amount of humble pie consumed in the next few weeks.

Jeffries is, as I have always said, a 7 not a 6. If Bird actually makes it here, there is no question in my mind that he'll be straight in at No. 6. Where that leaves Jeffries I don't know - but that's Mac's problem.

Bird and Deacon is now a half-back combo that's alot closer to McGuire/Burrow and Pryce/Long. Bradford now have one of the 3 best packs and halves in the league. Their 3 quarters and full-back let them down. But I'd still expect them to finish in the top 4. Quality signing.

Care to explain that?

It also appears that there are plenty more that are happy to sweep things under the carpet on this issue..

As I said, plenty would have Pryce back, Wigan stood by Feka, both of whom were found guilty, Bird is guilty of nothing as yet so what is the problem?

I am not condoning domestic violence under any circumstances FWIW. It is just that I do not really care what people do in their private lives, as long as they are doing the job on the field.

Thanks for ignoring the positive aspects of the post and highlighting one part.

Cheers BP. Some others could take note......

We shall wait and see how they get on first should we not?

As I said earlier, it is a great signing on paper, but we shall see how it all pans out first before eating any humble pie....

However, I made my point clearly on page 4 of this thread.

Great signing for you guys, if you had a couple of strike players in the backline you would be a bloody good team.

This will be the same girlfriend who got a restraining order out on him straight after the incident.

[url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/milligan-says-shes-still-in-love-with-bird-20080901-46io.htmlYup[/url.

Maybe not



I suppose now its a good signing

He never said anything about it being a bad signing.



On a seperate note, I highly doubt the club would announce the signing of a player who didn't have a visa yet, considering the amount of visa problems players seem to be having lately.

This signing, behind a very good pack, gives us the potential to go very well this year. I am looking so much more forward to it now.

I have to say I'm really excited about this signing. I do think this is going to make Bradford a more formidable team this season

Quality, quality, quality, quality.

In case you haven't noticed I think this signing is quality!

You make the mistake of thinking the world, or at least the board, revolves around you, and are paranoid that every comment is aimed at you. It doesn't, and they're not.

There are several detractors who have made several, quite different, claims against the Bulls and one of those claims was that we are a 'selling club' and not any longer 'in the market' for decent players. Another is that we would not and could not make any 'marquee' signings and indeed that the club and/or the coach had lied about the possibility of doing so. Another is that we have little or no cover in the halves and no ability or intention of getting any. Another is that no 'decent' players would come anyway to play under a 'crap coach'. Another is that we have a 'weak squad' which is no better than mid-to-worse-table.

These represent a considerable humble pie requirement, indeed easily sufficient to qualify for a substantial bulk discount.

We don't have to see "how it pans out first" at all. Whether Bird does the business on the field if and when he gets here is a completely different issue. All the above have been comprehensively demolished by the Bulls' signings so far.

I should TBF add, though, that in your case you did consume your portion of pie very daintily and without prompting. But there's plenty left. Wonder if rhinoms is feeling hungry . . .

I wonder if McNamara has a sneaky peak on here today.. I bet he does!

in the same way is buderus here because he wants to be or because he wants to op up his pension fund whilst on the sick

I doubt that.. I'm sure it's always be a lifelong dream for Buderus to swap the Aussie lifestyle and climate for the world famous City of Leeds..

I know where I'd rather live...

As Paul has said, at no point did I say it would be a bad signing for anyone. I'm just amazed that we had the money to get him, I would never have thought it was available.

think its more a case of us waiting for the right player to become available in a position we needed- which is what the club always said they were doing only the doom mongers chose not to believe them

Hey, I've been a doom monger.. but this signing speaks class to me. It's something McNamara said he'd do if the right player became available, and he's delivered. Well done Stevie M for delivering on your promise.