Bird denies sending crude text
messages

Cronulla Sharks player Greg Bird has denied sending any inappropriate text messages to model Lara Bingle.

Bingle, the face of an Australian Tourism advertisement campaign, met Bird last January at the funeral of Sharks legend Steve Rogers.

The text messages began soon after with Bingle reportedly saying the messages were, "really quite rude."

Bird and his girlfriend Stacy Sulway have also confirmed they sent messages to Bingle. But they deny the messages were of a crude nature.

"I have been friends with Lara since we were little," Ms Sulway told The Daily Telegraph.

"It wasn't meant to be abusive but I strongly asked her to leave us alone. I think I said I wish I never met you."

Bird confirmed he had met Bingle but insists he never had a relationship with her.

"I didn't send any inappropriate messages from my phone," Bird said.

"My girlfriend sent a message to Lara asking her to leave us alone. It wasn't even my phone."

"I didn't even have a relationship with her. We had exchanged some text messages.

"It put a strain on my relationship so we stopped contact. That was over six weeks ago.

"I am remorseful if this has caused any stress and feel no ill will towards Lara. Everyone should just move [on]."

Sharks club Sharks spokesman Rob Willis has also come out in support of Bird.

"He says he's done nothing inappropriate. There's been nothing obscene written. There's been no harassment." Willis said.

The story was first aired by Radio 2GB reporter Michelle Keighran on Friday. Keighran said that during an interview Bingle had told her that some of the messages were crude.

But yesterday Bingle told The Saturday Daily Telegraph that the report had been blown out of proportion and that she had only received 'one' message from Bird.

"It's just upsetting. It's really blown up I can't believe it. I mean, I only met the guy once. I think it's just because he's some big footy player everyone cares," she said.

Bingle's modelling agency was also playing down the controversy.

Priscilla Leighton-Clark, owner of Priscilla model management, told The Sydney Morning Herald: "It's nothing - this is all just so unbelievably ridiculous - a storm in tea cup.

In reply, Keighran was perplexed by the reports.

"I can't believe she's denying it now. I spent about 10 minutes on the phone with her and she said there were several messages and they had been crude," she said.

It's not the first time Bird has been in the news.

In 2004, at 20-years-old, Bird was suspended for 10 matches by the NRL and fined $15,000 by the Sharks after kneeing Souths winger Shane Marteene.

A Newcastle junior, Bird represented and captained the junior Australian Kangaroos side.