Warriors table english forward Morgan Gannon a 3 year deal

[Wheeled Warrior]

Leeds Rhinos star offered long-term NRL deal by New Zealand Warriors

Leeds Rhinos forward Morgan Gannon is the subject of interest from the NRL, with New Zealand Warriors offering him a three-year deal to join the club.

www.loverugbyleague.com

Interesting.

The link with Morgan is Richard Agar used to coach him.

 

[Izz]

Hmm... we have a lot of talent coming through in the back row, so why bring someone over?

 

[Rich102]

Because Richard Agar may need support to fill this journalist in?

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I don't know anything of him so can't give specific feedback to the player, but it's not really a position I was hoping we'd be in the market for.

Much prefer we brought in a specialist winger, ideally with a bit of pace

 

[Scott]

He was sidelined for the entire 2024 Super League season due to concussion issues. I've never seen him play, but would have thought we have enough edge forwards currently.

 

[Big Marn]

English 2nd rowers usually go well over here. The canberra guys, gareth ellis before them. Might not be a bad thing to have a different type of player to our homegrowns

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

I don't know anything of him so can't give specific feedback to the player, but it's not really a position I was hoping we'd be in the market for.

Much prefer we brought in a specialist winger, ideally with a bit of pace

Backs in the ESL don't really do too well in the NRL, however their forwards usually do pretty good.

I have no insight on Gannon. If anyone does please fill us in. I feel like one of our forwards are on the chopping line after this year. I'm guessing it may be Afoa or Ale, since Webster has Ford in the middle rotation these days. I hope we spend that Walker money well as we have 1 million or thereabouts to pull a worthy signing or two.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Never heard of the guy before but looks like he’s played a few games at 6 for the Rhinos… could be looking at him to fill Tohu’s role as a ball playing link forward?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Never heard of the guy before but looks like he’s played a few games at 6 for the Rhinos… could be looking at him to fill Tohu’s role as a ball playing link forward?

With Tohu and now Walker gone we do have some room for a ball player in the pack.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

With Tohu and now Walker gone we do have some room for a ball player in the pack.

Yep sure do. No idea how good he is, but wiki has him at 6 3" and about 100kg. Only 21 so still has some filling out to do but already looks like a decent sized young fella. Could be interesting, just hope we haven't broken the bank.

 

[sup42]

Been doing a bit of research on Mr Gannon in the bye week and I will be following his progress in the ESL.
Bear in mind now he is a Warrior my tone about the player will tend to be very positive, rather than cautious, too late to be circumspect, the ink has already dried on his contract.

I will have a go at some of the Questions in here.

I have only seen one full game, but I did watch him with a focussed eye and rewound the tape a lot to look at things like his off the ball work.

Overall impression:

Emerging talent, young, body not fully developed at 21 but he has the frame to be Jackson Ford/Barnett dimensions, his legs are too skinny, our Gym will sort that.

No concerns that he will be too small for the NRL in the coming season(s).

He is a good player for his age.

He brings a point of difference.

1. Likes flying up in support of the ball carrier looking for the pass into a gap

2. Gets through the line with not bad pace (for a forward) and looks left and right with the ball held in both hands out in front.

3. Second phase is more developed than our young boys (not really a point of difference/our boys can offload) but is confident throwing offloads, hit and spin and pass.

Otherwise he is the same as others in terms of having footwork etc.

Someone compared this signing as if we signed Baily Sironen. I think that is fair. And they also imagined that in the coming years he could grow into Tohu Harris. I also think that is possible (real not hope and dream possible).

Don't expect Leka's running lethality, and don't expect Tohu and Dylan Walker level ball play (yet).

But if he tracks well, likes New Zealand, he could become an outstanding NRL player - could, he genuinely has the bare bones of a Isaah Yeo type wide backrower.

His best attribute is he has vision.

 

[sup42]

Leeds Rhinos star offered long-term NRL deal by New Zealand Warriors

Leeds Rhinos forward Morgan Gannon is the subject of interest from the NRL, with New Zealand Warriors offering him a three-year deal to join the club.

www.loverugbyleague.com

Interesting.

The link with Morgan is Richard Agar used to coach him.

Andrew Webster is friends with Morgans father (former Balmain Tiger Jim Gannon).

Websters brother has been watching him in England also.

Gannon was approached by Souths.

I imagine from there he would have talked to his Dad, I can imagine his Dad ringing Andrew Webster for advice....I imagine his Mum and Dad at the dinner table saying 'if you are going all the way out to Aussie, you probably should see what Uncle Andrew say's because me and Mum would be happier knowing you are being looked out for by someone we know'

Excuse the humouring myself but yeah the club know exactly what they are getting with links like Agar and Webby.

With Andrew Webster it literally is a case of "I know your father" who Webster coached for Hull KR back in the day.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Been doing a bit of research on Mr Gannon in the bye week and I will be following his progress in the ESL.
Bear in mind now he is a Warrior my tone about the player will tend to be very positive, rather than cautious, too late to be circumspect, the ink has already dried on his contract.

I will have a go at some of the Questions in here.

I have only seen one full game, but I did watch him with a focussed eye and rewound the tape a lot to look at things like his off the ball work.

Overall impression:

Emerging talent, young, body not fully developed at 21 but he has the frame to be Jackson Ford/Barnett dimensions, his legs are too skinny, our Gym will sort that.

No concerns that he will be too small for the NRL in the coming season(s).

He is a good player for his age.

He brings a point of difference.

1. Likes flying up in support of the ball carrier looking for the pass into a gap

2. Gets through the line with not bad pace (for a forward) and looks left and right with the ball held in both hands out in front.

