FORMER NRL star Beau Ryan believes Jack Bird’s increasing weight is affecting his form — and it’s the result of too much McDonalds.

Footy Show personality Ryan made the claim on the Macquarie Sports Breakfast Show after Bird exited the game early in Brisbane’s win against the Bulldogs on Thursday night.

“The thing with Jack Bird is it’s always about Jack Bird — and I love the guy, he’s a good friend of mine — but he loves the attention on him. Now that attention is on him for the wrong reasons up there (in Brisbane) because he hasn’t been delivering,” Ryan said.

“Now I think his weight has got something to do with it. And this is true, I saw Josh McGuire before a ball was kicked this season. We filmed up there for the Footy Show and he said Jack Bird’s very popular, he’s a great guy, they all love him. But they call him ‘Burgie’ instead of ‘Birdie’ because he loves his burgers.

Round 20

“Now rumour has it they (Broncos players) get a $20 gift card that they can spend per day at Maccas. They’re allowed to spend $20 per day at Maccas and apparently he’s been going nuts on that.”

Technically, the dreaded hook didn’t come out for Bird. But the maligned half still looks set to miss game time after Brisbane’s 22-20 win over Canterbury.

NSW State of Origin star Bird slipped and suffered a quad complaint during Thursday night’s win at Suncorp Stadium.

At first Bird appeared to have been unceremoniously benched by Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett when he came off the field for the final 10 minutes with the match on the line after another quiet game at halfback.

“It looks like the old fashioned hook,” Fox Sports commentator Braith Anasta said when Cronulla recruit Bird left the field.

Jack Bird during a Brisbane Broncos training session. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) Source: AAP

But Bennett insisted Bird was battling injury after slipping in the lead-up to the Bulldogs’ 65th try to Kerrod Holland.

Bird tried to gather a Will Hopoate kick metres from his own line but slipped over, gifting Holland a four pointer that gave the visitors a 20-14 lead. “When he slipped over he felt his quad tighten up a bit. I don’t think he will be not available next week,” Bennett said of Bird.

Bird made just 25m from three runs in his fourth game in the Broncos halves alongside Anthony Milford.

Anasta believed Bird’s misfiring display will not be helping his NSW selection chances ahead of June 6’s series opener.

Bird was considered a contender to partner James Maloney in the Blues halves. “Bird’s only run the ball three times in the whole match playing in the halves,” Anasta said.

“You want him to run the ball, that’s why you’ve got him there. “I know the NSW selectors are looking at him to play five-eighth for the Blues, well this will do his chances a lot of harm.” Injury may yet sabotage Bird’s NSW claims with Bennett not confident the star would be fit for next week’s away clash with Manly.

— with AAP