David Ferriol says Mozza is past it!

[Wendall]

ADRIAN MORLEY can't scare opponents any more because he's no longer the hard man of rugby.

That claim, by Catalans prop David Ferriol, will wind up Man of Steel contender Morley no end.

''Sometimes players go on too long and that is not a good thing.''

"Adrian Morley is not the player he once was. When I first watched Super League, Morley was a great player - the sort others looked up to. I am not sure that is true anymore."

"I am not saying he has nothing to offer but it is not good to see what he has become - he was once one of the hardest players to play rugby league but not any more. I am saying he is NOT HARD any more.

"He will make Warrington lots of tackles and make some ground but he does not hurt people any more. For the game that is a bad thing - but good for us."

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/rugb...AN-ANY-MOR.html

I am all for players spicing up big games but think Ferriol has dropped a clanger here by having a blast at Mozza.

I bet Mozza will be lining up poor David next sunday for a massive hit!

[MrPosh]

I bet Mozza will be lining up poor David next sunday for a massive hit!

Which means Ferriol has won the first battle as Morley takes his eye of the ball to put in a big hit.

He has got form.

[Northern Exposure]

Ferriol is quite right.

[MrPosh]

To be fair, I've never thought Morley to be that good. It seems he has an inflated reputation based around playing with the sheep-stealers for a few years.

He's a good player, but not in the class of Peacock, Fielden (in Bradford days) and Graham.

[shrek]

Which means Ferriol has won the first battle as Morley takes his eye of the ball to put in a big hit.

He has got form.

Yep, maybe Morley can beat his 12 second record this time!

[Dave T]

I'm not going to get into the debate about Morley's ability, but I think it is quite poor for any player to talk down another player's playing ability at all.

It is disrespectful, lacks class, and you are just asking for it to come back and bite you on the ######.

[Simon Templar]

I'm not going to get into the debate about Morley's ability, but I think it is quite poor for any player to talk down another player's playing ability at all.

It is disrespectful, lacks class, and you are just asking for it to come back and bite you on the ######.

Agreed. And let's hope it does.

Because if that is what happens then I for one would dearly love to see it

Talk about Bring back The Biff ...........!!!!!!!!

[Wilderspoolmemories]

Goodnight frenchman,sleep well!

[goldcard]

I'm not going to get into the debate about Morley's ability, but I think it is quite poor for any player to talk down another player's playing ability at all.

It is disrespectful, lacks class, and you are just asking for it to come back and bite you on the ######.

It's a Wezza thread, expect something to do with Carvell being a nuclear physicist?

[steef]

Morley is far from past it, maybe not quite as good as he was at his peak but I'd rather have him with me than against me all day long. Winding him up is a bad idea in my book. Just hope these comments don't cause anything resulting in a red card, wich would be the only way these comments may serve any advantage to catalans. smack talk/gloating is always best reserved for after the event.

[DiH68]

I think it's great when players talk like this before big games - it spices up the affair for the fans and the media. It happens a lot in the NRL before big matches and really helps to hype up the event.

Who wants to read endless comments like: "we know it's going to be a tough game, we're not taking them lightly, we'll have to be at the very top of our game for 80 minutes if we want to get to wembley, blah, blah, blah"

The livelier the comments, the more interest from the media, and the more rivalry between the fans... All good, i reckon!

[steef]

I think it's great when players talk like this before big games - it spices up the affair for the fans and the media. It happens a lot in the NRL before big matches and really helps to hype up the event.

Who wants to read endless comments like: "we know it's going to be a tough game, we're not taking them lightly, we'll have to be at the very top of our game for 80 minutes if we want to get to wembley, blah, blah, blah"

The livelier the comments, the more interest from the media, and the more rivalry between the fans... All good, i reckon!

I agree that it certainly helps get the media and fans excited, wich is good but if I were a coach I wouldn't want my players winding the opposition up as it only adds motivation. In this case winding up a player like Morley? seems like asking for trouble to me. Good for us fans, probably not good for Catalans.

[DiH68]

I agree that it certainly helps get the media and fans excited, wich is good but if I were a coach I wouldn't want my players winding the opposition up as it only adds motivation. In this case winding up a player like Morley? seems like asking for trouble to me. Good for us fans, probably not good for Catalans.

true, but for all we know the two are mates and having a laugh about the whole thing. You have to remember it's just part of the pre-match build up - I'm sure no one is taking it too seriously

[The Best The Beautiful The Only]

To be fair, I've never thought Morley to be that good. It seems he has an inflated reputation based around playing with the sheep-stealers for a few years.

He's a good player, but not in the class of Peacock, Fielden (in Bradford days) and Graham.

