Free as a Bird, with strings attached

PETER RAE/Sydney Morning Herald

TENDER MOMENT: Katie Milligan and Greg Bird kiss as they arrive at a Sydney court.

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Gold Coast officials believe their record of helping players overcome off-field issues should convince the NRL to let them sign Greg Bird.

With Judge Michael Finnane yesterday quashing Bird's conviction for glassing his girlfriend Katie Milligan, the only thing preventing the former Test five-eighth from playing in a Titans jersey next year is the NRL's reluctance to register his contract.

The Cowboys are also interested in the 25-year-old international, and have more money available after recently releasing Travis Burns to Penrith but talks between the Titans and Bird's management are believed to be well advanced and he has a good relationship with Gold Coast coach John Cartwright.

After being forced to spend last season in France playing for Catalans while waiting to learn whether he would have to serve the 16-month jail sentence initially imposed, Bird is understood to want to be close to his family in Maitland but told Titans officials he did not want to return to Sydney.

Wests Tigers, Manly, Sydney Roosters, Penrith, Parramatta, the Bulldogs and Bird's former club, Cronulla, all told the Sydney Morning Herald they did not intend to make any approach to him after the appeal decision was announced.

Bird was last night celebrating the court decision at a private party in Sydney but is expected to want to finalise his future quickly after being in limbo since being stood down by the Sharks when charged in August last year and agreeing to a release earlier this year.

A deal with Bradford fell through when he was unable to secure a British work visa and he was handed a lifeline by Catalans, who could look to unwanted Roosters star Willie Mason as Bird's replacement if he returns to the NRL.

To do so, Bird would have to accept a significant drop in his A$400,000-a-season deal with Catalans, and NRL chief executive David Gallop said any club wanting to sign him would be held accountable if Bird again found himself in trouble.

''He's been through a difficult time, no doubt, but he's had issues before,'' Gallop said. ''He would fall into a category of a player that we would be looking for any prospective club to give us an idea of how they're going to deal with him.''

However, Titans chief executive Michael Searle pointed to the way the club helped Chris Walker turn his life around, and said he would step up negotiations now the court proceedings were finished.

''The club has a good track record of working with players who have had previous off-field issues, and we are interested in talking with Greg and his partner to see where he believes his future may be headed,'' Searle said.

Cartwright added: ''He is the type of player who offers a lot, he is a winner, he is 25 years of age and his best football is in front of him.''

Should he join the Cowboys, Bird would link with Johnathan Thurston, who he partnered in the halves in the 2008 Centenary Test, in one of the most lethal scrumbase combinations in the NRL, and North Queensland chief executive Peter Parr confirmed the club's interest.

''I don't know if he would be interested in living in Townsville [but] there is great opportunity lifestyle-wise,'' Parr said.

Bird's manager Gavin Orr said no decision had been made about his client's future as Bird had been unsure about where he would be sleeping last night before he entered the court to hear the judge's decision.

''He is extremely relieved,'' Orr said. ''He has been through a very tough time and is just glad it is over. It has been more than a year of his life. Now at least he will be able sleep properly.''