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- Oct 12, 2013
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DARREN Lockyer has named Michael Morgan as the Test successor to Johnathan Thurston, likening him to Eels and NSW great Brett Kenny.
Morgan’s stunning rise as a representative player continues when the Cowboys star makes his Test debut against New Zealand in Newcastle.
The 24-year-old will be the Kangaroos’ interchange utility, but Lockyer believes it is only a matter of time before Morgan seriously challenges for the Queensland and Australia No. 6 jumpers.
Thurston, who turned 33 a fortnight ago, will quit representative football after next year’s World Cup, clearing the path for Morgan and Brisbane’s Anthony Milford.
Parramatta legend Kenny waged some absorbing Origin battles with Maroons rival Wally Lewis and Lockyer said Morgan had similar skills to fill the Thurston void at state and Test level.
“There’s other good sixes out there like Anthony Milford but there’s no reason why Morgan can’t succeed Thurston,” said Lockyer, who captained Australia 38 times during his record 59-Test career.
“Morgan is a renowned running style of half but he will learn a lot from JT (Thurston) and (halfback) Cooper Cronk in this camp.
“He’s actually got a bit of Brett Kenny about him. Like Kenny, Morgo is a strong runner of the football, has the ability to consistently make linebreaks and has some skill with the ball.
“Kenny probably had a touch more class but I see Morgan being a classical five-eighth like Brett.
“Playing Origin last year has done wonders for him. He is a more complete player now and (Cowboys coach) Paul Green can take a lot of credit for that. He has brought the best out in a lot of players up there.’’
Morgan has formed a lethal scrumbase alliance with Thurston at the Cowboys. The pair have a combined 22 try assists and 20 linebreak assists this season, while Morgan alone has produced six linebreaks in nine games.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is set to deploy Morgan in a supporting role for hooker Cameron Smith but Morgan insists he is equipped to cope with defending around the rucks after coming off the bench for Queensland last year.
“I don’t know what time of the game I will go on,” Morgan said. “It will depend how the game is going and hopefully there are no injuries.
“Chances are I will head on in the middle and do a bit of defending and push up around our bigger forwards.
“I just want to make the most of it. Mal has spoken to the guys this week about what it means to represent Australia and how passionate he is about it.
“He is showing us what it should mean. When I grew up, Australia was No. 1 in the world by far and when they played they wouldn’t get beaten.
“It’s knowing the history of the jumper and never taking it for granted.’’
Kangaroos enforcer and Cowboys teammate James Tamou said Morgan has the ability to follow in the playmaking footsteps of Thurston.
“He’s that good he could succeed JT,” he said. “With the things he is doing now, it’s scary to think where Morgo is now as a player and what he can produce in the future.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/fb1928bff27028f335acf773a1f338bc
Personally I would like to see how he goes when he isn't next to Thurston before naming him the main option for successor.
But what does everyone else think?
Morgan’s stunning rise as a representative player continues when the Cowboys star makes his Test debut against New Zealand in Newcastle.
The 24-year-old will be the Kangaroos’ interchange utility, but Lockyer believes it is only a matter of time before Morgan seriously challenges for the Queensland and Australia No. 6 jumpers.
Thurston, who turned 33 a fortnight ago, will quit representative football after next year’s World Cup, clearing the path for Morgan and Brisbane’s Anthony Milford.
Parramatta legend Kenny waged some absorbing Origin battles with Maroons rival Wally Lewis and Lockyer said Morgan had similar skills to fill the Thurston void at state and Test level.
“There’s other good sixes out there like Anthony Milford but there’s no reason why Morgan can’t succeed Thurston,” said Lockyer, who captained Australia 38 times during his record 59-Test career.
“Morgan is a renowned running style of half but he will learn a lot from JT (Thurston) and (halfback) Cooper Cronk in this camp.
“He’s actually got a bit of Brett Kenny about him. Like Kenny, Morgo is a strong runner of the football, has the ability to consistently make linebreaks and has some skill with the ball.
“Kenny probably had a touch more class but I see Morgan being a classical five-eighth like Brett.
“Playing Origin last year has done wonders for him. He is a more complete player now and (Cowboys coach) Paul Green can take a lot of credit for that. He has brought the best out in a lot of players up there.’’
Morgan has formed a lethal scrumbase alliance with Thurston at the Cowboys. The pair have a combined 22 try assists and 20 linebreak assists this season, while Morgan alone has produced six linebreaks in nine games.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is set to deploy Morgan in a supporting role for hooker Cameron Smith but Morgan insists he is equipped to cope with defending around the rucks after coming off the bench for Queensland last year.
“I don’t know what time of the game I will go on,” Morgan said. “It will depend how the game is going and hopefully there are no injuries.
“Chances are I will head on in the middle and do a bit of defending and push up around our bigger forwards.
“I just want to make the most of it. Mal has spoken to the guys this week about what it means to represent Australia and how passionate he is about it.
“He is showing us what it should mean. When I grew up, Australia was No. 1 in the world by far and when they played they wouldn’t get beaten.
“It’s knowing the history of the jumper and never taking it for granted.’’
Kangaroos enforcer and Cowboys teammate James Tamou said Morgan has the ability to follow in the playmaking footsteps of Thurston.
“He’s that good he could succeed JT,” he said. “With the things he is doing now, it’s scary to think where Morgo is now as a player and what he can produce in the future.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/fb1928bff27028f335acf773a1f338bc
Personally I would like to see how he goes when he isn't next to Thurston before naming him the main option for successor.
But what does everyone else think?
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