St George Illawarra utility Jack Bird could be on the move with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Bird, 26, is currently being paid near $1 million a season but he’ll expect that price to drop significantly in his next deal.
While Bird’s management is expecting a pay-cut, reports have suggested that the Dragons are only willing to pay as much as $400,000 to keep him at the club, with the former Origin player set to look for better offers.
With rival clubs alerted to the unfolding situation, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio says there’s two Sydney clubs in particular who could be set to make a serious play for Bird.
“We touched on Jack Bird’s situation on Wednesday,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“The Dragons are only paying Jack Bird $400,000 with the Broncos paying $500,000 of his $900,000 salary.
“The Dragons simply don’t want to go above the current mark of spending more than $400,000 on Jack.
“That has raised the prospect of Jack leaving the Dragons, Parramatta are certainly interested, but they see him as a back-rower, they have departures obviously next season in the back row.
“But, I’m keeping an eye on the Wests Tigers, I know for a fact the Tigers have money to spend and spend now.
“They have a hole in the centres, and they’d prefer to sell that dream to Jack of, ‘Come play in the centres for us instead of the back row’.
“So, I’m keeping an eye on the Tigers in that space as well.”
As Bird is off-contract at the end of the season, he’s been free to negotiate and sign with rivals for the 2023 season and beyond since last November.
The NRL’s newest club the Dolphins have also been linked to Bird with the centre potentially interested in reuniting with Wayne Bennett next season after the pair worked together in Brisbane.