I love Morty. A fantastic player.
Who can remember his debut year in 2000? Just missed the 1999 RWC and then was injured for the 2001 Lions tour, but made 2000 is own.
Set an Australian record of the quickest player to 100 test points I believe, in 5 or 6 tests. He had a couple v the Pumas early, on the wing and gees I remember thinking he looked slow and his kicking dodgy. But then he scored a couple in the "game of the century" and another in the re-match ("Ealsey's kick") and then obviously had his own Eales moment v the Boks a couple of tests later.
His injury in 2003 was a real blow, but I remember the difference he made to the side when he got on the park, notably the quarter final (was it?) v the Scots in Briso. And then of course there was the semi in Sydney.
There are two things I will always remember about Stirlo.
1) that he always stood up v the All Blacks, I think thats such a rare commodity. Guys like Matt Burke and Dan Herbert did it too. Even Sam Scott-Young. But Stirlo was their nemises far beyond the 03 intercept.
2) was that I was always staggered at how consistently he bent the defensive line. I think he just knew those innate angles as much as his size. He just seemed to pick the right place to run.
Such an inspirational man. Its actually a travesty that he goes out without headlines blaring across Fox Sports News and celbrated on the back page of the papers tomorrow. He deserves much more - an Austin video even!
