Talented teen earmarked for future career in NRL

Morgan Harper and boxing coach Winston Broadway train in the ring.

A Hamilton Boy's High student is aiming for the top in rugby league, having made the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs High Performance Programme (HPP).

Morgan Harper, 16, has been playing rugby league since he was four, begging to be allowed to take part in games under his grandfather's coaching.

Morgan has been earmarked as a player the franchise wants in the team, but that will wait until he has finished school before he can move to Australia to be part of the under-20 team.

Boxing coach Winston Broadway says HPP team players are often used in NRL matches and it will mean a foot in the door. Players such as Sonny Bill Williams have come through the Bulldogs HPP, and the under-20 team is a 'feeder' team for the main NRL Bulldogs team.

The Bulldogs club is based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the NRL premiership and New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions.

For the programme, Morgan will fly to Australia four times a year as an introduction into the team and will train, learn game plays, and go through drills.

The programme allows Morgan to train and live in New Zealand but still be part of the training and preparation for his future NRL career.

Mother Sonia Harper says Hamilton Boys High is very supportive and has enabled Morgan to train to the level he needs to for the programme.

A humble player, Morgan says his main aim is to play an NRL game, "even if it is only one game".

He has played many positions, including prop, but prefers to be a fullback, which is where he will play with the Bulldogs.

As a stand-out player, Morgan did not have to try out for the programme like others - he was handpicked by Noel "Crusher" Cleal, who is an Australian former rugby league footballer and successful coach.

Morgan trains most days with early starts for training at school.

Grandmother Yvonne Nikora says the family will be looking forward to sleep-ins next year "when he can get his restricted licence and take himself to training!

"There are a lot of good kids who don't get support so it is a lot harder for them. Morgan has the support of all his family to get him where he needs to go."

With a family of sportsmen and women, Morgan has the genetics to back up his passion. Two of his great-grandfathers played rugby for the All Blacks and a cousin is in a strengthening and conditioning programme for a Japanese rugby team.

Though he is often too tired to play a game when he gets home from school or training, Morgan says he will still have a go with the cousins in the backyard on weekends.

Morgan is trialling for the Wai-Coa-Bay Stallions under-17 team, having played in the under-15 team for several years. The Wai-Coa-Bay Stallions league team represents Waikato, Coastline, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne.