Sally said:

The rest of this thread will probably start into a bitching thread about us signing Myler and Ratchford etc but in response to that I just want to make this point.

Morley is pretty unique in terms of his durability, not just because he's so good so old but because of how young he was when he started. Morley was playing for Leeds in the 1994/95 season and playing for Great Britain in 1996.

Look at what happened to the other top forwards that started so young: Farrell, Scully, Fielden, they were all great players but in their 30s they were a shadow of the players they were at their peak, in Scully's case to be fair he was still a great player in the occasions he could get on the pitch, but his final few years he was injured all the time. You could say the same about Mike Gregory too, his final few seasons injuries had taken their toll. These players have been rock hard forwards but their bodies took so much punishment it took its toll, beyond the age of 29 these players were not what they were. They have not been able to shake off bad injuries.

In Morley's case he's had some serious injuries in the past few years but has come back from them and if you add up all the batter he has taken (factoring in the years in the NRL on their hard grounds against all their top players) he must have had more hits and collisions than anybody.

Morley's durability is just incredible. The only player in recent years that I can think of that compares is Ruben Wiki.

I reckon its a combination of three things
1) he has looked after his body better than anybody
2) his technique is very good so he has been efficient in all these collisions
3) he is just hard

It has been a privilege to have had Moz as Wire captain

Absolutely spot on Sal !!

I would add to that, that I think he is probably the best signing ever for wire. And to think, its only a couple of seasons
back, several of our "intelligentia" on this site were saying he was a waste of spacee and a waste of money.

I wondeer if they are still of the same opinion ?

Morley was the most feared and respected player in the NRL for several years. When he is on the field, the oposition
have to take that into account. He is the ultimate Enforcer.

Only wish there was an up and coming replacement in sight.

Looks like the Take That tickets was the deal clincher then.

This was 2006 when Wigan were in a relegation fight so they might not have been able to guarantee him SL rugby at that time.

I think losing the Grand Final last year means Moz still has unfinished business at Warrington. He has won every club honour in the game in both professional leagues, but his GF win was as a cameo end of season loan player. Yes, it would have been a fairytale at the time, and no one can take that ring away from him, but I'm sure lifting the trophy as captain of his own team would mean more to him.

We're bookies favourites, and although I accept that guarantees nothing, why would he throw the opportunity away by signing for Salford, unless ludicrous money is involved? He's hardly gonna be on a low wage here as it is.

A combination of wanting to lift that trophy, plus World Cup ambitions, should keep him here this year, but if Salford offer better terms next year and he decides then to see his career out in his home town that would be easier to understand. Right now though he has too much to play for.

I love Moz and Sal's point about his durability is spot on.

However, I take it those deifying him for drinking water and helping see off 'the drinking culture' haven't bothered with his autobiography? He's had more than a few skinfuls in his long career, and no less so while at Warrington.

Just Browny

You beat me to it !

No probs with the Moz love-in and he is incredibly durable but don't let's make him into something he's not!
Not many people have been CS gassed 3 times without going to jail !!



Also ref his ''hardness'' I'm sure he is, but read the Terry Newton book and again it's not all it seems.

I'll reserve judgement on whether he's 'passed it' or not until later in the season.
Well worth having him because of the aura that surrounds him and how players look up to him.

Not sure what happened tonight with him.