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Lucky Cowboy back in saddle
By BEN DORRIES
September 4, 2004
NORTH Queensland Cowboys' miracle man Glenn Morrison feels like a rookie again after being cleared to play against Cronulla in Townsville tonight, three months after he feared he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Morrison knows he is lucky just to be walking again after fracturing two vertebrae in his back and snapping neck ligaments in a sickening collision with Dragons fullback Ben Hornby in round 13.
Even he has been astounded by his speedy recovery and the three-time NSW Country player was walking on air yesterday morning after learning he had received a clearance to resume his playing career.
Morrison will join representative winger Matt Sing (jaw) and tough forward Kevin Campion (biceps) in making remarkable returns from the long-term injury list.
The trio will lead the side out in front of a bumper crowd of over 20,000 long-suffering Cowboys supporters who are eagerly anticipating the club's maiden finals appearance next week.
Their form against Cronulla will determine if they stay in the side for the club's historic finals campaign.
Winger Neil Sweeney has been omitted to accommodate Sing while captain Travis Norton (knee) and utility forward Luke O'Donnell (ankle) have been given the weekend off to freshen up and recover from niggling injuries for week one of the finals.
Coach Graham Murray has the perfect opportunity to rest Norton and O'Donnell as the Cowboys will finish in seventh position regardless of the result against Cronulla.
Murray had not settled on the final make-up of his side last night but Morrison has been told he will come off the bench and interchange with Campion who will start in the second-row. In the absence of Norton, big prop Paul Rauhihi will captain the side in his second game back from a calf injury.
Morrison, who has signed a deal to play with Parramatta for the next three seasons, admitted he feared for his future when he injured his back and was rushed to a Wollongong hospital in June.
He was transferred to Townsville's Mater Hospital a week later, wearing a specially designed neck and back brace, but a return to football didn't enter his mind as he focused on the painful rehabilitation process.
Morrison's fiancee Robyn helped organise a hospital bed to be delivered to the couple's house so he could return home and be with his young daughter Halle.
"I feared the worst when I did the injury, it was pretty scary because I couldn't breathe properly or anything and my thoughts immediately turned to my family," Morrison said.
"But it could have been a lot worse and I was on my feet again in about 10 weeks and started some non-contact training.
"I've had some pretty tough training sessions in the last couple of days and I've been tackling some pretty big boys so there's no doubt in my mind that I'm fine to play again."
Daily Telegraph
By BEN DORRIES
September 4, 2004
NORTH Queensland Cowboys' miracle man Glenn Morrison feels like a rookie again after being cleared to play against Cronulla in Townsville tonight, three months after he feared he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Morrison knows he is lucky just to be walking again after fracturing two vertebrae in his back and snapping neck ligaments in a sickening collision with Dragons fullback Ben Hornby in round 13.
Even he has been astounded by his speedy recovery and the three-time NSW Country player was walking on air yesterday morning after learning he had received a clearance to resume his playing career.
Morrison will join representative winger Matt Sing (jaw) and tough forward Kevin Campion (biceps) in making remarkable returns from the long-term injury list.
The trio will lead the side out in front of a bumper crowd of over 20,000 long-suffering Cowboys supporters who are eagerly anticipating the club's maiden finals appearance next week.
Their form against Cronulla will determine if they stay in the side for the club's historic finals campaign.
Winger Neil Sweeney has been omitted to accommodate Sing while captain Travis Norton (knee) and utility forward Luke O'Donnell (ankle) have been given the weekend off to freshen up and recover from niggling injuries for week one of the finals.
Coach Graham Murray has the perfect opportunity to rest Norton and O'Donnell as the Cowboys will finish in seventh position regardless of the result against Cronulla.
Murray had not settled on the final make-up of his side last night but Morrison has been told he will come off the bench and interchange with Campion who will start in the second-row. In the absence of Norton, big prop Paul Rauhihi will captain the side in his second game back from a calf injury.
Morrison, who has signed a deal to play with Parramatta for the next three seasons, admitted he feared for his future when he injured his back and was rushed to a Wollongong hospital in June.
He was transferred to Townsville's Mater Hospital a week later, wearing a specially designed neck and back brace, but a return to football didn't enter his mind as he focused on the painful rehabilitation process.
Morrison's fiancee Robyn helped organise a hospital bed to be delivered to the couple's house so he could return home and be with his young daughter Halle.
"I feared the worst when I did the injury, it was pretty scary because I couldn't breathe properly or anything and my thoughts immediately turned to my family," Morrison said.
"But it could have been a lot worse and I was on my feet again in about 10 weeks and started some non-contact training.
"I've had some pretty tough training sessions in the last couple of days and I've been tackling some pretty big boys so there's no doubt in my mind that I'm fine to play again."
Daily Telegraph
