News Pushy parents and a wife who wouldn’t let him quit: The making of Morgan Harper

Spoonman84

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At 17, the father of twin boys Ryder and Leo.

Which was no easy thing for this towering New Zealand kid, sure.



Morgan Harper scored the winning try for the. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright

But nor was it so bad as two years later, when having crossed the ditch to play with Canterbury U/20s, Harper suffered bouts of homesickness so bad, the young centre eventually went home one weekend with no plans to return.

“But my parents, my missus, they really pushed me to get back over to the Dogs,” he says. “Pushed me to keep working.

“So that’s what I’m doing.

“This how I encourage my boys, when they get older, to go chase their own dreams too.”

Unknown to all but the most hardcore Canterbury fans, 21-year-old Harper is the towering Bulldogs rookie who – with just one NRL game – went and proved the difference against $5.50 TAB favourite Parramatta.

Put simply, nobody thought the Eels could lose in Perth this weekend.

Just as nobody believed the Bulldogs could win.

Yet with only five minutes gone in their pool game against one another, Harper dived under teammate Tao Mata’afa, took a sweet pass, then “fell over the tryline”.

All of which, on day one, made this father of now four-year-old twins the unlikeliest hero as his Bulldogs scrambled home 13-10.

“And we know nobody’s giving us a chance here,” Harper said afterwards, grinning. “Just as no one is giving us a chance this year.

“But that’s going to bring out the Bulldogs DNA, I reckon.

“We’ve got our backs to the wall and that’s when the Bulldogs perform best, when no one is giving us a chance.

“And now to come out and win the first game here, especially against the competition favourites, it’s going only to give us more confidence.”


Morgan Harper in action for the Bulldogs during the 2018 NRL Intrust Super State Championship Grand Final. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images


Earlier in the week at a Nines media day, The Daily Telegraph polled all 16 captains about who would win the Nines – with 10 of them tipping a Parramatta outfit that are also $4 for the NRL premiership.

And while the Eels are still capable of making it through to the playoffs, the scenario is certainly much harder now after the Bulldogs centre few people know touched down against them.

Quizzed on the try that sunk an Eels side boasting the likes of Mitchell Moses, Blake Ferguson and Maika Sivo, the Dogs rookie said: “I’d actually pushed out onto the wing, on the short side, because we had some fresh legs on.

“Then Tao, he came my way.

“He was running me out of room so I just went underneath and he gave me a great ball.

“He found me with the pass and from there I basically fell over the line.”

Asked about his goals for 2020, Harper revealed he wasn’t the type of NRL hopeful who names the number games he wants to play.

“I just want to play every week,” he said. “Play for as long as I can, too.

“And if that comes about in Round One, great.”

But if not?

“Then,” he said, “I work harder”.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...r/news-story/ca31b5f7a0d52b0a360a44f1e758db23
 

Raysie

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Although I'm not fully convinced by him yet, he does seem to carry a presence on the field when he's out there. Hopefully turns into a solid first grade centre.
 

Kempsey Dog

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he will end up at the warriors eventually i think. but goodluck to him in the mean time.
 

c-b-b

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I really like some of these kids coming through. I hope they live up to their potential and who knows, we might have half a dozen players who stick together for a while and make up the nucleus of a good side.
 

Jackson_1994

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I think he should start round 1 in the centres I no all the talk of moving Smith from wing to centre in the pre season Smith on the wing has been our most consistent winger why weaken one position when we have a genuine centre who the club must have high opinion of to give him the captain of CC the last 2 years at his age and the article proves he got the right head on his shoulders he deserves to start the season but that just my opinion
 

KLil

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From what Ive seen this weekend we are light on wingers now that Reimis has been pushed to the centres. Considering Harper has done enough to earn his centre spot for rnd 1 its only logical to play him in the centres and push Reimis back to the wing.
 

Horse

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From what Ive seen this weekend we are light on wingers now that Reimis has been pushed to the centres. Considering Harper has done enough to earn his centre spot for rnd 1 its only logical to play him in the centres and push Reimis back to the wing.
Couldn’t agree more.

That said - I still wouldn’t mind having a look at Reimis at centre in the trials with Tass and Crichton getting some time on the wing.

But if no ones gonna put their hand up then Reimis has to remain on the wing with Harper at centre.
 
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KLil

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Couldn’t agree more.

That said - I still wouldn’t mind having a look at Reimis at centre in the trials with Tass and Crichton getting a some time on the wing.

But if no ones gonna put their hand up then Reimis has to remain on the wing with Harper at centre.
The other option is averillo on the wing..
 

doggieaaron

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Yep remis needs to stay on wing with either harper/averilo at centre
 

Snake

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Just gotta get through the struggle atm we have some good juniors coming through. Future stars.
Harold Matt’s, Paul alamoti will be our future centre if we hold onto him
I’m no Noel crusher cleal but from the snippets of junior highlights I’ve seen Paul Alamoti excites me the most
 

coach

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I’m no Noel crusher cleal but from the snippets of junior highlights I’ve seen Paul Alamoti excites me the most
If you were crusher your would say his no good lo
Worst scout in the history of the dogs
 

JackDog

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From what Ive seen this weekend we are light on wingers now that Reimis has been pushed to the centres. Considering Harper has done enough to earn his centre spot for rnd 1 its only logical to play him in the centres and push Reimis back to the wing.
From previous write ups, Reimis’s preferred spot is centre. He’s done his time on the wing, perhaps Harper/Averillo need to earn their stripes on the wing also.

Okb certainly hasn’t, commentators keep talking him up but he looks like he has no idea what to do
 

bullanth

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If I need motivation from my parents,or my partner,maybe I need to start focusing on a new career,effort and motivation will only take u so far,if u don't have natural ability,or love to do something,I'd like to see Harper get involved a little more,at the moment he seems to wait for things to happen.
 

Phalangist

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I think he should start round 1 in the centres I no all the talk of moving Smith from wing to centre in the pre season Smith on the wing has been our most consistent winger why weaken one position when we have a genuine centre who the club must have high opinion of to give him the captain of CC the last 2 years at his age and the article proves he got the right head on his shoulders he deserves to start the season but that just my opinion

I think if you play Harper then you block the path of a player like alvero

Harper seem like a no thrills centre not much speed,actually similar to Holland

I think we need more then this
 
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