John Morris will plot the downfall of a Sharks side with his fingerprints all over it on Saturday night, with the Rabbitohs assistant coach either signing, handing an NRL debut to, or coaching through the juniors no less than 11 of Cronulla’s game-day 17.
Morris’s abrupt exit from the Sharks last April was one of the storylines of 2021, while Cronulla’s rise under Craig Fitzgibbon has been an enduring 2022 narrative and vindication of the club’s ruthless coaching call.
Morris has since joined Jason Demetriou’s coaching staff to help shape their defence, with South Sydney players highlighting the value of his inside knowledge ahead of Saturday’s sudden-death semi-final at Allianz Stadium.
“Coming from the Cronulla Sharks, he knows their systems, it’s a little advantage there,” prop Junior Tatola said.
“Bomber has been good for us, he takes our defence. He’s been massive, he’s helping everyone out, we’re all doing video with him.”
Fellow front-rower Mark Nicholls added: “Johnny has been really good for us. We’ve improved that part of our game in the back end of the year.
John Morris (right) with nephew Teig Wilton (left) and Sharks trainer Mark Noakes earlier this year.Credit:NRL Photos
“As a team we know how many points are in us and if we lose it’s off the back of our defence. He’s been really good for us and like anyone, I’m sure he wants to win against his old club.”
Morris still lives in The Shire and maintains good relationships with players and his former Sharks staffers, their paths crossing more than once at Sydney airport this year en route to away games.
Throughout the Cronulla playing group are countless examples of Morris’ influence from two and a bit NRL seasons in charge plus another two years as under-20s coach.
NSW Origin centre Siosifa Talakai and in-form prop Royce Hunt both have Morris to thank for $1000-a-week, 2020 train-and-trial deals that revived what had seemed to be NRL careers destined to go no further.
Former Rabbitohs lower-grader Toby Rudolf tells a similar tale after being spotted playing for Redcliffe.
Will Kennedy, Connor Tracey, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Jesse Ramien, Blayke Brailey, Briton Nikora and Morris’ nephew Teig Wilton all played in the Sharks’ much-vaunted under-20s side coached by Morris in 2016-17.
Tracey is one of few in that list to make his NRL debut under another coach (he played two games at Souths in 2019), but spoke glowingly of Morris’ faith and impact on his career after three ACL ruptures and a return to Cronulla from Redfern in 2020.
“Bomber was the one who got me here from Souths so we’ve basically traded spots now,” Tracey said.
“It’s good to see him in the game but hopefully we get the win on Saturday night out of that little battle.
John Morris took the Sharks to back-to-back finals in his two full seasons at Cronulla.Credit:Getty
“He was huge for me as a player. He was the one who had me training at fullback in the [2021] pre-season, and that’s what helped me transition to the outside backs and that’s really taken my career forward.
“He’s coached a lot of us since our early days, he coached a lot of us in under-20s and then into first grade so the influence is definitely there.”
Forward Cameron McInnes was signed by Morris early last year and praised the coach’s part in bringing him to Sharks.
“Bomber really impressed me talking about the game in those talks,” McInnes said.
“He spoke about that small, middle-forward role, how he could see me playing it and how he could see it being really important in the game.
“Those talks convinced me the club had a really strong, clear vision of where it wanted to go and things just keep getting better and better under Fitzy.”
Sharks players signed, coached in under-20s or handed an NRL debut by John Morris:
Will Kennedy, Connor Tracey, Jesse Ramien, Siosifa Talakai, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Toby Rudolf, Blayke Brailey, Royce Hunt, Briton Nikora, Teig Wilton, Cameron McInnes.
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