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Bird flies for Swans

MICHAEL COWLEY

12 Jul, 2008 01:39 AM

It wasn't as if he had a complicated name to pronounce. But nobody wanted to call out "Craig Bird". In all, 80 names were announced that day, AFL national draft day in 2006, there was a Boak, a pair of Browns, a Carl, a couple of Chrises and even a Calib. But no Craig and no Bird.

"It was pretty disappointing," Bird said. "I'd had a fairly good year as a 17-year-old, was in the NSW team and made the All-Australian [under-18] side, so it was a bit of a hope that I might get picked up late in the draft, but I was pretty disappointed once I got overlooked."

He may have been overlooked, but he had been looked at, and once the draft was done, Bird's phone began to ring. As a NSW product, Bird was eligible to be picked up by AFL clubs on a scholarship, and then, if things worked out, that club would have first shot at him in future drafts.

"There was about eight or nine clubs that rang me after the draft," he said. "That eased my mind a bit as to what I was going to do, and among those clubs were the Swans who I decided to choose.

"If I had chosen another club I would have stayed in Nelson Bay, and only been able to go there a couple of times during the year. With the Swans I was able to come down and train full-time and play in the seconds and that gave me a great head-start."

Sydney coach Paul Roos said the scholarship scheme worked well as Bird has amazingly become a regular in the senior team this year. "I think when we scholarshipped him we thought he was a good NSW kid and the best NSW kid who would be coming up in the next draft," Roos said.

The Swans drafted Bird last year with the 59th pick in the national draft. "We thought he had talent but it probably wasn't until he was able to train with us and play with our seconds last year, then get through a pre-season, that we started to fully realise the type of ability that he did have," Roos said.

After being drafted and with a season in the reserves behind him, the goal for Bird this year was to have a good pre-season, go quietly about what he needed to do, see how things went and possibly break into the senior side for a match or two.

But a month into the pre-season Bird was thrust into the limelight when it was decided he would ditch the No.49 jumper he wore in 2007 for the famous No.14 worn by triple Brownlow medallist Bob Skilton, and Sydney legend Paul Kelly, also a Brownlow winner.

"We weren't going to give it to someone who we were unsure of their talent level," said Roos, who got his decision to bring the jumper back into commission cleared by the Sydney board.

"We needed to be pretty sure, but you never know how they are going to go at AFL football. But I think you need to know that a kid's got some special talents when you dish out a jumper like that.

"You need to know the kid's got a real genuine opportunity to forge himself a career in AFL football, then it comes down to whether he's prepared to do it or not, there's talent and then there's talent that you work with and you hone. We wouldn't have given it to someone who we didn't think had some real attributes to play AFL footy."

Bird admitted it took a few days to decide whether he should accept the number and the publicity and likely pressure that would accompany it. He spoke with coaches, his father, and other players to get their opinions on whether he should be the next No.14.

"It was big honour, but because there was a lot of history behind it, it was a bit daunting, and it took me a bit of time to get my head around it, and whether I deserved to wear it, before eventually deciding to take it," Bird said.

"Bob Skilton rang me when I got the jersey, which was a bit surprising but it was great. He also rang me before my first game. I had a lot of people ring me before that game but Bob was probably the most important one and I'm really thankful that he did. We had a chat about the jumper and footy and that really made a difference.

"And while there is history in the jumper, I know it's not about living up to anything, it's about me concentrating on my football and forging my own career."

Bird's goal for the season was achieved very early. He debuted in round one against St Kilda and played the next nine games before being rested for the clash with West Coast in round 11. He returned the following week and has not missed a match since.

"I wouldn't have thought to be perfectly frank that he would have played every game bar one at this stage of the season, but that's not to denigrate his ability, but more it's unusual for a young player to be able to do that. It's been a really good effort from him," Roos said.

"He's certainly a kid who is not fazed by senior footy. He's got a strong body and understanding of the game, but I think you can't underestimate that 12 months he has had at the footy club … from a non-draftable player the previous year to a player who has now played 13 of a possible 14 senior games. It's pretty impressive."