Dragons legend Steve ‘Slippery’ Morris recovering after emergency brain surgery

St George legend Steve ‘Slippery’ Morris is in hospital after emergency brain surgery following a stroke at a Kiama cafe.

File photo of Steve Morris alongside son Brett at the family home in Kiama.

Dragons great Steve “Slippery” Morris is making a “remarkable recovery” after emergency brain surgery.

The former Kangaroo and father of league twins Josh and Brett Morris was rushed from his home in Kiama to Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick in Sydney suffering a blood clot on his brain, according to The Daily Telegraph.

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The 66-year-old former halfback and winger suffered a stroke last Wednesday when catching up with friends at a cafe and collapsed.

The coffee shop owner initially provided first aid the report states and rang emergency services for an ambulance.

File photo of Steve Morris alongside son Brett at the family home in Kiama.

Morris is said to be sitting up in his hospital bed and cracking jokes with the nurses following surgery in an extraordinary recovery.

Surgeons operated to remove the clot next to his brain and put in a stent to clear the blood vessel.

Morris’ wife Stacey posted her gratitude on Facebook and said if not for the cafe owner and other customers, “we could have had a different outcome”.

“I am so very grateful to the owner Cam and the people dining at Central Perk in Kiama yesterday who helped my beautiful husband Stephen, who suffered a massive stroke and their quick response saved his life,” she wrote in part.

Steve Morris watching the Dragons train. Photo: Gregg Porteous

Morris in action for the Dragons back in 1984.

“My children and I cannot thank you enough and I wanted to share what a wonderful community we live in and express my gratitude.”

Morris’ son Josh, the former NRL centre, says his dad is lucky to have survived.

“It could have been a whole lot worse,” he said.

“Lucky we got him up to Prince of Wales in time. It looked really bad at first but it looks like he’s made a remarkable recovery.

“They did a scan and found a pretty substantial clot on his brain. They removed it in surgery.

“We visited him that night and he was sitting up and chatting.”

Shout out to Dragons legend Steve Slippery Morris recovering in Prince of Wales ICU after suffering a major stroke. Get well soon champion! pic.twitter.com/79T2NnZmOb

— DonR (@DonR62) September 14, 2023

STEVE “SLIPPERY” MORRIS scores a classic for the Dragons against South Sydney in the 1984 Minor Semi Final.#nrlsouthsdragons#dragons#redv#stgeorge#slippery#speed#classic#rugbyleague#speed#footwork#skill#team#footy#nrl#rugbyleaguepic.twitter.com/mpvR7UDz38

— Rugby League Best Tries Hits and Biffs (@NBiffs) September 12, 2018

Josh added that his dad hated making a fuss and wanted to thank everyone that had contributed to keeping his dad alive from such a scary ordeal.

“I’d like to thank the people that helped him at Central Perk cafe in Kiama, our paramedics who are amazing and all the doctors and staff at both Wollongong and Prince of Wales hospitals,” the 37-year-old said.

“Dad obviously doesn’t like people making a fuss of him — that’s the person he is — but he’s certainly overwhelmed with all the well wishes he’s received.”

Doctors aren’t sure if the stroke could have been football related but it is considered unlikely.

The first ever winner of the Dally M medal in 1979, Morris played over 200 first grade games with the Dragons, Roosters and in England.

He also featured in five matches for the NSW Blues and a lone Test match for the Kangaroos in 1978.

Originally published as Dragons legend Steve ‘Slippery’ Morris recovering after emergency brain surgery