The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) issued a "please explain" to Greg Bird after Queensland Police on Friday dismissed his claim that officers handcuffed him in Brisbane as part of a practical joke.

NSWRL general manager Geoff Carr is organising talks with Bird and Blues team management after Queensland Police revealed the player had been detained early on Thursday for being drunk and disorderly.

In the fallout over Bird's sensational "prank" claims, Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence demanded an apology and the state's police union called on the player "to be man enough" to admit his mistake.

But NRL club Cronulla have backed their NSW Origin star, saying they could understand how Bird thought he was the victim of a police prank.

Bird said he was trying to get a taxi early on Thursday after drinking at a West End nightclub following Queensland's 30-0 rout of NSW when two officers handcuffed him and placed him in a police car.

A "humiliated" Bird claimed they released him minutes later saying they were "just kidding".

But Queensland police assistant commissioner Brett Pointing on Friday said it was no joke.

He said officers described Bird as "intoxicated ... unsteady on his feet" and claimed he became "belligerent" when asked to move off the road and onto the footpath after about 300 patrons had spilled out of the nightclub about 4.30am.

Pointing said officers did not know who Bird was but a gathering crowd did and "egged" on the player.

"It was not a prank," he said.

"It was a routine detention of a person who was intoxicated and presenting a possible danger to himself and other road users - they were doing their job."

The QPU demanded an apology from Bird "after trying to excuse his own behaviour by making false accusations".

"Footballers must abide by the law like any other person in society and quite frankly Mr Bird should thank his lucky stars he didn't end up in a watchhouse for the night," QPU general president Cameron Pope said.

"This incident has brought into question one player's ability to be man enough to admit to his own mistakes without resorting to blaming others for his actions after a long night of drinking."

Carr said it was too early to comment on whether Bird faced disciplinary action.

But Carr and Cronulla have questioned aspects of the officers' report.

Pointing said officers claimed as soon as Bird was taken to the marked police car a man who identified himself as the "NSW rugby league team PR manager" explained to them who they had arrested.

Pointing said the man was accompanied by four NSW players.

He said officers released Bird after only three minutes in the vehicle because he had calmed down and provided his details, not because of who he was.

"To police Mr Bird was just another young face in the crowd," he said.

But Carr said there were no NSW officials with Bird when he was detained.

"That bit we know is totally false," he told AAP.

"It was someone who was with Bird but he had no attachment to the NSW Origin team."

Carr and Cronulla chief executive Tony Zappia also doubted that Bird was as drunk as police claimed, saying team officials claimed the player did not appear intoxicated when he attended an 8.30am team recovery on Thursday.

A tight-lipped Bird was not giving anything away on Friday.

"I'm not saying any more about it - sort it out through the club," he told AAP.

Zappia stood behind Bird, describing the incident as a "big misunderstanding".

"Greg said to me...he thought it was a prank and a bit of a joke due to the fact that he was handcuffed and put in the police car and within five minutes he was released," he told AAP.

"And all of the revellers from the nightclub were cheering and saying `free Bird' and everything like that.

"So obviously he's going to think it was a joke. That's why he said what he said.

"He still maintains that he doesn't feel he did anything wrong.

Zappia described the incident as a case of "wrong place, wrong time".

"I don't think there is anyone to blame here," he said.

But Cronulla and national coach Ricky Stuart told Sydney radio 2KY: "I'm disappointed it was so late in the morning...You just don't go to those situations after an Origin match."

Meanwhile, Pointing said there were four arrests outside the nightclub that morning and another person was detained, but none were NSW players.

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