Brad Morkos granted immediate release

[Raider47]

Raiders young gun’s shock call

Canberra young gun Brad Morkos has been granted an immediate release after informing the Green Machine he no longer had the desire to play rugby league. Morkos was all set to move into the Raiders top 30 squad this season with a view to cracking it in the NRL.

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 42eea33401

[denissnowy]

According to this article Morkos has walked.

Raiders young gun’s shock call

Canberra young gun Brad Morkos has been granted an immediate release after informing the Green Machine he no longer had the desire to play rugby league. On Monday he walked into Raiders headquarters and explained why he wanted to walk away effective immediately. The development means the Raiders now have an additional spot on their roster and are monitoring the situation with North Queensland backrower Luciano Leilua.

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 42eea33401

[Raider47]

Leaves us with some serious depth issues at centre I'd say. After HSS, who has regressed big time, no genuine back ups to Kris and Timoko.

[RedRaider]

Wow, that is a surprise. I reckon he was NRL bound this year after JCs retirement. I wonder if the recruitment of Sasagi and Weekes influenced his decision. A Lebanon International last year with a huge future in the game. Now gone. I hope we keep in contact in case he decides to come back to the game in a few years time.

[greeneyed]

That’s a real loss. Wish him all the best in whatever he does next.

[T_R]

Sorry to see that. I would have thought he was a real chance of an NRL start next season.

[Dylan’s Raiders]

Extremely disappointing to read this - was very excited when I saw we signed him and James Schiller I think from the Dragons system.

Morkos would have debuted this year so I’m sure he has his reasons but yeah, not the news I wanted to hear.

[PNGRaider37]

Wish him the best. I guess that means HSS, Strange, Sasagi and Cotric as centre depth. Heck, throw in Rapana too.

[NoMan]

Hopefully some time away from the game might change his mind and he can come back as it did with Kris. He has to do what makes him happy but it's an opportunity many would do anything to have and I hope he doesn't end up wondering "what if" later on in life. Although who knows, he could show up playing Union in Japan for piles of cash.

The depth in the backs is looking very shaky now.

[Botman]

Quite a shock
As others have said I would have thought FG footy was on the cards this year
Hope the club keeps in contact with him in case he gets the itch again
He has genuine fg talent imo

But good for him, if he doesn’t want to do this, he should be proud of himself for having the courage to walk away rather than going through the motions
I wish him all the best in whatever he chooses to do next

[Chicka Chicka Chicka]

Would love to hear something back from the club re Trey Mooney negotiations. I hope we can get something over the line.

[LimeGreenMachine]

Hopefully he can find the love for the game again , he has the potential to play FG. Kris walked away for a year and came back and so has the Warriors player.

[Billy Walker]

Can’t be easy on a young man to have be missing out on opportunities due to sentimental reasons. I hope he pops up elsewhere and gets the opportunity he deserves.

[BJ]

Can’t be easy on a young man to have be missing out on opportunities due to sentimental reasons. I hope he pops up elsewhere and gets the opportunity he deserves.

Bit strange he’s walking away just when an opportunity has opened up.

[julian87]

Leaves us with some serious depth issues at centre I'd say. After HSS, who has regressed big time, no genuine back ups to Kris and Timoko.

Disagree with this. Centre is the easiest position in rugby league to cover. Strange, Schiller, HSS + wingers and utilities is adequate.

The halves and edge forward are a very different story.

[Billy Walker]

Can’t be easy on a young man to have be missing out on opportunities due to sentimental reasons. I hope he pops up elsewhere and gets the opportunity he deserves.

Bit strange he’s walking away just when an opportunity has opened up.

Who knows but I’d understand if he was disillusioned and lost the love for it.

[Roger Kenworthy]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

[Bluesbrother]

That's really disappointing. Very odd one - I hear he is moving into real estate.

[NoMan]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

Yeah, of all the backrowers they have been linked to he would be my last choice. They have been chasing him for five years though so it's probably a personal thing for Ricky at this point. Still better than nothing as well.

[greeneyed]

Canberra Raiders young gun Brad Morkos walks away from NRL, aged just 20

Canberra Raiders young gun Brad Morkos has walked away from the NRL. The 20-year-old decided he no longer wanted to pursue a career in rugby league and will return to his native Wollongong for personal reasons. It's believed he might play with friends in the Wollongong local competition.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14280

[Ray170]

Caleb Esera did the same thing a few years ago.

[Botman]

Leaves us with some serious depth issues at centre I'd say. After HSS, who has regressed big time, no genuine back ups to Kris and Timoko.

Disagree with this. Centre is the easiest position in rugby league to cover. Strange, Schiller, HSS + wingers and utilities is adequate.

The halves and edge forward are a very different story.

agreed. Got not issues with outside backs depth even without Morkos

As others have noted, Seb Kris stepped away for a year and came back and got his career back on track
i hope the club maintains contact in case he changes his mind.

[Billy Walker]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

Yeah, of all the backrowers they have been linked to he would be my last choice. They have been chasing him for five years though so it's probably a personal thing for Ricky at this point. Still better than nothing as well.

I’m not sure I agree that Luciano is better than nothing. He’s at the tail end of things and I’d rather see us hold out for something better than take him.

