Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan must play his way back to form in time for Origin, says Queensland legend Gary Belcher
MICHAEL Morgan is in a chilly NSW bush town is miles from traditional NRL venues and a world away from his imperious best. But an Origin legend has challenged the Cowboys fullback to fight back.
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MAROONS fullback legend Gary Belcher has challenged Michael Morgan to lift his game as the Cowboys $5 million man fights to retain his Queensland jumper for Origin I.
The out-of-sorts Morgan has 24 days — starting on Friday night against the in-form Panthers at Carrington Park in Bathurst — to convince Maroons hierarchy why he should not be axed for the Origin opener.
The chilly NSW bush town is miles away from traditional NRL venues and Morgan is currently a world away from the imperious form that underpinned the Cowboys’ surge to last year’s grand final.
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When Maroons halfback Cooper Cronk announced after last December’s World Cup final that he would follow Johnathan Thurston into representative retirement, Morgan was regarded as the blue-chip investment to fill the Queensland scrumbase void.
Now the alarm bells are ringing. Morgan’s early-season form, not helped by a niggling abdominal injury, has mirrored that of a spluttering Cowboys team that arrives in Bathurst languishing in equal last spot.
With Origin playmaking rivals Cameron Munster and Ben Hunt playing superior football, Morgan, according to Belcher, is running out of time to clinch the Maroons No.6 or No.7 jumpers.
“Morgan has to lift his game,” said Belcher, who played 16 Origin games for the Maroons between 1986-93.
“He might be a victim of how his Cowboys team is going but he’s not himself at the moment.
“When he first came back (after missing two weeks with his abdominal strain), he could probably still feel the injury, but he has to come to terms with carrying a bit of pain.
“It might be one of those things he has to battle through.
“He just needs one good performance to get some confidence again. At the moment, I think Hunt and Munster are the frontrunners for the Queensland halves.
“I’m not going to write off Morgan yet — he still has time — but he has work to do.”
Statistics suggest Morgan is not completely out of touch.
In six appearances this year, the Cowboys pivot has tallied six try assists and six line-break assists. Against Canberra last week, he made three tackle busts and produced his first line-break of the season.
But Morgan, who played centre in the Origin decider last year, is the first to accept he must find another gear.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters says he isn’t concerned about Morgan’s form but isn’t prepared to guarantee him a starting berth for Origin I at the MCG on June 6.
“I’m not worried about ‘Morgo’,” he said.
“Michael has been a mainstay of our team for a few years now. He wants to play better, I’m sure he does, and we need him to because it’s important Queensland have players who hit the ground running.
“Morgo could play any number of positions, but I’m not locking him into anything at the moment. His versatility is appealing so that’s a bonus for Queensland.”
Originally published as Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan must play his way back to form in time for Origin, says Queensland legend Gary Belcher