Source: Radio New Zealand
Morgan Gannon hopes to make Go Media Stadium his home for the next three years. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Morgan Gannon has already had his ‘welcome to the Warriors’ moment.
The young English forward has travelled halfway across the planet to test his rugby league skills with the Auckland-based NRL outfit for the next three years, but has found a roster packed with talent playing his second row/lock positions.
Those incumbents have wasted little time putting the newcomer in his place.
“We were doing some defence, and Demitric ran straight at me and knocked me on my arse,” chuckles Gannon. “That taught me they run pretty hard over here.
“That was a good wake-up, but it’s been good how competitive and how physically we train. I feel like I’ll be prepared for that going into the season.”
Whatever other positional shortcomings the Warriors may have, the back row is not one of them, led by the experience of Kurt Capewell and Marata Niukore, but ably supplemented by a production line of young local talent, notably Leka Halasima and powerhouse Demitric Vaimauga.
Just where Gannon, 22, fits into this pecking order – or whether the West Yorkshire lad will ever gain membership of the legendary ‘Zesty Boys’ – remains to be seen, but he seems up for the challenge.
“There’s obviously a lot of competition for every spot in the forwards,” he confirms. “The second row is good, but I’ve got on with Capey quite well and he’s taken me under his wing a bit with some of the learnings off him.
“I’ve been playing a bit of lock as well, so taking some learnings off Erin Clark.
“There’s a massive group of young boys and it’s shocked me how mature they all are – they all seem like they’re 25-26.
“They’re mature beyond their years and that was one of the big pulls coming here, seeing how exciting the young crew were coming through.
“It’s been good seeing that live in training, the energy they bring and the enthusiasm as well.”
Gannon fits right into that mould. At 17, he debuted for Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup and has since amassed 73 games for the club.
Gannon is not the first player sat down by Warriors powerhouse Demitric Vaimauga. David Neilson/Photosport
Dad Jim Gannon was an Australian, who played an NRL season with Balmain Tigers, before heading to England, where he played 15 years as a front-row prop, including 149 games for Halifax (where Morgan was born) and 100 for Huddersfield.
That’s where the groundwork for Gannon’s Mt Smart stint really began.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster was an assistant coach at Hull Kingston Rovers, where James Gannon played a season alongside Warriors reserves coach David Tangata-Toa. Webster’s brother, Richard, played with Gannon at Hull Kingston Rovers and Widnes Vikings.
Current Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar gave Morgan Gannon his professional start at Leeds.
“It started maybe this time last year,” Gannon Jnr says. “I had a call with Webby and Cappy [Warriors recruitment manager Andrew McFadden], which planted the seed.
“They set up a call with my mum and dad, and my partner to discuss the opportunity.
“I had an offer from Leeds as well, but I decided this opportunity doesn’t come around too often and, if I turned it down, it might never come again.
“I knew Rich Agar was a good coach and he looked after me during my time at Leeds, and with my dad already knowing a few of the coaches… there were a few links and family connections with people we trusted.”
Those connections put Gannon on the Warriors radar early and, 12 months ago, the stars aligned.
“I think Morgan’s ambition to come to the NRL and throw himself into this situation is something he’s wanted to do for a long time,” Webster said.
“We’re both on the same page – we both thought he was ready to come and he was keen to do it.”
Morgan Gannon scores a try for Leeds against St Helens. AFP
The difference in standard and style between Super League and NRL is sizeable. Many who have excelled in the northern hemisphere find the transition too great, while many at the end of their Australian careers can usually squeeze out a few more seasons in England to pad their retirement fund.
Gannon has already discovered some major differences.
“I’m used to doing 6-8 weeks of pre-season before our first game,” he says. “Now I’m doing 14-16 weeks of pre-season and I can feel that in myself, in my body.
“I definitely feel like the speed of it and the arm-wrestles we’ve done so far will take some getting used to.”
Webster likes the flexibility that has seen Gannon even suit up in a No.6 five-eighth jersey before. His ball-playing ability puts him up against Clark in that role.
“It’s up to him and up to the rest of the squad, I suppose,” Webster says. “If anyone lets their guard down, he’ll take it.
“Edge back row or middle, it’s good to have that versatility from a guy who can play 20 minutes on the edge and then slot straight into the middle, and vice versa. Some guys can’t do that.
“We are stacked, but I also believe he’s one for the future too. Not every player in our squad is getting any younger and we’ve also got a lot of youth, so we’ve got to look with one eye to the future.
“There’s no pressure for Morgan to come in and play round one, but I’m sure, the way he’s tracking at training, he’s going to put a lot of pressure on to do that.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
