But it was the sight of Neil Henry, not Bird, exiting the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night that has the Broncos coach questioning how infractions during representative football are punished and who foots the final bill.

Certainly not the Kangaroos, says Bennett, who won't play another Test for 12 months and by that stage could either select Bird or phase him out of the line-up.

But the Titans are now without their back-rower for eight weeks, with Bird's attempt to contest the charge a spectacular gamble that failed to deliver anything but an extended stint on the sidelines.

Few are likely to have much sympathy, given Bird remains a repeat offender and lifting tackles remain a blight on the game, but Bennett has problems of his own, with Sam Thaiday taking a one-week ban for his tackle on Martin Taupau in the same match.

Bennett said that while the act occurred in an international, it was up to the club to help pick up the pieces, hence the presence of Henry at the judiciary rather than anyone from Kangaroos management.

It's an old chestnut but one Bennett hopes gets an airing when the NRL finally delivers a restructure of its schedule, including Origin and representative fixtures.

"We've lost Sam Thaiday playing for Australia. The club takes all the risks. Sometimes I think there has to be a better way. I see Greg Bird leaving the judiciary last night and Neil Henry there representing him. Neil Henry had nothing to do with it. He's his club coach - we're left with all the responsibility," Bennett said. "To me, lots of time it's unfair. Maybe there's no fairer way - I don't know. But we take all the risks. The club pay all the money, contract the players and look after them 24/7. They go away on the rep programs and at the end of the day, we're the ones that pay the price again. I hope it is [on the NRL agenda]. It should be. It needs to be."

Giving players free rein in representative games remains fraught with danger but there may be other ways to skin the cat, including dealing with offences minus any NRL loading, which would have saved Bird a month-and-a-half of spectating.

"It impacts the club. Fans buy their season tickets and a guy is out for eight weeks. Everyone's a loser except for the rep teams. They just pick another player. They don't even go to the judiciary," Bennett said.

"There was a lot of loading as well. It's a long time, a couple of byes there as well. You're playing for your country, so I suppose you'd be a bit confused today."

Bennett has insisted he won't coach another club after his three-year tenure at the Broncos, but it could leave the door open for a job with the Kangaroos should they ever come calling. "You never say no. But I don't see that's going to happen. I'm not sitting by the phone."

Brisbane welcome Darius Boyd back from a ruptured Achilles and the fullback will play his first game of the season on Friday night against the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.

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