[IBG]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

Word on the street is that the club is only doing it to reunite Leipana - Donny thinks it's BJ with a new haircut.

[Botman]

Not surprised they're poking around Luciano
They were trying to get him mid season last year... but agree that of all the cowboys edges, he's a firm and distant 4th on my wish list

[Coastalraider]

Ricky sees Joey 2.0 in him.
Enough individual flair we can really make a statement in the finals, and he doesn’t have to try and come up with an attacking structure more complex than ‘give it to leilua’.

[Canberra Milk]

That's a shame, I rated him. I wonder what triggered it. Goes to show there are a lot of variables with youngsters.

I think we're well covered in the centre and even wing position though so it won't affect the Raiders too much

[Matt]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

Yeah, of all the backrowers they have been linked to he would be my last choice. They have been chasing him for five years though so it's probably a personal thing for Ricky at this point. Still better than nothing as well.

Really?!?! You guys are watching a different Leilua to me.

In 13 games:
Avg 94m per game - Only Friz, Isaiah Papali'i, Kolo, Olakau'ato, Fifita avged more (BTW, thats 4m more a game than Huddo, and only 200m total less than Whitehead in 10 less games).

Avg 22 tackles a game (approx. 1.5 missed - Half Huddo and Whiteys avg for the yr)

He had 4 LBAs.

He had 22 Tackle Busts (1 more than Whitey in 10 less games)

He had 20 Offloads, 17 effective. (1 less than Whitey in 10 less games).

2 tries, 1 TA, 4 try involvements.

[Botman]

You've set the bar pretty low to be excited there, Matt
I dont want to do my guy EW dirty again, but i can drag out the stats to show just the level of footballer who would be an EW upgrade and its not pretty, being better than EW is not the bar im tryin to clear

I dont think anyone doubts that Leilua would be a good upgrade for us but can and should aim to do better imo

[BadnMean]

Bad news all around with Luciano Leilua also linked with us. He has the tools but his output is really poor.

Yeah, of all the backrowers they have been linked to he would be my last choice. They have been chasing him for five years though so it's probably a personal thing for Ricky at this point. Still better than nothing as well.

Really?!?! You guys are watching a different Leilua to me.
In 13 games:
Avg 94m per game (thats 4m more a game than Huddo, and only 200m total less than Whitehead in 10 less games).
Avg 22 tackles a game (approx. 1.5 missed - Half Huddo and Whiteys avg for the yr)
He had 4 LBAs.
He had 22 Tackle Busts (1 more than Whitey in 10 less games)
He had 20 Offloads, 17 effective. (1 less than Whitey in 10 less games).
2 tries, 1 TA, 4 try involvements.

Was about to post similar. He can play.

Back to Morkos... He'll probably be a good Fg centre. We already have two of those. So no reason to hoard a third in a position we have some cover in already- I see Schiller being a centre. Hoppa can do it. HSS etc. Strange is not inked in at 5/8 either...

I think Morkos needs FG footy and we can't offer that for years, given we have some quality there already it's a shame but time to let him go.

In fact I thank my lucky stars this tells me Kris will not be FB.

[Off]

The Canberra raiders mixed in with the weather and being the most boring place on earth would drive anyone to a career change.

Sent from my SM-A536E using Tapatalk

[Matt]

You've set the bar pretty low to be excited there, Matt
I dont want to do my guy EW dirty again, but i can drag out the stats to show just the level of footballer who would be an EW upgrade and its not pretty, being better than EW is not the bar im tryin to clear

I dont think anyone doubts that Leilua would be a good upgrade for us but can and should aim to do better imo

Leiluas avg numbers are similar if not better than Huddos for last yr. He's only 27 too.

I'd probably punt on Luki or Finefuiaki 1st, because of the age upside AND hopefully thats where the club is headed.

BUUUT... I'd take him over Riki and Su'a, who we've been linked too. I don't think it's as cut and dry as people seem to be making out. He's a good player, and has similar traits to his brother as far as game breaking ability - and ability to eat TBF.

[Matt]

Ricky sees Joey 2.0 in him.
Enough individual flair we can really make a statement in the finals, and he doesn’t have to try and come up with an attacking structure more complex than ‘give it to leilua’.

agree. As I mentioned above

[Botman]

Id take him over Su'A.
Riki over Leilua for me. But yeah i agree, he can play, he'd be an upgrade for us... but if we're raiding the Cowboys, if im the raiders, i understand that whilst they have the contracts, we kind of have the leverage in that 4 absolutely cant go into 3 and maybe 2, pending their bench structure... I'd play extremely very hard ball for Luki or Finefuiaki
and if that cant work, i'd walk away knowing we can probably come back to the table for Leilua in Feb/March.

[Matt]

The Morkos thing is interesting. I wonder if it's a Kris deal?
OR
If he really doesn't have his heart in it?

Like others, I thought this yr would be his yr. Probably to play the share of Kris's suspension - if anything remains. He seemed 1 injury away this yr.

We definitely have 1 too many Middles, but I suspect we may have had 1 too many Backs, so roster wise it's lucky.

I still think we need a player trade for Sanders, so I wonder what's the plan there. We thought a HSS trade initially, but maybe a Guler or the contact stalled Mooney (I'd hate this BTW)??