Adrian Morley - the Salford boy who became a Bondi hero

Adrian Morley became the first British player to feature in three Australian Grand Finals today (October 3, 2004).

Salford born Morley left Leeds for the Sydney Roosters after Season 2000. After a slow start to his Roosters career, his direct approach to the game won the hearts firstly of the Bondi faithful and then the whole of the Australian Rugby League community.

Having played in the losing Leeds team in the inaugural Super League Grand Final in 1998, Morley played his first Grand Final in the Roosters' historic win over the New Zealand Warriors in 2002. However the Grand Finals of 2003 and 2004 have seen the Roosters falling short of the Penrith Panthers and Canterbury Bulldogs respectively.

With the superb squad at the Roosters, even with the loss of the legendary Brad Fittler through retirement, Morley may still get the opportunity to equal Malcolm Reilly's record of having won two Grand Finals. Reilly was successful with Manly Warringah in both 1972 and 1973.