Morley Set For Superleague Return with Bulls

[jed]

from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/bradford/4204040.stm



Morley poised for Bradford switch

Morley could join Bradford for the rest of the season

Great Britain prop Adrian Morley will join Bradford for the rest of the season if his Sydney Roosters fail to reach the NRL play-offs this weekend.

Morley, 28, could play a minimum of two games and possibly five if the Bulls reach their fifth Grand Final in a row.

To make the play-offs, Sydney must beat Canterbury on Sunday and hope that rivals Manly and Penrith both slip-up.

"It's only a move until the end of their season. It's not a sign I'm looking to move back there," he said.

Morley could make his Bradford debut at home to Huddersfield on 11 September.

My first and main priority is with the Roosters

Adrian Morley

The Bulls play their last game of the season away at St Helens.

Morley is the third NRL player on a short-term deal with a Super League club.

Andrew Johns is joining Warrington, while Sione Faumuina is linking up with Hull.

Morley, who is in his fifth season at Sydney, has denied the deal could pave the way for a permanent move to Odsal.

"My first and main priority is with the Roosters," he told Sydney's official website. "I want us to make the finals and keep progressing in them, which would rule out any move to England. "But if that doesn't happen, playing for Bradford would be a great opportunity."

 

[Jackal Dog]

Sorry to say Moz but Bradford's chances aren't much better than the chooks atm.

 

[Evil Homer]

This is a joke!There should be a rule brought in that says players who have not played more than 5 games for their club should not be allowed to play in the play-offs.It's becoming a farce:x

 

[jed]

I agree completely. As I posted at another site, I'm not impressed with bringing players in for the finals (the episode of The Simpsons "Homer At The Bat" springs to mind), but I'll support Morley as long as he wears the Bulls colors.

 

[PARANoIR]

This is a joke!There should be a rule brought in that says players who have not played more than 5 games for their club should not be allowed to play in the play-offs.It's becoming a farce:x

Hmmm..What if someone like Andrew Johns gets injured in round one and doesnt return till say rd 25, and the knights make the finals, would you be prepared to go out and say "Nope! Sorry, he hasnt played enough games, he can't play"?

 

[jed]

But Johns is contracted to the Knights for the entire season - he has no "connection" to the Wolves players or club other than the fact that they're paying him.

Part of being a member of a team is being in it for the long haul - putting in the hard yards, building something that will hopefully result in a premiership. It's not about sitting on the sidelines all year, and deciding which team you'll play for with only a few games to go.

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

This whole 'lets buy some players for the finals' thing is getting ridiculous...

 

[Sun_Down]

Farce written all over this. I though the Johns signing was going to be a one off?

Now we have Faumuina and Morley...geez

 

[SFW]

An absolute disgrace this, I assume the backlash from these deals will force the RFL to abolish any such transfers in the future.

 

[bartman]

I think they'll be looking at changing the rules somehow for next season, even just after the Johns signing. But until it's made illegal, then you can't blame clubs with salary cap money to spare and players with a few weeks to spare for trying it on.

 

[PARANoIR]

Farce or not, it's pretty bloody smart I think.

 

[jed]

One thing it has done is create a lot of discussion outside of the UK about ESL, definitely it's raised the profile of the game in Oz.

 

[JasonE]

One thing it has done is create a lot of discussion outside of the UK about ESL, definitely it's raised the profile of the game in Oz.

Agree, and i think it will make for the most exciting semi final series ever, Warrington with Johns have to be regarded as a chance now, the Bulls look awesome again after their flogging of Leeds and can add Mozza to their side.
Saints even without Scully will be hard to beat, Hull FC have shown what they can do and Fauamuina will strengthen them further. I like a back row of Cooke, Fauamuina and Kearney.
5 teams can now win it and that has never happened before and thats not even considering Wigan or Hudds chances who if they make the top 6 will be no push overs.

Can't wait.

 

[MrCharisma]

Morely and Fielden in the front row is a dream... not to meantion that Andy Lynch will be coming off the bench. Bradford are in contention baby!

 

[SalfordRedsWA]

Hes a traitor he should be playing for his hometown club!

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

He'd only play a maximum of one game then though, probably with jet lag un'all.

 

[CanadianSteve]

I think it would be better if the NRL and ESL ended at the same time, then you could have a real WCC 2 weeks after the 2 GF's. And, there wouldn't be the possibility of these late-season signings.

 

[Jackal Dog]

I haven't heard the ESL discussed so much since... well never!!! now if only we could get some games on FTA and the CC live.....

 

[bartman]

I think it would be better if the NRL and ESL ended at the same time, then you could have a real WCC 2 weeks after the 2 GF's. And, there wouldn't be the possibility of these late-season signings.

Yep!

And:

I haven't heard the ESL discussed so much since... well never!!! now if only we could get some games on FTA and the CC live.....

Regular weekly games aren't even on FTA in England, so I think Foxtel is probably the only possibility? No reason why a FTA station couldn't bid to show CC in Oz though, the rights are separate.

Oh, and Morley is due to arrive on Wednesday...

 

[upbonk]

I think it would be better if the NRL and ESL ended at the same time, then you could have a real WCC 2 weeks after the 2 GF's. And, there wouldn't be the possibility of these late-season signings.

Well said Steve. Unfortunately, our convict friends have the audacity to have a system where every team only plays each other twice, as well as the absence of a major knockout competition. Therein lies the problem.