Brett Morris retired: How NRL star took $4.2M from the TAB

You thought Brett Morris’s greatest rugby league number was those 176 tries? His older brother and Kiama teammates will tell you otherwise.

Sydney Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii helps out at junior rugby league carnival. Source: Supplied

Scotty Morris can rattle off the TAB odds like he only bet on little brother.

Instead, it was 15 years ago.

“Brett’s first year with St George Illawarra,” he says. “And back when he was real value with the bookies.”

Wasn’t he what?

First tryscorer, $15.

Last tryscorer, $15.

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While as for winning Man of the Match that night he ran out for a 2006 semi-final against Manly before 30,000 at the Sydney Football Stadium?

You could get $30 there, too.

“And I got on all them,” Scott cackles of the biggest win he ever had on that winger who retired Monday among the greatest of all time.

“It was the second week of the NRL finals.

“Dragons versus Manly.

“And playing on the wing Brett scored first, last and won Man of the Match.”

Which remains memorable not only for big brother, but a large chunk of the Kiama first grade side.

Brett Morris retired from rugby league on Monday. Picture: Matt King/Getty

“Because we were on a footy trip away in Adelaide,” big brother continues. “So all the boys got on.”

Of course they did.

Especially when you learn how only a couple of years before, Brett had debuted with them after starting the day with four tries in Kiama Under 18s.

“Then he played fullback for us,” Scott recalls. “And scored another four.

“That’s when everyone realised he was something special.”

Why too, they all loaded up for that NRL final.

Brett Morris was a TAB nightmare. Picture: AAP/Action Photographics/Col Whelan

“So while it’s not often you go home from those trips with more money than what you started with,” he laughs, “we did that weekend.”

Indeed, of all the numbers presented at Brett Morris’s SCG farewell on Monday – the tries, the representative honours, even the NRL premiership rings – one number was missed.

Specifically, the $4.2 million he lifted from TAB coffers.

For make no mistake, that’s how so many of us will forever remember that incredible athlete, competitor and winner with the Dragons, Bulldogs, Roosters, NSW, even Australia – as the kid who got you an earn.

Didn’t matter who he was playing with, or at what level, if you needed money for rent, petrol, a carton, Christmas, whatever, didn’t matter, just chuck whatever silver you had on B-Moz

Sure, he and twin brother Josh have long been something of a package deal.

An unshakeable force that was finally, and terribly, separated back in April — when Brett suffered the ACL injury that has now forced his premature retirement.

But alone too, B-Moz was something special.

A truth confirmed by those TAB officials who revealed Monday he challenges Billy Slater as the greatest payer in NRL history.

Take his first tryscorer payouts, for example, which are estimated to top $1.2 million. While just scoring a try at any time, meanwhile, earned close to $3 million.

Of course, Morris also finishes with those 176 NRL tries – or enough to now sit fourth on the list of greatest NRL tryscorers ever.

But the man himself?

On Monday, he just wanted to thank mum.

The Roosters farewell teammate Brett Morris. Picture: Matt King/Getty

Throw in too his wife and kids, his siblings, friends, teammates, even fans.

“Because the effect I could have on people,” he said, “I never took that lightly”.

But tears?

No, there were none of those. Not anymore.

“If you saw me being carried from the field, I was quite emotional,” he conceded of that moment his knee blew against Newcastle in Round 8. “I probably knew then it was the last time I’d step foot on the field as a player.”

So as for what comes next?

According to Morris, certainly more family time and, hopefully, some work on the Roosters coaching staff.

“And I’ve never been skiing. Or snowboarding,” he shrugged. “So I might try that.”

Proof Suaalii is a jewel in NRL crown

- Paul Crawley

It was the moment Sydney Roosters teenage star Joseph Suaalii left an impression on some young bush footy schoolboys that will last a lifetime.

And that is why it is the best character reference the NRL is going to get this year, because it comes directly from those involved in the game’s grassroots development.

According to Les Daley, the convener of the NSW Under 11s State Championships, what 17-year-old Suaalii did in Kiama this week went “above and beyond” what he has ever seen from an NRL player previously.

Joseph Suaalii made these young footy players’ day. Source: Supplied

And that is coming from a man who has worked for more than 30 years in schoolboy rugby league development.

In fact, Daley went out of his way to contact News Corp directly because he said the way Suaalii turned up unannounced to promote the game was just so special it warranted recognition.

Daley also made note that there were other NRL players who helped out during the week, including Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses and Cody Ramsey from the Dragons.

But he just couldn’t hide his admiration for Suaalii’s level of enthusiasm.

“No one asked him, he just turned up,” Daley explained.

“His younger brother (Chris) was playing for Sydney West.

“But what Joseph did was just outstanding with the way he promoted the NRL and himself.”

Joseph Suaalii gave the boys from the Riverina a boost. Picture: Supplied

Daley went on to explain how Suaalii not only helped his brother’s team but also “sat on the Riverina bench” when he saw the young kids from the country struggling in a game.

“And he spoke to them at halftime, and he ran out the kicking tee,” Daley continued.

“And he approached me yesterday afternoon and said, ‘Les, if you are happy I can help with the presentation’.”

So he handed out the medallions to all the players, “and spoke to the parents and told them what it meant to him when he played in the tournament”.

Joseph Suaalii was at the NSW U11’s School Champs to watch his brother & became the waterboy for the Riverina team!

“Not only staying & making time from his day to stay & make the game special for the boys, he made sure he asked the coach each kids name before he spoke to them.” pic.twitter.com/adKiHoAA9P

— Footy Smiles 😁 (@FootySmiles) June 3, 2021

That was back in 2013 and 2014 when Suaalii played in the primary schoolboy championships for back-to-back years.

The first year he was playing a year up when they picked him in the state team on the wing, and the following year he played fullback and captained the team.

“It was just the shot in the arm we needed,” Daley added.

“He was just inundated for autographs and he would have stood there for three and a half hours signing every one of them.

“He couldn’t move the poor bloke.

“But I just thought it deserved a mention because it was great to see.

“You talk about a good news story and promoting grassroots level?

“Mate, what he did was just fantastic.”

Originally published as Brett Morris retired: How NRL star took $4.2M from the TAB