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| Full name | Brett Morris | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1986-08-23)23 August 1986 (age 38) Kiama, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Father | Steve Morris | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Josh Morris (brother) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brett Morris (born 23 August 1986) is an Australian former professionalrugby league footballer who played on thewing and as afullback for theSt George Illawarra Dragons,Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and theSydney Roosters in theNational Rugby League (NRL) andAustralia at international level.
He played forNew South Wales in theState of Origin series,NRL All Stars,Country Origin and thePrime Minister's XIII. Early in his career he played as afullback . Between 2006 and 2014 he played for theSt. George Illawarra Dragons with whom he won the2010 NRL Grand Final. In 2019 with the Sydney Roosters he won a second NRL premiership title.
Morris is the fifth highest try scorer for in premiership history, with 176 tries[3] (only behindKen Irvine's 212 tries,Billy Slater's 190 tries,Alex Johnston’s 187 tries andSteve Menzies’ 180 tries).
Morris was born at St George Hospital inKogarah, New South Wales, but went to school inKiama, New South Wales, Australia.[4]
He played his junior rugby league with theKiama Knights alongside his twin brotherJosh Morris before signing with theSt. George Illawarra Dragons.
Morris is the son ofSt. George Dragons, New South Wales and Australian rugby league representativeSteve Morris, twin brother ofJosh Morris who also plays for the Roosters in the NRL and was previously a state and national representative.[citation needed]
In round 9 of the 2006 NRL season, Morris made his first grade debut for theSt. George Illawarra, playing against theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks on the wing in a 30–12 loss atRemondis Stadium.[5] In round 15, against theBrisbane Broncos atSuncorp Stadium, Morris scored his first NRL try in the 79th minute off aMathew Head kick.[6] Morris finished his debut year with 12 tries from 19 matches.
In the 2007 round 4 match against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Morris played his first match of the season and his first match alongside his twin brotherJosh Morris in St. George Illawarra's 40–4 loss.[7] In round 7 of that year, against theSydney Roosters in the ANZAC Day match, Morris suffered a season-ending shoulder injury,[8][9] managing just two games for theseason.
In 2008, Morris made his return to the St. George Illawarra first grade team in round 1, playing against theWests Tigers.[10] In round 7, on the ANZAC Day match against theSydney Roosters, Brett and his twin Josh scored tries in the same match together in the Dragons 26–6 win at ANZ Stadium.[11] Morris finished theyear with 16 matches and eight tries.
Morris had an outstanding2009 NRL season for St. George Illawarra, including scoring four tries in round 9 against theNorth Queensland Cowboys in the club's 24–20 loss at1300SMILES Stadium,[12] a hat trick in round 11 againstCronulla Sharks,[13] and another hat-trick in round 26 against theParramatta Eels.[14] He was namedDally M highest tryscorer of the year with 25 tries in 24 matches.[15]
Morris was selected to play forAustralia in the2009 Four Nations tournament.[16] He crossed six times in 4 matches to finish the tournament as top try-scorer, including scoring 2 tries in the 46-16 Final win overEngland atElland Road.[17] Morris re-signed with the Dragons until the end of 2012 and said after his re-signing: "I enjoy living in Wollongong, it is where my family and friends are and the Dragons are the team I grew up supporting so I'm very happy to be staying."[18]
Morris kept up his try-scoring form early in the season, scoring a hat-trick in round 2 against his twin brother's team, theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.[19] He was selected on the wing for Australia in the2010 Anzac Test, scoring both of Australia's tries in the 12–8 win.[20] Morris made his debut forNew South Wales in game 1 of the2010 State of Origin series, playing on the wing in the Blues 28–24 loss atANZ Stadium,[21] He played all three matches of the series in the NSW 3–0 series loss. Later on the season, Morris played on the wing in2010 NRL Grand Final against theSydney Roosters, helpingSt. George Illawarra to their first premiership as a joint-venture in their 32–8 win. The grand final victory ended 31 years of hurt for St. George fans of the joint-venture as the club had gone close on numerous occasions to ending their drought.[22][23] Morris finished the2010 NRL season as the Dragons highest tryscorer with 20 tries in 25 matches. He was later selected for Australia2010 Four Nations squad, playing in 4 matches and scoring 3 tries in the tournament, including playing on the wing in the loss against New Zealand in the Final.[24]
During the pre-season, Morris played for theNRL All Stars against theIndigenous All Stars.[25] In the2011 World Club Challenge match, againstSuper League premiers theWigan Warriors, Morris was named man-of-the-match after scoring two tries in the Dragons 21–15 victory atDW Stadium.[26] In the2011 Anzac Test, Morris played in the 20–10 win over New Zealand.[27] He played in 2 matches for New South Wales in the2011 State of Origin series. In round 20, against theCanberra Raiders, Morris played his 100th NRL match, scoring a try in St. George Illawarra's 24–19.[28] He scored 10 tries in his 21 matches for the Dragons.
