bird will play this week . tigers : Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:14 pm  

It is understood the player and his manager Chris Orr flew to the south of France last week for a tour of the Catalans club's facilities and to meet with president Bernard Guasch and coach Kevin Walters. The Dragons are hoping to complete the formalities in time for Bird to make his Super League debut against Castleford at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium on Saturday. Bradford had pledged to stand by the player as he waited for the chance to clear his name in next month's court appearance, but chairman Peter Hood says the club will raise no objection to his latest move. http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... alans.html

It is understood the player and his manager Chris Orr flew to the south of France last week for a tour of the Catalans club's facilities and to meet with president Bernard Guasch and coach Kevin Walters. The Dragons are hoping to complete the formalities in time for Bird to make his Super League debut against Castleford at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium on Saturday. Bradford had pledged to stand by the player as he waited for the chance to clear his name in next month's court appearance, but chairman Peter Hood says the club will raise no objection to his latest move. http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... alans.html

Re: bird will play this week . tigers : Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:24 pm  

fredie wrote:

bird will play this week . tigers

fredie then wrote:

The Dragons are hoping to complete the formalities in time for Bird to make his Super League debut against Castleford at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium on Saturday.

So which is it?

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:25 pm  

It'll be good to see Deon again after all this time. Whatever happened to him after he left us?

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:02 pm  

this fedie bloke is a real pain,he's always on southstander spouting off,a bit like me on here tonight i suppose
no offence intended though guys!

: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:11 am  

fed fed fedie

: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:41 am  

fredie wrote:

fed fed fedie

So is he playing or hoping to play, fed fed fedie?

: Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:59 pm  

no . not this week . i think .

: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:23 pm  

So you were wrong then.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:41 pm  

i dont know yet

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:03 pm  

Another interesting factor in this that seems to have been mostly overlooked is the overseas quota situation at Les Catalans.

Clearly Bird is an overseas quota player (not a KOLPAC or a EEC national) and had he come to any of the UK clubs (perhaps apart from Celtic) he would have counted as 1 of the 5 overseas quota players each club is allowed.

Now I don't know whether Catalans have a greater allowance in that regard but interestingly, in the piece on Sporting Life it notes at the bottom that Catalans have an overseas quota place free due to injuries to Jason Ryles and Dane Carlaw.

Now as far as I'm aware, the quota applies to the number of players in your squad, not the number you field on a week by week basis. If a player is injured long term he can be deregistered in order for another player to be brought in his place. I'd be interested to hear which of those 2 ex-Australian internationals has been told he won't be playing for the next 9 months (the length of Birds short term contract) even after recovering from their injury!