NRL: Bird injured as Titans go down to Bulldogs

Greg Bird. Photo / Getty Images.

The Gold Coast Titans' NRL season may have got even tougher after representative star Greg Bird was assisted from the field during their 30-20 loss to Canterbury at Skilled Park today.

Bird, who was trying to put up a last-play bomb when crunched in a tackle by Bulldogs defender Corey Payne, looked in considerable pain as he was chaired from the field by two Titans trainers.

A minute after his exit, Bulldogs winger Steve Turner converted his own try for a 30-20 lead with 15 minutes left.

Bulldogs fullback Ben Barba was responsible for two pieces of magic worth 12 points to his side.

After producing a Houdini act from deep in his own in-goal area to set up a 105m try for teammate Josh Morris late in the first half, Barba somehow managed to prevent Luke Bailey from grounding the ball for a try that would have given the Titans the chance to snatch the victory.

The extent of Bird's injury was not clear just after the game with his right leg packed in ice.

Despite a week of headlines about the club's dire financial state, the players turned on a show for the 14,344 attended the match, well up on their season average of just over 11,000.

Speculation Scott Prince would be a late inclusion at halfback proved on the money.

It was Prince's cross field bomb in the fifth minute which centre Steve Michaels leapt high to knock backwards which led to Bird scoring wide out.

A handling error by Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis gifted Brenton Lawrence a 40m try and a 10-0 lead before the Bulldogs found their attacking mojo.

Ennis was forced off the field for treatment to a head wound and his replacement Joel Romelo started a move which resulted in Barba scoring to give the visitors a 18-14 lead at the break.

The Titans enjoyed an element of luck with two of Prince's re-starts after Bulldog tries hitting the post and rebounding back into the field of play.

His first direct hit which was gathered up by forward Luke Douglas led to winger Kevin Gordon scoring in the 22nd minute.

Prince's vision saw the Bulldogs' defence was short on the right and he fired a long spiralling pass to Gordon that cut out three teammates.

-AAP