Brothers skipper puts faith in forward duo to carry side to title

INJURY has decimated recent seasons for Blair Morgan but the Brothers captain has returned to the field at the right time as his side seeks to end the reign of Teachers West.

They will get their final opportunity to do so this weekend, humbled by last week’s 29-20 loss to Western Suburbs and desperate to get their premiership tilt back on track.

Morgan’s time on the field has been constantly disrupted in past campaigns; three successive broken arms wiping him out of the 2019 season, before the coronavirus lockdown and a shoulder complaint sidelined him further.

But while his return will be crucial in Brothers’ shot at the premiership, the skipper said two key forwards and the way in which they work with each other would determine whether they were genuine threats to Teachers’ five-year dynasty.

“Two names that come to mind are Dan Cooper and Matt Fanning, they’ve been outstanding this year and really blossomed into good players and leaders in our team,” Morgan said.

“You’ve got Matty who’s a powerhouse – he’s the muscle and grunt – then Dan’s the Xfactor – he’s lighting quick and strong as an ox.

“Matty does the hard yards and Dan flies in and when the game’s up he’s very dangerous.

“They have a very good connection, it’s kind of natural. They don’t train like that it just happens in a game that they bounce off each other really well.”

The form of Brothers’ back three – Spencer Anderson, Sam Doyle and Michael Boniface – has enticed Morgan with the prospect that they have the foundation up front to claim the title.

The disappointment of their first clash with the defending champions after the COVID-19 hiatus still burns for the Brothers outfit, after they led deep into the contest only concede late for a 26-22 loss.

But from that experience, Morgan said it was a sign they had what it took to put an end to three undefeated years for the heavyweights. He said it was not just about having the belief they could defeat Teachers but ensuring they learned from their rivals in order to counter what they brought to the field each week.

“It’s that winning mentality and never saying no. They’ve been down a couple of times this year, which they’re not used to being but they keep going and back each other on the pitch,” Morgan said.