MORRIS A SATISFIED MAN

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MORRIS A SATISFIED MAN
By Wayne Cousins
Wednesday, September 02, 2009

John Morris will leave Wests Tigers a very happy and satisfied man.

Morris heads into his final game for the club when he reverts back to the coveted half-back position to take on the Bulldogs at the Sydney Football Stadium this Friday night in round 26 of the Telstra Premiership.

The 29-year-old joins centre Dean Collis at the Sharks from next season.

Morris takes with him plenty of respect from team-mates, coaching staff and members alike after playing every game for Wests Tigers since his club debut against Melbourne in round one of the 2007 season. He also has been a wonderful ambassador for the club off the field.

Bought to the club as a half to replace Scott Prince, Morris was always a solid performer with his general play, solid defence and kicking game.

At times, he was the scapegoat, constantly being unfairly compared to Prince, the half-back who led the club to the 2005 title.

Coach Tim Sheens showed plenty of faith in Morris as he tried to find his mark at half-back. He was also shifted to five-eighth when Sheens chose to play Benji Marshall at half.

His utility value also saw the former Newcastle and Parramatta player moved to hooker when Sheens shifted Robbie Farah from the nine jersey to the seven.

Injuries to Marshall often saw Morris in the halves and as the chief playmaker whilst the likes of Tim Moltzen found his feet in the top grade.

It was only late into this season that Morris was moved back to the interchange bench to fill the utility role after Sheens put Marshall and Moltzen in the halves. The past few weeks has seen Moltzen go back to full-back to allow Sheens to blood rising half Robert Lui in the seven jersey.

A minor knee injury sees Lui miss the Bulldogs game, allowing Morris to have one last hurrah with Marshall in the halves.

An upbeat Morris says he was happy with his performance at half-back.

“If you look back at the games where I started at half-back, we won a fair few of them,’’ Morris said.

“People seem to forget too that I lost Benji to a long term injury in 2007 and Brett Hodgson for a fair while there. If you take out any two key players like that in any side, the side is going to struggle.

“I also played a fair bit at hooker as well which I have been really happy with. I couldn’t really shed that utility tag that I had in the early part of my career.

“I guess it can be a real strength to have and the fact that I haven’t missed a game for the club means I have been real handy for the coach to have.’’

When Morris plays his 72nd straight game for Wests Tigers, he becomes only the second player in the club’s 10 year history to play every game. The first was Prince.

“I am very proud to have achieved this. You really don’t set many goals to play every game every year. You just take it as it comes,’’ Morris said, with a smile.

“It is not all about having a bit of good luck. It is also about being consistent. You are not going to play every game of the season if you are out of form. It is about being professional with your preparation and treating your injuries.

“I’m really pleased I have come here and given the club good value and played every game.

“It has been a fantastic experience, a massive learning curve under Tim. I’ve built friendships that I will have for life. And it has been such a pleasure to play for a club with fantastic tradition in the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs Magpies.

“I’ve grown as a person and as a player. I will go forward in the next part of my life and just be thankful for this experience.’’
 
gl bud its not your fault Sheens played you out of position.
 
Well done to Johnny and playing every single game.
But good halfbacks produce results not look for excuses.
I hope you have a good stint with the Sharks and if Ricky decides to play you at halfback then he should be slapped too.
All the best and thanks for putting in 150% every week. A true gentleman off the field as well.
 
I've never seen a Wests Tigers player put as much into a game as John Morris did.
As a role model for all people, he stands out as a person who has never given up.
As a footballer, his defence is outstanding and he can put in a nice grubber too
As a halfback, well…

People forget that Parra won the minor premiership with him in the number 6
Sadly the Wests Tigers won nothing with him at the club

If there was a memory of Morris that stands out in my mind, i think it would have to be the time that (i forget who we were playing) the opposition made a clean break down field at a time were we were right in with a chance. Everyone else gave up, but J-Mo didn't. He chased down this player and dragged him up just a meter from the tryline. AMAZING! Noticing that no one else was around him, Morris held onto the players leg and got 10 in the bin for it, but he saved a try at a time when no one else was willing to.
\
\
So long J-mo
 
@Kul said:
I've never seen a Wests Tigers player put as much into a game as John Morris did.
As a role model for all people, he stands out as a person who has never given up.
As a footballer, his defence is outstanding and he can put in a nice grubber too
As a halfback, well…

People forget that Parra won the minor premiership with him in the number 6
Sadly the Wests Tigers won nothing with him at the club

If there was a memory of Morris that stands out in my mind, i think it would have to be the time that (i forget who we were playing) the opposition made a clean break down field at a time were we were right in with a chance. Everyone else gave up, but J-Mo didn't. He chased down this player and dragged him up just a meter from the tryline. AMAZING! Noticing that no one else was around him, Morris held onto the players leg and got 10 in the bin for it, but he saved a try at a time when no one else was willing to.
\
\
So long J-mo
Click to expand...

