How Ironic that an article comes up the very next day.
Morris establishes Eels' pairing
By Iain Payten
May 10, 2005
AN INTUITIVE sense of the future from Parramatta five-eighth John Morris has helped the Eels establish the most lethal halves pairing in the game.
Morris has revealed he studied the game of dynamic young halfback Tim Smith while the rookie was still in the Parramatta lower grades, convinced he would one day team up with the 20-year-old in the NRL.
It not only paid off for the Eels on Sunday with a spectacular try to spark Parramatta's demolition of the Cowboys.
But it's also paid rich dividends this season.
Statistics reveal that Smith and Morris are now the most deadly combination in the game - a clearcut first in try-assists compared to all NRL halfback/five-eighth pairings.
After laying on five tries on Sunday with three kicks and two last-passes, Smith took his try-assist tally for the season to 14.
The Gold Coast junior is currently four ahead of nearest rival Penrith captain Craig Gower (10) and allied with Morris (7) forms the deadliest attacking duo in the competition with a total of 21 try assists.
Brisbane's pairing of Darren Lockyer (8) and Brett Seymour (7) is in the second spot.
"He has been at the club for a few years and I studied his game a little bit, worked out how he plays and what he likes to do," Morris said yesterday.
"I always thought he was a good chance to play No.7 in first grade, and Brian [Smith] had high hopes for him as well.
"It was just down to whether he could step up to this level. He has certainly proved he can."
Yesterday Parramatta players celebrated their big weekend with a round of lawn bowls, ahead of a bye this weekend.
Morris said that a friendship with Smith forged in his time with the Eels was beginning to translate into an innate on-field understanding as well.
The Eels' first try against the Cowboys was a perfect example.
Despite starting 20 metres away and behind his back, Morris pounced on a precise Smith banana kick to score and spark a 50-point spree.
"That one I heard him call my name and I knew what he was going to do, I just pushed up for him," Morris recalled.
"We work hard at training and after training actually, trying to find each other at the line, to push up for each other rather than just dropping back for the long pass.
"We hadn't played much together at the start of the year but Tim and I always had confidence in each other and our games.
"The coach and the team did as well, and it gives you more freedom to try things in games and attack."
The willingness of his enthusiastic halves - recently a problem area for Parramatta - to gel quickly has given Smith great optimism for the Eels' season.
Convincing wins over North Queensland, Penrith and the Storm are proof the Eels are well credentialled for finals football.
"Many people thought we'd struggle in the halves this year but there were so many new blokes coming to the club as well, it was more than about how the halves will gel. It was about how the whole team will come together, and the good thing is that we have in a short space of time," Morris said.
But sitting on the fringes of the top eight after a handful of bad losses, Parramatta are now searching for consistency in a bid to challenge this year.
"We have to find that consistency now, we had a couple of good games but then had a slip," said Morris.
"The losses to Brisbane and Souths were embarrassing, but all the others we've been in the game."
With Smith and Morris at the reins, Parramatta are hoping they'll continue to not only be in the game, but in the winner's circle as well.
The Daily Telegraph