Better than Peacock and Fielden, doubt Graham will be as good as Morley aswell.

[Clinton Baptiste]

When you're hit like a bomb by a 6ft 4 pom that's a Morley

When you're flat on you'r a##e and you'r mouths full of grass thats a Morley

to the tune of Amore

Great memories of a legend at the Roosters,great player for us and true gentleman off the pitch

Beware of the Mozz Johnny foreigner

[ParisSurtout]

When you're hit like a bomb by a 6ft 4 pom that's a Morley

When you're flat on you'r a##e and you'r mouths full of grass thats a Morley

to the tune of Amore

Great memories of a legend at the Roosters,great player for us and true gentleman off the pitch

Beware of the Mozz Johnny foreigner

More than a legend, Morley was a cult figure at the Roosters. Still is in the memories of the fans over there I suspect.

As for his off the pitch qualities, I will second him being a true gentleman, very polite and respectful.

[ParisSurtout]

Double post

Edited August 2, 2010 by ParisSurtout

[amm]

true, but for all we know the two are mates and having a laugh about the whole thing. You have to remember it's just part of the pre-match build up - I'm sure no one is taking it too seriously

That's how I read the story too Diane - lets call it wimmins intuition

[1976PMJwires]

Why would it bother Morley????

Morley wants to lead his team out @ Wembley again.

More interested in winning the game than any paper talk.

[shrek]

It is disrespectful, lacks class, and you are just asking for it to come back and bite you on the ######.

Agreed, but its increasingly common in the game, with players now often "congratulated" after making a mistake by opposition players.

[Dave T]

Agreed, but its increasingly common in the game, with players now often "congratulated" after making a mistake by opposition players.

Yep, not something I have ever liked, and if I was a manager I would be stamping that kind of thing out. Sure, celebrate with your own team, but there is no class in looking like a smarmy ###### when patting a player on his head following a knock on.

I'm disappointed with these comments as it is more like boxing build up, which I'm not convinced we should be going down that route.

Morley is a modern day legend. He went to the NRL and became a hero, has played impeccably for his country (apart from that 1 game!), and has dragged Warrington to a Cup win. He was in last year's Dream Team, short-listed for MOS, and is having another very very good season.

I wonder whether some of this has got mixed up in translation, as there is certainly a point that Morley is not the animal he was in the past, but then getting sent off after 12 seconds never helped any team. He has now become a more rounded player IMO, who still plays near the edge, but just stays on the right side of it in general. I'd rather that than him being sent off and banned every other week.

Ferriol isn't even a quarter the player Morley is now, never mind was.

[timtum]

Agree with most of that Dave. Sounds to me like a bit of a made up interview. Ferriol is not exactly the type of bloke to mouth off to the press - this is probably the first time that I have seen anything from him. The French are desperately trying to build up the momentum for the fans for the match given the relatively poor showing so far this year and this seems to be a fairly amateur effort.

Your last sentence however I will disagree with. Ferriol is an excellent prop forward and if he had had the opportunity or the wit to follow Morley to Australia would have had a tremendous impact.

He also has a spectacularly visible fuse.

[Dave T]

Agree with most of that Dave. Sounds to me like a bit of a made up interview. Ferriol is not exactly the type of bloke to mouth off to the press - this is probably the first time that I have seen anything from him. The French are desperately trying to build up the momentum for the fans for the match given the relatively poor showing so far this year and this seems to be a fairly amateur effort.

Your last sentence however I will disagree with. Ferriol is an excellent prop forward and if he had had the opportunity or the wit to follow Morley to Australia would have had a tremendous impact.

He also has a spectacularly visible fuse.

Maybe I was being overly harsh, I do like him, as I like a few of the French forwards, but it was more a reflection of the level I hold Morley at.

[Exiled Wiganer]

Ferriol did play against him a couple of weeks ago so may have more first hand experience than most as to how tough a player Morley is these days. I subscribe to the view that this could be stage managed to try and drum up interest in the semi, and may be as much about pantomime villainy as anything else, in which case good on Ferriol. EVen if not stage managed, perhaps Ferriol is concerned to draw the fire onto himself so that Sherwin can get through the game in 1 piece? It would be good to see him have a go at a big chap again.

As for how good he is, rather than how hard he is, Morley looks to me like he paces himself very well these days, making the most of the dwindling number of games and hits he has left.

He has been a great player and did a lot for English players' reputation at a time when the Aussies could have written us off altogether.

[getdownmonkeyman]

I'd much rather have the Morley of today than the hot-headed version that preceded it.

In fairness to Ferriol, I would question how much this is down to drawing attention to the game, as it is definitely in the shadow of Leeds v Saints.