Titans forward Greg Bird has apologised to his Gold Coast teammates for the eight-week suspension that will rule him out of selection until Round 19.
Bird unsuccessfully sought a downgrade to a Grade 2 dangerous throw charge at the judiciary on Wednesday night after he was charged for a tackle on New Zealand winger Jason Nightingale in the 74th minute of last Sunday's Anzac Test.
With his team currently sitting in the top eight, Bird apologised to his teammates prior to Friday's captain's run but has every faith that they can continue the good form they have shown over the past month.
"I just apologised for the position the team's been put in," Bird told Titans TV. "An incident that happened in a rep game is going to evidently impact on our team and I'm sorry I can't be out there with them.
"I think we're in a really good position and I'm sorry that I can't help us get to where we should be around the Round 18-19 mark.
"It was a definite lifting tackle, I've had no qualms with being given a charge but I thought we had a pretty good case in fighting the grading.
"I thought it was at the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to dangerous throws but unfortunately they didn't see it the same way so I have to cop the punishment."
