Past Craig Bird - Bye Bye Birdie, traded 2015, to Essendon

[grimlock]

Farewell to 2012 Premiership player Craig Bird. Our first ever NSW scholarship holder played 137 games for us across 8 seasons, including all 25 in the premiership year and finished Top 10 in the B&F in both 2012 and 2013

He leaves the Swans with a career tally of 5 Brownlow votes.

Best of luck at Essendon!

 

[swansfan51]

Well done Craig! It was disappointing to hear the recent suggestions that he was disliked and had a fallout at the club, as my outside perception was always of him being a stout, consistent and well-liked clubman who would put his best foot forward. A rare NSW product when he joined the club, now we are seeing many more local players join the list and following in his footsteps. Thanks for the service Craig, and good luck at *!

 

[miggs]

All the best at essendon. Was a good servant

 

[bungwahl]

Will definitely be missed - very popular with the fans. Loved his toughness!

 

[MarkP]

Was favourite of mine. Like LRT got the most out of limited ability.

Good pick up for a side wanting to climb the ladder with kids.

 

[MF]

Pretty sad to see him go. A bit of a favourite of mine as he reminded me of Luke Ablett, another mid who's output probably far exceeded his actual talent. I hope he can play on for a few more years with the bombers.

 

[robbieando]

Under-rated right until the end.

Top 10 in the Best and Fairest in a Premiership year tells you he did his job well.

 

[The King!]

underrated by his own club in a way

been a loyal local servant, did his best, played the game hard, and could snag a freak goal!

will be missed

Plus I know some don't care. but I liked seeing 14 running around

 

[AG]

Ridiculous that players like Ablett have won Brownlows and he hasn't.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Sad to see a premiership player leave. Also pissed off with what we've "valued" him at (but that's more for the trades thread)...

Was a great player for our club, seemed to give it his all and overachieved in many peoples eyes. Gonna miss yelling out the old "Bird is the word" call when he did something well.

Good luck at Essendon Birdy. Show them how professional footy players operate mate.

 

[Millky95]

Am a bit sad to see him go but he deserves to play seniors in some fashion so hope he is happy. Not a player I'll be upset to see us play again. All the best

 

[The Gong]

Good, solid, hard and reliable player that did the job asked of him. Premiership player who did the famous number 14 proud. Good luck at the Bombers.

 

[Leg End]

Bye bye Birdy.

Buy your own cough medicine down there. Politely decline any offers.

 

[Maddo11]

Pretty much what the Bombers need. Another experienced mid to help out Watson and Heppel.
Sad to see him go, but really, we have enough midfielders. Best of luck

 

[Jack2Jack]

Hopefully for his sake, Essendon don't decide to play him as a tagger, will see the best of him as a genuine inside mid, won't be A grade stuff but will do well and be a good contributor for them.
Was a good servant for us despite probably playing more makeshift positions due to being behind some of our better inside players, Mitchell taking the next step with Mills likely coming in probably would've made it tough for him to get a game without a few key injuries opening the door for him.

 

[swansfan51]

Does anyone know WTF he did to have such a massive falling out?? Crash a teammate's car, do drugs, pay off a rape accuser, any ideas?

It seems a staggering fall from grace to go from multiple top 10 B+F finishes to the club being so desperate to offload your salary, and I honestly am struggling to work out what he could have done.

 

[The King!]

Maybe he was too well behaved

 

[BarneyBent]

I'm also curious about what apparently went down.

 

[MarkP]

Does anyone know WTF he did to have such a massive falling out?? Crash a teammate's car, do drugs, pay off a rape accuser, any ideas?

It seems a staggering fall from grace to go from multiple top 10 B+F finishes to the club being so desperate to offload your salary, and I honestly am struggling to work out what he could have done.

I have thought long and hard about this.

I reckon he was seen practising his skills on his own time. Improving kicking and handballing in particular.

Once a Swan goes down that road it is a long way back for the rest of the list.

You just cannot allow that.

 

[The King!]

Trading him was fine, hes nothing special, just surprised we gave him away

 

[BarneyBent]

Trading him was fine, hes nothing special, just surprised we gave him away

In the context of the latest trade, we didn't. We traded him and 14 for picks 36, 37 and 44, which improves our points by about 190.

 

[The King!]

Mills better be good

 

[Swan4Life]

A local lad (of sorts) who never squibbed a contest, made a really bad decision, put in a pea-hearted effort, treated his fans with contempt or brought the club into disrepute, whilst being a significant contributor in a premiership year. And we've let him go for a half-eaten packet of peanuts to the most drugfucked sporting entity in the land. Bloods culture eh?

He deserved much better IMO. Thanks for all you've done Birdy!

 

[doona]

Quality player in his prime, a whipping boy but was a good NSW product.

Left us with a legacy of draft points. From now, our board talks in birds

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Ridiculous that players like Ablett have won Brownlows and he hasn't.

Not sure if you're serious.