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DANIEL Mortimer is about the size of the cornerpost but defends in the middle of the field like a forward. That's why he is "running on empty," as his coach Daniel Anderson explained to him.
But the crestfallen Eels playmaker is adamant he won't "hide" like other pint-sized players of his ilk for one simple reason.
The Mortimer name.
"I like being known as tough," the 21-year-old said last night. "All my uncles were known for it. I definitely won't go hiding - just like they didn't. You don't have to be the smartest person to know who to run at in our team. Teams are finding me. I'm having to make a lot of tackles.
"Unfortunately, my attack is suffering because of that."
It is the reason why Mortimer - one of the revelations of last season as the Eels swept into the grand final - finds himself being "rested" for a second week despite his side's season being on life-support.
His father Peter and uncles Steve and Chris would tackle a blade of grass if required when they played for Canterbury.
Daniel is no different. But the toll has been severe on the wonderboy who signed a two-year deal worth $500,000 in March and appeared to have the game at his feet.
"I've been making irrational decisions," Mortimer says, candidly. "There are so many thoughts going through my head, it's probably taking over my natural instincts in the game. I'm thinking too much about it really.
"Trying too hard, too many things get in your head and it overloads your brain. Last year, it was coming very naturally. At the moment, I've gone off it a little. I need to get my head clear and start playing instinctive footy again."
The Eels refuse to say that Mortimer has been dropped, but you sense they are using such rhetoric to protect the young five-eighth's fragile state of mind. The denials that he was never playing for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup tomorrow clashed with the word coming out of the feeder team earlier this week.
Just after noon on Tuesday, the following text message from a Wenty official was zipping around the ether: "Just quietly, Daniel Mortimer with us but not named. And maybe Shane Shackleton but not named."
As soon as The Daily Telegraph hit Church Street the following day, the Eels assured Mortimer he would not be playing at all this weekend.
That night, another text was pinged through: "Just had confirmation from Daniel Anderson that Daniel Mortimer and Shane Shackleton will not be playing for us this week. Morts is being rested and Shackleton won't be be back this year."
The relationship between the Eels and Wentworthville has been described as "strained" at best. Mortimer appears to be the pawn caught in the middle.
But that's besides the point.
The lingering question is why is the player who was at the centre of a tug of war between the Eels and Bulldogs earlier this year being kept in cotton wool with three games remaining? Surely they aren't keeping their powder dry.
There can be no dispute that coach Daniel Anderson's decision to use Kris Keating at five-eighth worked - they pumped the Broncos 30-14 last weekend.
Clearly, they are protecting their young gun.
Earlier this year, Mortimer met this journalist at Coogee beach. He was holding the hand of his girlfriend but was aware that the dark days would come. "I know that things could go wrong at some stage," he said at the time.
So soon, though?
"No, not this early," he says. "After last year it was such a good run. I know footy's a hard game and last year seemed too good to be true. And now the position I'm in ... I didn't think I'd be here. But I didn't think I'd be in the NRL either. At the end of the day, I have come a long way and I think I've learnt a lot this year. I'll become a better player because of this.
"Daniel has told me I haven't been dropped. He spoke to me and let me know that I'm in his plans for the future."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-daniel-mortimer/story-e6frexnr-1225907487004
:roll: I'm getting a bit over hearing about 'The Mortimer Name'
But the crestfallen Eels playmaker is adamant he won't "hide" like other pint-sized players of his ilk for one simple reason.
The Mortimer name.
"I like being known as tough," the 21-year-old said last night. "All my uncles were known for it. I definitely won't go hiding - just like they didn't. You don't have to be the smartest person to know who to run at in our team. Teams are finding me. I'm having to make a lot of tackles.
"Unfortunately, my attack is suffering because of that."
It is the reason why Mortimer - one of the revelations of last season as the Eels swept into the grand final - finds himself being "rested" for a second week despite his side's season being on life-support.
His father Peter and uncles Steve and Chris would tackle a blade of grass if required when they played for Canterbury.
Daniel is no different. But the toll has been severe on the wonderboy who signed a two-year deal worth $500,000 in March and appeared to have the game at his feet.
"I've been making irrational decisions," Mortimer says, candidly. "There are so many thoughts going through my head, it's probably taking over my natural instincts in the game. I'm thinking too much about it really.
"Trying too hard, too many things get in your head and it overloads your brain. Last year, it was coming very naturally. At the moment, I've gone off it a little. I need to get my head clear and start playing instinctive footy again."
The Eels refuse to say that Mortimer has been dropped, but you sense they are using such rhetoric to protect the young five-eighth's fragile state of mind. The denials that he was never playing for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup tomorrow clashed with the word coming out of the feeder team earlier this week.
Just after noon on Tuesday, the following text message from a Wenty official was zipping around the ether: "Just quietly, Daniel Mortimer with us but not named. And maybe Shane Shackleton but not named."
As soon as The Daily Telegraph hit Church Street the following day, the Eels assured Mortimer he would not be playing at all this weekend.
That night, another text was pinged through: "Just had confirmation from Daniel Anderson that Daniel Mortimer and Shane Shackleton will not be playing for us this week. Morts is being rested and Shackleton won't be be back this year."
The relationship between the Eels and Wentworthville has been described as "strained" at best. Mortimer appears to be the pawn caught in the middle.
But that's besides the point.
The lingering question is why is the player who was at the centre of a tug of war between the Eels and Bulldogs earlier this year being kept in cotton wool with three games remaining? Surely they aren't keeping their powder dry.
There can be no dispute that coach Daniel Anderson's decision to use Kris Keating at five-eighth worked - they pumped the Broncos 30-14 last weekend.
Clearly, they are protecting their young gun.
Earlier this year, Mortimer met this journalist at Coogee beach. He was holding the hand of his girlfriend but was aware that the dark days would come. "I know that things could go wrong at some stage," he said at the time.
So soon, though?
"No, not this early," he says. "After last year it was such a good run. I know footy's a hard game and last year seemed too good to be true. And now the position I'm in ... I didn't think I'd be here. But I didn't think I'd be in the NRL either. At the end of the day, I have come a long way and I think I've learnt a lot this year. I'll become a better player because of this.
"Daniel has told me I haven't been dropped. He spoke to me and let me know that I'm in his plans for the future."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-daniel-mortimer/story-e6frexnr-1225907487004
:roll: I'm getting a bit over hearing about 'The Mortimer Name'
