Dragons star Jack Bird has been called many things throughout his career - but the one word you can always use to describe him is authentic.
After bursting onto the scene at Cronulla, the 28-year-old has been branded with the overpaid, overrated and injury prone tags for the past five years following a tough stint at the Broncos.
Bird managed just 17 games across his three seasons at Red Hill, leading to plenty of unwarranted criticism regarding his reported $900,000 per season deal at the club.
The utility opted for a fresh start heading into the 2021 campaign, returning back to his roots in Wollongong and inking a deal with the Dragons, covering a number of roles and becoming a senior member of the roster.
Watch the full interview with Jack Bird and Tyrell Sloan below.
Jack Bird opens up on tough Broncos stint
Speaking on the latest edition of Sporting News/YKTR's Ebbs and Flows podcast, Bird detailed the struggles he faced up north and admitted his doubts over continuing his NRL career.
“That was a hard time up there," he said.
"Obviously I had some injuries… but it’s made me who I am today, the person I am and I don’t take things for granted anymore. In the blink of an eye, you can stop playing rugby league because of the injuries you have.
"I was pretty close on giving it up at some stages, but I think at the end of the day, this is all I have ever wanted to do. You’ve got to think about when you were a young kid and where you wanted to be and what you wanted to do.
"I thought about that and that made drive to keep going and get back on my feet. I came back to the Dragons, where I never thought I’d end up again after my first stint here.
"Being a local junior, it means a lot to the locals and the community and having my family down there and my friends that I grew up with, it’s something special. Hopefully I’ve got a few more years left in the tank."
Jack Bird's teenage battle with rheumatoid arthritis
Many within the game wouldn't be 100 per cent familiar with Bird's early struggles - and it might cause them to think twice about labelling him as 'injury prone' in the future.
As a teenager, Bird suffered a devastating ACL injury while playing Oztag and during his rehab process, doctors also diagnosed the talented young gun with rheumatoid arthritis - a chronic disorder affecting joints throughout the limbs.
“I did an ACL when I was 16 playing Oztag... a few months later, I started getting sore in the wrists and elbows and I always thought it was just from the crutches," Bird said.
"I did blood tests and nothing came back, and then my left knee at the time was my good knee and that blew up and it was hot and I couldn’t really walk on it. We took fluid out of that and it came back with rheumatoid arthritis and ever since, I’ve been on medication and getting an injection weekly.
"It’s kind of hard to stay on top of it… you take it for granted a little bit."
Bird has been in and out of the Dragons lineup throughout 2023 due to ongoing knee issues, but specialists have cleared him of any lingering rheumatoid arthritis issues.
"It’s in remission at the moment, it’s been in remission since I was 16 or 17 years old, and I’m feeling good personally," he said.
"With the knee now, we’ve tested for rheumatoid and it’s come back clear… I’m just trying to get to the bottom of it.
"There’s a bit of fluid in there, but it’s got nothing to do with the rheumatoid and hopefully it’s just a little bit of wear and tear and I can get back on the paddock soon."
Jack Bird's personality isn't for the faint of heart
If you've ever watched Bird on the field during his NRL career, you'd know the man is as passionate and fiery as they come - and the same goes off the field.
And while his personality may turn some people off, Bird is happy to play the villain if it means he is staying true to himself and his own values.
“That just comes with the game – I hate losing," he said.
"Most people don’t know who I am and what I’m like as a person. I might rub people up the wrong way and sometimes I speak before I think and I speak my mind, and it comes out the wrong way sometimes.
"It does come from a soft spot in the heart… I’m a realist and I like being real, I don’t like being fake. That’s all you can ask from someone – if someone is fake, you don’t know what type of person you’re gonna get day in and day out.
"I like speaking the mind, and I'll tell them to f**k off if I have to."
Bird's career has been a rollercoaster to date, but with the appointment of former Sharks mentor Shane Flanagan as head coach at St George Illawarra next year, he's hoping to get things back on track.
"I’m excited for him to get a coaching gig back, he’s been waiting a while now and I’m grateful for it be at the Dragons," Bird said.
"Hopefully I can get back to playing good footy under him and he probably knows my body best besides me, so hopefully he can get me back on the paddock."
