Awestruck Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson says the NRL premiers are close to re-signing Brett and Josh Morris for another season after the ageless twins penned an historic chapter to their storied careers on Saturday night.
The most prolific tryscoring siblings in premiership history – who turn 34 on Sunday – each bagged a double in the same game for the first time in the Roosters’ 38-16 rout of Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.
“Obviously if Josh gets one out there on the field, I am going ‘well I need to get one now’,” Brett told AAP after his brace drew him level with Canterbury legend Terry Lamb in equal fifth on the all-time tryscorers’ list with 164.
“So there is that rivalry there but it has never been anything more than a bit of fun.”
He’s now just one behind Andrew Ettingshausen and trailing only the Sharks great plus Steve Menzies (180), Billy Slater (190) and seemingly untouchable all-time tryscoring leader Ken Irvine (212).
Josh is 18th on the list after surpassing Steve Renouf with his 143rd try and within sight of rugby league Immortals Frank Burge (146) and Bob Fulton (147).
“We are both competitive guys and obviously we enjoy scoring tries but we don’t look at the records or that sort of stuff,” Brett said.
“We are footballers and we go out there to try and do our job to the best of our ability and if scoring tries is part of it that is what you are going to do.
“Obviously we are still enjoying our footy and love getting out there and ripping in. Those tries are bonuses.”
They’re much more than that to Robinson, who admitted he thought 2020 would be the twins’ swan song.
But, hailing them as must-viewing marvels, the Roosters coach feels compelled to extend their careers for another year.
“That’s the plan. I think we’re pretty close to getting that sorted,” Robinson said.
“I love watching them play. It’s a real pleasure. For any young footy player that wants to be an outside back, come to the game and watch them; don’t just watch them on television.
“Watch them move, watch them make decisions. When other people are walking, they’ll make these decisions that will put them in good positions to score tries, to save tries. They are the ideal guys to watch play footy.
“It looks like they have grown up playing footy since they were four and it looks like they have watched a lot of footy along the way.
“They have thought about it, put it in the memory bank and they have bought it out along the way.
“They just know how to find the try line and they just get into positions and do that. There is a little bit of space and the ball bounces and they are there to pick it up and score.
“It’s a real credit to them to keep it going. I said in the box tonight, I wish I had them when they were 25.”
Instead, Robinson will have them at least until they’re 35.
“I expected this season to probably be it for them,” he said.
“I’d like to think that we gave them a new lease of life as well, in the way they enjoy their footy and they gave us a way in which we play outside backs in a certain way.”
Brett said a new lease of life was exactly what the Roosters had given the brothers.
“Nothing has been finalised at this stage but we are both enjoying our footy,” he said.
“We love going into training every day. We have got a really great group of fellows there and obviously the staff there make going to work every day a pleasure.
“The end is only around the corner so you want to enjoy as much of it as you can.
“For myself personally, it has probably been the favourite two years of my rugby league career.”
ALL-TIME MOST TRIES IN THE ARL/NRL SINCE 1908
1.Ken Irvine – 212 (North Sydney, Manly 1958-73)
2.Billy Slater – 190 (Melbourne 2003-18)
3.Steve Menzies – 180 (Manly, Northern Eagles 1993-2008)
4.Andrew Ettingshausen – 165 (Cronulla 1983-2000)
= 5. Terry Lamb – 164 (Western Suburbs, Canterbury 1980-96)
=5. Brett Morris – 164 (St George Illawarra, Canterbury, Sydney Roosters 2006-2020)
= 18. Josh Morris – 143 (St George Illawarra, Canterbury, Cronulla, Sydney Roosters 2007-2020).
