Another Sad Chapter For The Crestfallen Dogs

Illawarra Mercury

Monday July 28, 2008

By TIM BARROW

JOSH Morris has every right to feel short-changed by Money Bill Williams following the trail of cash all the way to France.

Spare a thought in the SBW gone AWOL saga for this 21-year-old tearaway from Kiama who is bound for the Bulldogs next season.

Morris was forced to look elsewhere when the Dragons decided to retain NSW representative centre Matt Cooper earlier this season.

Incoming coach Wayne Bennett told the club to choose one or the other and the lure of keeping Cooper and captain Mark Gasnier as the centre pairing proved irresistible.

But then Gasnier, left out of pocket by third-party sponsors and activating a get-out clause in his contract, said au revoir to the club that made him famous.

Now, St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust is adamant when he says the decision to let Morris go would not have changed if they knew Gasnier was going to walk.

And possibly fair enough if, as is strongly rumoured, Darius Boyd will be sitting next to Bennett on the plane to Wollongong at the end of the year.

But considering Cooper has played on the right side to protect Gasnier defensively for much of the season anyway, Morris could have launched a fair argument about remaining a Dragon in the knowledge his captain wouldn't be around in 2009.

Especially with the money now available to the Dragons following Gasnier's exit.

Morris though, saw his best option was to walk down the Luke Patten path and switch to the Dogs, expecting to play alongside Williams.

That was until Williams, under the guidance of manager Khoder Nasser, joined the French exodus.

He just up and left seven weeks before the end of the year, without telling anyone, even though he still has four years left to run on his contract.

In all of this, the Bulldogs have actually gained credibility by taking a stand against the money-hungry hypocrite that Williams has turned out to be.

Remember, it was just a matter of months ago he declared he'd lost all respect for Willie Mason for leaving the Dogs for the Roosters.

Like the salary cap rorts, the Coffs Harbour scandal and the Mason debacle, Sonny Bill's walkout is another devastating blow to the once-proud club.

Dogs fans have copped more hits than some of the nobodies Anthony Mundine - also part of the Nasser stable - has fought in his career.

So without Williams, Morris now becomes a beacon of hope for the Dogs, as will veteran halfback Brett Kimmorley, hooker Michael Ennis and rugged prop Ben Hannant who will all join to the club next year.

These men are not only charged with leading the Dogs to returning as a finals force next year, they're also left to win back the club some respect.

For every fan who's been left battered black and blue for loving blue and white.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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