Josh Morris gets the chance to put his case for Origin to Laurie Daley against the Storm

WITH his Origin spot under threat, Josh Morris gets the chance to put his case to Laurie Daley when he goes head to head with Queensland incumbent Will Chambers.

Bulldogs training

WITH his Origin spot under threat, Josh Morris gets the chance to put his case to Laurie Daley when he goes head to head with Australian and Queensland incumbent Will Chambers.

After coming off second best in his battle with Canberra’s Joey Leilua last Monday night, Morris conceded it “was probably the worst I’ve played for a very long time”.

But a big performance for the Bulldogs against the Storm in Melbourne is the perfect chance for the 29-year-old to bounce back given the opposition centre he is up against.

The longtime Blues centre is battling to keep his Origin jumper this year.

If James Tedesco stays fit and in form, the Wests Tigers flying machine could force Daley to find a new position for last year’s NSW player of the series Josh Dugan — and Morris’s right centre spot is a likely option.

While Morris plays on the left side for the Bulldogs, Michael Jennings has owned that spot for the Blues in recent times and is also in great form for the Eels.

Morris has been a mainstay in the NSW since debuting in 2009.

Morris doesn’t want to get into the debate about his Origin or Test hopes after his own forgettable performance against the Raiders.

Bulldogs Josh Reynolds and Bulldogs Josh Morris celebrate victory after the South Sydney v Bulldogs rugby league game at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

“That was probably the worst I’ve played for a very long time,” Morris said.

“I’ve got to turn that around this week and be better because Melbourne Storm are a quality side.

“I think as one of the senior players I’ve got to take more ownership. I think a lot of my errors in that first half put us under a lot of pressure.

“In terms of Test footy and Origin I am not thinking about that.

“We have got two hard games coming up. That is solely my focus.

“This week Melbourne and then the following week the Warriors in Wellington.

“We have just got to take those two games and really focus and knuckle

down and try and get a couple of wins and get that consistency going.

“You do know (selection) is coming up but a lot of things could happen

before now and then. You could get injured.”

Morris said he was sick before the game last week and vomited for the first time of his NRL career, with no explanation as to why.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 25: Josh Morris of the Bulldogs waits for a pass from Tony Williams of the Bulldogs as he is tackled by Luke Keary of the Rabbitohs during the round four NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Canterbury Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on March 25, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“But I am not making that as an excuse,” he said.

“They were balls to be caught and I didn’t and like I said I put myself and the team under pressure and I’ve got to be better.

“My errors cost the team a fair bit of possession and put us under pressure.”

While Melbourne have won all three of their home games this year, the Bulldogs have beaten the Storm in their previous two visits south.

This year both teams have been up and down with their form and Morris said while consistency was “a mental thing”, it also highlights why the reduction of the interchange has helped make this a close competition.

“You don’t get an easy game where you go, ‘oh yeah, we are going to win’,” Morris said.

“If you are just off that little bit you can get found out. We were

probably just expecting that we would roll through them and get the

win and they turned up and bashed us and did what we wanted to do to

them. You can’t take any side lightly these days. I guess that is why

the fans enjoy this competition so much.

Originally published as Josh Morris gets the chance to put his case for Origin to Laurie Daley against the Storm