On 21 February 2012, Morris re-signed with St. George Illawarra for a further three years until the end of the2015 NRL season.[29] From the Dragons 36–12 win against theWests Tigers atJubilee Oval in round 3,[30] Morris was shifted from his usual position on the wing to fullback by coachSteve Price.[31] Morris also played at fullback forNSW Country Origin in their 24–22 loss toNSW City inMudgee.[32] Morris played a match for the New South Wales in the2012 State of Origin series, playing in game 3 on the wing and scoring a try in the Blues 21–20 loss atSuncorp Stadium.[33] Morris finished the 2012 NRL season as the Dragons highest tryscorer with 14 tries in 23 matches.
Morris played for Australia on the wing and scored a try in the2013 Anzac Test 32–12 victory against New Zealand atCanberra Stadium.[34] Morris played in all of the New South Wales' 3 matches and scored a try in the2013 State of Origin series. In round 25, against theParramatta Eels, Morris played his 150th NRL career match in the Dragons 26–22 loss atParramatta Stadium.[35] Morris finished the2013 NRL season with him playing 21 matches and scoring 9 tries for the Dragons.
On 29 September 2013, Morris played forPrime Minister's XIII againstPapua New Guinea, playing on the wing in the 50–10 win atKokopo.[36] Morris was selected for the Australia Kangaroos 24-man squad for the2013 World Cup.[37] Morris played in 5 matches and scored 8 tries, which including scoring 4 tries against theUSA Tomahawks in the Kangaroos' 62–0 win atRacecourse Ground inWrexham, Wales,[38] and 2 tries in the World Cup final against New Zealand.[39]
In February 2014, Morris was selected as captain of the Dragons inaugural2014 Auckland Nines squad.[40] In the2014 Anzac Test, Morris played for Australia on the wing and scored 2 tries in the 30–18 victory against New Zealand at theSFS.[41] During game 1 of the2014 State of Origin series, Morris dislocated his shoulder while scoring a try in New South Wales 12–8 win at Suncorp Stadium. He continued playing on during the match, later finding out that he had also suffered a broken bone and ligament damage.[42] Morris was ruled for the other two 2014 Origin matches. In round 22, against the Canberra Raiders, Morris took over captaincy, after usual captainBen Creagh was ruled out with injury, and had a brilliant match, scoring a hat trick to help the Dragons win in Canberra for the first time since round 14 of the2000 NRL season.[43] Morris finished the2014 NRL season with him playing in 18 matches and scoring 14 tries for the Dragons.
On 9 September 2014, Morris was selected for the Australia Kangaroos2014 Four Nations train-on squad but was later ruled out from the final 24-man squad with injury.[44] On 23 October 2014, Brett Morris reunited with twin brother,Josh Morris, at theCanterbury Bulldogs, signing on a four-year contract, through until the end of 2018.[45][46][47]
In round 1, against thePenrith Panthers, Morris made his club debut for theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at fullback, scoring a try in the 24–18 loss atPenrith Stadium.[48] In round 5, against theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs, he injured hishamstring in a man-of-the-match performance in the Bulldogs' controversial 18–17 loss at ANZ Stadium.[49][50] He missed 7 rounds, before returning in round 13 against his former club, the St. George Illawarra Dragons, in Canterbury's 29–16 win atANZ Stadium.[51][52] Morris played in games two and three of the2015 State of Origin series, starting on the wing.[53] Morris finished his first year with Canterbury playing in 16 matches and scoring 9 tries in the2015 NRL season.
