Five-eighth may be his preferred position but Michael Morgan says he is happy to again bide his time as Queensland’s Mr Fixit ahead of Sunday’s State of Origin II in Perth.
Morgan looked set to graduate from bench utility to starting Maroons half after former North Queensland teammate Johnathan Thurston’s 2018 representative retirement.
Especially after he almost singlehandedly steered the Cowboys to an unlikely 2017 NRL grand final berth and earned the Test No.6 jersey for the Rugby League World Cup that year.
Yet Morgan is still sweating on an elusive halves start.
Morgan played seven of his first 10 Origins off the bench as a super sub.
The versatile Cowboy finally cracked the starting side in the centres in game three 2017 before covering for the injured Billy Slater at fullback in last year’s series opener.
Again parachuted into the centres this year to cover the retirement of former captain Greg Inglis, Morgan appears no closer to cracking the Maroons halves after Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans helped inspire an Origin I victory.
But Morgan has not given up hope.
“Rugby league is a funny game. If I had the opportunity one day then I’d take it,” he said of nabbing an Origin halves start.
“But I also like playing centre for this team as well. Wherever I have an opportunity to play in this team I’m happy to be here and if it is out of my normal position I am happy to do my best for the team.
“Leading up to the Origin period, Daly and Cam were the two obvious choices in my opinion. I was OK with that.
“I am old enough and smart enough to know how it works. I am just happy to be here whether it’s out of position or not.”
Remarkably Morgan can’t even crack his preferred five-eighth position for his NRL club North Queensland.
After playing halfback for the majority of the year, Morgan has been slotted into fullback for the past fortnight.
Morgan admitted in an ideal world he would be wearing the Cowboys No.6 jersey.
“At the Cowboys at the moment, probably the six jumper,” Morgan said when asked about his preferred spot.
“Jake Clifford has his opportunity and I’m pretty sure he likes the No.7 jumper but in terms of our team at club footy, probably No.6.”
But Morgan is not losing sleep over failing to crack the Maroons’ halves.
Which is just as well – Morgan reckoned the Queensland spine would only get better with Munster and Cherry-Evans calling the shots.
“I certainly think they have the potential to do that,” he said.
