Cronulla legend Andrew Ettingshausen says he'd support any move to bring Greg Bird back to the club next season but admits it's unlikely the representative five-eighth will return to the Sutherland shire in 2010.
Bird successfully appealed a reckless wounding conviction for allegedly glassing his girlfriend Katie Milligan in a Sydney court on Wednesday, opening the door for his likely return to the NRL next season.
"I'd love to see him back at the Sharkies just simply because he's such a talented player," Ettingshausen, who played 328 games over 18 seasons for the Sharks, said on Wednesday.
"We need guys who can create and be able to put our boys across the stripe to score some tries. Whatever team he goes to will certainly benefit by having him there."
"The Sharkies have done it tough the last couple of years and we need as many talented players as we can on the field and Birdy's certainly one of those, he's up there with the best."
"He's one of those guys who just had so much ability and we were all expecting such great things, but hopefully whatever path he takes in the future will be a positive one."
"I'm not too sure whether he'll get another start at the Sharkies but he's got so much talent he'd certainly be (worthy of a) place in any team."
North Queensland and Gold Coast have emerged as the front runners to secure the 25-year-old's signature, while French club Catalans have also offered Bird a four-year deal.
And while Bird obviously comes with some off-field baggage, Ettingshausen believes any club would be lucky to have the troubled playmaker on their books.
"The guy is only young and he's got such a great career ahead of him if he can keep his head in the right direction," he said.
"I am pleased that Greg's able to go and play now I think it would have been a real waste to the game and you want to see young kids being able to go out and achieve great things, especially kids like Greg who have got so much talent ... so I wish him the best."
"He's been playing over in France (with Catalans) so I think he's one of those guys who's just got natural talent. He's just a born footballer so I think once he gets back on the field, whoever he plays for he'll do a great job."
But while Ettingshausen expects Bird to slot straight back in at NRL level, he concedes reclaiming his representative jumpers won't be quite so easy.
"I think he's got to get runs on the board, he's got to prove himself and he's got to prove that he can be a credible person on the field and off the field," he said of Bird's chances of playing rep footy next season.
"It comes down to discipline and I'm sure Birdy's certainly learnt a good lesson over the last couple of years and I think he'll only come back stronger."