Gold Coast Titans captain Greg Bird is disappointed with James Roberts' decision to leave the club, slamming his former teammates excuse.
Roberts was able to leave the club and become a free agent after a Titans assistant coach forged the centre's signature on a contract but Bird says the excuse is being used as a "scapegoat".
"I was confident he was going to stay with us," Bird said. "I had a chat with him and I was under the assumption that he would stay if we could be thereabouts in the negotiations when it came to money. Something has fallen over, details I'm not privy to. It's still quite fresh," Bird told the Sydney Morning Herald.
After being sacked by the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers, Roberts rebuilt his career at the Titans scoring 16 tries in 24 games this season.
"We contributed to turning his career around. Helping him out, putting him in the right direction. From being sacked from another club to getting Dally M centre of the year," Bird said.
"Sydney is where he got himself in a bit of strife early on. It was an escape for?? him on the Gold Coast. He was great for us on and off the football field. He is a pretty classy player. One of the best I've played with.
"The club has done a good job with him. Best of luck to him."
The Titans finished 14th last season and have also lost skipper Nate Myles in the off-season.
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