Manly spoil Morris party

In Josh Morris’s long NRL career there was still time to create one last little bit of history.

The 35-year-old’s 325th and final first-grade game wasn’t a fitting way for the veteran to call time — his Sydney Roosters copping a 42-6 thrashing at the hands of Manly on Friday night as they marched on to meet the Rabbitohs in the major semifinal this Friday.

But the former Kangaroo and NSW State of Origin representative walks away as one of the game’s modern greats.

He might not have won a premiership — twice featuring on the losing side in grand finals — but Morris scored 158 tries in his career and forged a reputation for sturdy defence and a hardworking attitude coaches at St George Illawarra, Canterbury and the Roosters could only admire.

‘‘It’s been a hell of a ride the last 15 years,’’ Morris said.

‘‘Some of the best moments of my life, and I got to share them with my brother and my best mate. Whilst tonight was tough.

‘‘It’s not going to define how I think about my whole career. I’ve just loved every minute of it.’’

Morris spent most of his career playing alongside twin brother Brett, whose own first-grade time ended earlier this year due to a serious knee injury.

His brother’s setback was just one of several season-ending injuries the Roosters endured, a situation Morris said added an extra sense of achievement to his final campaign. ‘‘Sometimes we just had to laugh,’’ Morris said. ‘‘We were like ’who have we got’ and we’d just start laughing.’’