I agree with pretty much everything you have said Kul. His a bloke anyone would be proud to call a mate, any parent proud that they have raised him and an overall top bloke.

However my memory of Morris would be the Prince show-and-go this season. He created a hole than dummied to the overlap and got tackled. Not the best moment of his time at the club, but he was brought as a halfback and that will always stick out.
 
Gee theres been a few of these feel good stories about Morris over the years. U know, the kind that try to convince us supporters he was better than what he actually was. Glad i dont have to read any more of this dribble next year.
 
@king sirro said:
Gee theres been a few of these feel good stories about Morris over the years. U know, the kind that try to convince us supporters he was better than what he actually was. Glad i dont have to read any more of this dribble next year.
Click to expand...

The official parrott will still be here

Sickening garbage

"satisfied"

If that dont reek of mediocrity I dont know what does.

Just what I want to hear 3 days after we fail for a 4th consecutive year, that a player is satisfied…fmd!

Hey cuzzman, dont treat us like mugs, we can tell its all BS spin, lets hear what the players REALLY feel about missing the finals, AGAIN!
 
Johnny seems like a top bloke but he was a terrible half back offensively. Then again it's not his fault Sheens played him there for so long.

My memories of him at the Tigers will be him throwing dummies and getting tackled. Also missing that field goal right in front against the Broncos last year.

Good luck at the Sharkies J-Mo.
 
Will greatly miss his efforts in defence!
One of our best in that regard. Good luck at the sharks
 
Have to feel for J-Mo. A great utility that was given the hardest job to fill at the Wests Tigers by the Fonz.

People expected him to be something he wasn't cut out to be and the Fonz thinking he was the answer to replace Prince was a big mistake. The criticism he received should of been aimed at Sheens really - he is the one that signed him and threw him into the halves.
 
morris has been playing well of the bench shifting in to different positions and helping out the more tired players towards the end of games. If he had been playing #14 more often im sure we would have won more. He is a plain and simple footballer who plays the game hard and passiontaly.

He has given 110% every game since we have had him and im sure he trains the house down. Good luck
j-mo a top bloke and top footballer.
 
good luck @ cronulla johnny. i respect the effort you have put in @ Wests.

And be careful of that Ricky Stuart. He is a bit of a psycho :wink:
 
@willow said:
An upbeat Morris says he was happy with his performance at half-back.

“If you look back at the games where I started at half-back, we won a fair few of them,’’ Morris said.
Click to expand...

:laughing: Yeah right Johnny!

We have lost more games than we've won all of the last 3 years, and this year's 6-match winning streak we had either Moltzen or Lui in the halves.

Thanks for the effort John, but a half-back you aint!
 
I admire Johhny's effort over the years,but he is easily pleased if he is happy with what he dished up at 7,good luck at the Sharks mate.
 
Every game hey.. what an effort, thanks J-Mo and good luck mate. Hope all works out for you in the Shire :slight_smile:
 
@Defiant said:
gl bud its not your fault Sheens played you out of position.
Click to expand...

Kind of is though. He agreed to come here and play HB, wanted the challenge, thought he could handle it. Its not like Sheens sprung it on him and forced him to play there against his will. Just saying…
 
@king sirro said:
Gee theres been a few of these feel good stories about Morris over the years. U know, the kind that try to convince us supporters he was better than what he actually was. Glad i dont have to read any more of this dribble next year.
Click to expand...

I think he could have been a good solid player for us but he was in reality a complete dud.

Tries hard, good solid first grader not a half & not even close.
 
Morris certainly didn't contribute towards the free-flowing attack the Tigers are renowned for, but he certainly did improve the defensive line. Just a pity he wasn't wearing jersey 14 more regularly. Can't fault his commitment, just the execution.
 
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