’Hands off’ the call on Morgan
PAUL Green has issued a hands-off edict to NRL rivals over Michael Morgan, with the Cowboys coach insisting the club will not lose a bidding war for the Test and Origin ace.
Morgan has rocked the Cowboys by outlining plans to test his value on the open market after he helped spearhead Australia’s World Cup final defeat of England last Saturday.
But Green declared the club would fight tooth and nail to keep Morgan in Townsville as part of North Queensland’s succession plan to replace champion playmaker Johnathan Thurston.
By virtue of his World Cup and NRL grand-final form, Morgan is the most soughtafter playmaker in the code, with the off-contract star being linked to Manly and Cronulla.
The Cowboys are wary of poaching raids from cashed-up Sydney rivals and will formally table a four-year deal, worth at least $3.2 million, in the coming weeks.
The loss of the retiring Thurston and Morgan in the same year would be a gutwrenching scenario, but Green is confident the Maroons utility is going nowhere.
“I’d be surprised if we don’t keep ‘Morgo’,” Green said.
“We haven’t begun contract talks with Michael because he’s been busy with the World Cup but the club wants to keep him and Morgo is happy here.
“He’s a Townsville boy — I can’t see any reason why we won’t keep him.
“In saying that, the challenge is there for us to keep him, but I’m confident we will.
“His development pathway at the Cowboys has been great the last two years. We value Morgo highly, so there’s no reason for him to leave.”
While many marquee stars are content to negotiate bigmoney deals during the NRL season, Morgan said he was keen to finalise his future before the start of the 2018 premiership.
“I spoke with the Cowboys before I went away [for World Cup duty] and they let me know they wanted me to stay. It was nice of them to say that,” he said.
“I don’t want any distractions next year so I’d like to sort out my future sooner rather than later.”
Green said another issue for the Cowboys was managing the hype surrounding Thurston’s final season in the NRL next year.
“It will be an emotional year, no doubt,” he said. “It’s important that ‘JT’ and us, as a club, keep the focus on the fact that football is the priority.