3. Second phase is more developed than our young boys (not really a point of difference/our boys can offload) but is confident throwing offloads, hit and spin and pass.

Otherwise he is the same as others in terms of having footwork etc.

Someone compared this signing as if we signed Baily Sironen. I think that is fair. And they also imagined that in the coming years he could grow into Tohu Harris. I also think that is possible (real not hope and dream possible).

Don't expect Leka's running lethality, and don't expect Tohu and Dylan Walker level ball play (yet).

But if he tracks well, likes New Zealand, he could become an outstanding NRL player - could, he genuinely has the bare bones of a Isaah Yeo type wide backrower.

His best attribute is he has vision.

Nice, thanks for the insights.

Cappy spoke about him on a radio interview a few weeks ago. Mentioned his ball playing ability as a point of difference compared to our current crop, and saw him eventually moving into the middle. Didn’t specifically mention Tohu as a comparison, but the implication seemed clear.

Be interesting to hear how you see those expectations take shape.

 

[sup42]

He was sidelined for the entire 2024 Super League season due to concussion issues. I've never seen him play, but would have thought we have enough edge forwards currently.

Part of why I am going on about Gannon this week is that it is very hard to get intel on him.

Since ESL coverage stopped being readily accessible in New Zealand there are only old highlights of games on youtube etc, and with a player who has missed almost two years of football it is nigh on impossible to get a really good look at him.

He debuted for Leeds at aged 18, made the England B team (the knights) in 2021.

2022 played a season, nominated for Rookie of the year.

2023 is where the problems start, multiple concussions, misses the majority of the season.

2024 gets a head knock in a preseason trial match against Hull KR. Leeds decide he is gone for the season.

I noticed watching him that he has some of Wade Egans issues in the contact, he looks like he is now trying to get his head well out of the zone for being clocked, it somewhat affects his tackling impact (maybe I am quibbling) he tackled decent enough in the game I watched.

He clocked up six miss tackles at the weekend and six the game the week before.

It is not like it sounds (none were true missed tackles, he often lets go before held is called to race back into the line when it is obvious the other two defenders have the runner well contained.

 

[sup42]

English 2nd rowers usually go well over here. The canberra guys, gareth ellis before them. Might not be a bad thing to have a different type of player to our homegrowns

Yes and yes,

He is different. And he can do things our young forwards cannot (not saying he is better at all, just different).

 

[sup42]

I have no insight on Gannon. If anyone does please fill us in.

On it.

As for your comment about forwards being on the block, I agree with what you said about Bunty and Ale being expendable (especially with the Kalis Fatialofa negotiations going on right now and interest from other NRL clubs in his signature).

We have that problem of too many tomorrow stars, a good problem, and actually if we let an Ale or Bunty or both go, room is not a problem. We can keep Kaylis and Crosby who are both serious players atm.

 

[sup42]

Yep sure do. No idea how good he is, but wiki has him at 6 3" and about 100kg. Only 21 so still has some filling out to do but already looks like a decent sized young fella. Could be interesting, just hope we haven't broken the bank.

He is still a bit too lanky imo but not for his age and not to stop him playing NRL.

Simon Mannering was similar at that age, he went alright.

I think the Warriors will be very good for his physical development.

They seem to have worked out how to make Jackson Ford more muscled for the middle while increasing his speed (that will be powerlifting and sprint training).

I think if he fills out like Jackson Ford he will become a beast myself because Gannon has leg speed for his size he moves from standing start pretty quick for the position. If you could add tackle breaking power to that without losing pace...you get Sam Burgess lol (I know I know settle down....settle down).

 

[sup42]

Nice, thanks for the insights.

Cappy spoke about him on a radio interview a few weeks ago. Mentioned his ball playing ability as a point of difference compared to our current crop, and saw him eventually moving into the middle. Didn’t specifically mention Tohu as a comparison, but the implication seemed clear.

Be interesting to hear how you see those expectations take shape.

Hopefully we all see it.

Before I actually saw him play, I went with the narrative that we knew which went along the lines of:

Tohu retired, Dylan shock departure, Warriors suddenly in dire need of a ball playing middle forward.

Up pops Gannons name out of nowhere, ball playing English Junior forward, main role has been a bench player, spelling the Lock (13).

So I automatically assumed he will come on when Erin Clark goes off and do what Walker did, play pivot in the middle of the park and speed up our tempo and attack.

Then I watched a bunch of footage and thought, this bloke ain't Dylan Walker or Tohu, he's early, he is skilled, but I am not seeing those flat balls they throw like halfbacks.

Skip forward to seeing an actual full game at the weekend against by ESL standards a reasonable opposition.

Gannon played left edge backrower. He kept looking for front foot attacking ball off a pass from a back to try get himself with ball in hand between defenders (there were two times he races up and was a decoy when if they had of passed the ball he would have sliced through).

Translate that to our team today, lets do a mental exercise on imagining he was playing against Penrith on the left edge.

When CHT or Metcalf (better still Metcalf) run the ball, this guy is gonna be doing what Capewell has at Center....running off Metcalfs shoulder, taking the pass and gunning it.

And Metcalf will as we all know fly up on the inside, Gannon will be looking for him.

Do we have young backrow forwards that can do that this weekend against Penrith? (rhetorical Dimitric is starting to delve into his inner ball player).

Anyway getting back to the Tohu Harris Walker replacement idea....I am watching him thinking nah....can't see it.....then he pops a beautiful ball around the back of an opposition player out of nowhere and I think....sh*t this kid is cocky for a 21 year old part timer in first grade...gee ok ok....don't write off the Tohu idea yet....not next year, not the one after...but he is signed for three so....