Gold Coast have named Greg Bird to play in Saturday’s crucial home NRL clash with the Warriors but the back-rower is a still a major doubt for the game.
The NSW State of Origin representative left the field in agony during last weekend’s loss to North Queensland in Townsville with back spasms.
Titans coach John Cartwright named Bird in the second row on Tuesday to take on the Warriors but he admits it could be a stretch to have the star on the field on Saturday.
“He’s in a fair bit of doubt to be honest,” Cartwright told reporters at Skilled Park, where he was launching a campaign with Bravehearts, an organisation dedicated to stopping child sexual assault.
“Probably only named him because he’s Birdy and he tends to recover pretty quickly. He’s a guy that can play with injury,” he said.
“We’ll give him right up until kickoff to see if he’s okay.”
The Titans will also be sweating on the fitness of halfback Albert Kelly, who has been named to make his return from the sternum injury which has kept him sidelined for the past three matches.
Cartwright said the Titans weren’t as desperate to rush Kelly back into action, given how Aidan Sezer and Ashley Harrison have played in the halves in his absence.
“The boys that have played the last three weeks have done a fantastic job,” he said.
“To win two of those three games, as undermanned as we have been … they’ve done a fantastic job.”
Titans: William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Brad Takairangi, Jamie Dowling, David Mead, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Douglas, Beau Falloon, Nate Myles, Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: David Taylor, Ryan James, Ben Ridge, Matt Srama.