Star Tigers recruit escapes sanction over hair pull

Jack Bird has avoided sanction for an ugly act after he was placed on report for pulling the hair of Newcastle's Phoenix Crossland.

A number of incidents late in the first half between the Tigers and Knights brought both sides together as tensions rose.

With just over a minute left, Royce Hunt and Mat Croker came together aggressively at a scrum on halfway before Hunt was penalised.

READ MORE: Wighton facing one-match ban for high shot

READ MORE: Tense Benji refuses to answer question after Tigers loss

READ MORE: Swifts star opens up on saga that 'shattered' team

"Hunt trying to wind down the clock a bit, bit of an agitator in the scrum there," Steve 'Blocker' Roach said on Fox League.

The first tackle after the kick for touch brought Croker and Hunt together again before the Knights prop knocked the ball on when attempting to get up.

Both sides then came together with Crossland and Bird in the middle of it.

Bird wasn't put on report until the second half started, though, with the Bunker spotting the incident.

The match review committee saw no fault, though, leaving him off the judiciary report. 

Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

The match started with Jarome Luai putting his fingerprints on the first Tigers try as fellow new recruit Jeral Skelton scored in the corner.

Adam Doueihi extended the lead to 8-0 with a penalty goal in the 28th minute with the score staying the same at half-time.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien was irate in the box on numerous occasions in the first half and no doubt had a stern message for his side.

Whatever he said worked, with the Knights coming out of the sheds the better side.

Fletcher Sharpe scored first before Greg Marzhew gave them the lead in the 66th minute.

Newcastle finished 10-8 winners.

Overall, the Knights had 15 errors to the Tigers' seven. The big statistic going against the Tigers was missed tackles, finishing with 50.

Newcastle will play the Dolphins next week while the Tigers play the Eels.

Wests will have Bird available after the MRC's decision. 

A number of hair-pulling incidents have dominated the headlines over the last two years.

Blake Lawrie escaped suspension but copped a $1800 fine last year for his move on Josh Aloiai.

Tyson Frizell wasn't charged in 2023 when he was controversially penalised for a hair pull on Jarome Luai.

Former Knights captain Hannah Southwell was warned after she was penalised in the 2023 NRLW grand final.