In March 2016, Morris was ruled out for four months with a knee injury.[54] Morris made his return in round 16, playing against theBrisbane Broncos and scoring a hat trick of tries in the 40–14 win atANZ Stadium.[55] In June 2016, Morris, alongside his twin brother Josh were approached byEngland coachWayne Bennett to make the switch for the upcoming2016 Four Nations series.[56] Morris is eligible for England due to his grandparents.[57] Morris finished the2016 NRL season with him playing in 11 matches and scoring 10 tries for the Canterbury club.
In round 4, againstManly, Morris played in his 200th NRL career match in Canterbury's 36–0 loss atBrookvale Oval.[58][59][60] On 18 July Morris announced his retirement from representative rugby league. He had played 15 origins for NSW and had an "incredible record" of 23 tries in his 18 matches for Australia. He said, "I'm so proud to have been able to represent my state and my family in the toughest arena of all and have now made the decision to retire from rep football".
In 2018, Morris signed a contract to join theSydney Roosters for the2019 NRL season.
Morris scored a hat-trick on his Roosters debut in the World Club Challenge victory over Wigan on 17 February.[61]In round 2 against Manly-Warringah, Morris scored a try for the Roosters in their 26–18 victory atBrookvale Oval but was later taken from the field with a knee injury after the turf gave way underneath him.
After the game had finished, Morris was asked by reporters if he was angry at the state of the field following his latest injury. Morris replied "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, to be honest, "If it was the first time it happened to me I could brush it off, but it's the second time I've been to Brookvale and my knee has dug in and I've had an injury as a result. As a player you work so hard to get out there, and to have this happen as a result of the ground is frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to play at suburban grounds. I'm a country boy and any time that happens I love that stuff. But it's frustrating that this has happened as a result of the surface".
Morris was subsequently ruled out for 2–3 weeks with amedial collateral ligament (MCL) tear in his left knee.[62][63]
In round 19, Morris scored a try against his former club Canterbury-Bankstown in a 20–12 victory atANZ Stadium.[64]In Round 20 against the Gold Coast, Morris scored aHat-Trick as theSydney Roosters won the match 58–6 at theSydney Cricket Ground.[65]
On 21 August, Morris was voted as one of the best players of the decade in theNRL team of the decade announcement which spanned from the 2010 to 2019 seasons. Premiership-winning coachesPhil Gould, Craig Bellamy,Trent Robinson andRicky Stuart were also part of the panel along with Hall of FamersPeter Sterling,Darren Lockyer,Danny Buderus andLaurie Daley.[66]
Morris played on the wing in the club's2019 NRL Grand Final victory over Canberra atANZ Stadium. Morris made a total of 15 appearances and scored 7 tries in the2019 NRL season.[67]
Brett's twin brother, Josh, requested to be released by Cronulla-Sutherland and then joined the Sydney Roosters from round 3 of 2020.
In round 7 of the2020 NRL season, Morris scored ahat-trick against one of his former clubs as the Sydney Roosters defeated St. George Illawarra 26–12 atBankwest Stadium.[68]
In round 15, Morris scored two tries as the Sydney Roosters defeatedWests Tigers 38–16 atLeichhardt Oval.[69]
Morris made a total of 17 appearances and scored 12 tries in the2020 NRL season as the club fell short of a third successive premiership.[70]
In round 1 of the2021 NRL season, Morris scored ahat-trick in theSydney Roosters 46–4 victory over Manly-Warringah at theSydney Cricket Ground.[71]
The following week, Morris scored anotherhat-trick in theSydney Roosters 40–6 victory over theWests Tigers. Morris became the first player in history to score consecutive hat-tricks in the opening two rounds of the competition.[72]In round 4, he scored another two tries in theSydney Roosters 32–12 victory over theNew Zealand Warriors.[73]
In round 8, Morris led theSydney Roosters out as captain in absence ofJames Tedesco who was ruled out at the last-minute. He was taken from the field in the 77th minute of theSydney Roosters 38–4 victory overNewcastle with an ACL injury.Sydney Roosters coach, Trent Robinson stated that he believed the injury may have ended Morris' career[74]
Morris announced his retirement fromrugby league on 7 June 2021.[75]
Morris was announced as assistant coach for 2022 for theSydney Roosters.[76]
