Brett Morris is happy to relinquish his stranglehold on the Bulldogs' No.1 jersey to the red-hot Will Hopoate while all but ruling himself out of an unlikely State of Origin return in next month's dead rubber in Sydney.
Fresh from a three-try haul against the Broncos after more than nine months out with a knee injury, Morris' sizzling return has provided a welcome headache for Canterbury coach Des Hasler and embattled NSW mentor Laurie Daley.
The 13-time Blues representative might make Daley's decision for him though, insisting it would be "unfair" on his prospective teammates – and even himself – to be thrown into the Origin cauldron with such limited football this season.
"They pick blokes for Origin who have been out for six months with 10 games under their belt," Morris said. "To get picked in an Origin arena after two games of footy and nine months out ... I just think it's a big ask on myself and to put that much pressure on the team [is unfair].
"I don't know how much I would train if I went into an Origin camp. I don't know whether that would be a distraction on the boys.
"Personally I don't want to go into an Origin game underdone. You just can't. There's so much riding on these games and personally I don't think it's fair on the people that have been there in the series – and on myself."
It will be music to Hasler's ears though as the Bulldogs ominously stalk the top four after battering grand finalists Brisbane at ANZ Stadium.
A fit-again Morris only adds to the wealth of talent Hasler has at his disposal out wide with Hopoate in scintillating form at the back to complement last season's leading try-scorer Curtis Rona and the ever dependable Sam Perrett.
And Morris is only too happy to revert to the wing if Hasler won't budge Hopoate from the fullback spot Morris manned last year.
"That's Dessie's decision," Morris said. "We just do what he tells us to do. Certainly with the form he's in it would be hard to move [Hopoate].
"He's played outstanding. When you're sitting on the sidelines that's what you want to see ... someone coming in taking over a new role and playing well. I'm a team player. It's never bothered me where I've played, but when a guy plays like that it certainly helps.
"There was a bit of rust there [on Saturday]. I still felt a bit off the pace, but it's nice to see there's still something there."
Morris admitted he felt like he had lost only a little of his scintillating speed after a rehabilitation plagued with setbacks and would monitor the GPS data tracking his top speed from Saturday night.
"It wasn't so much the tries he scored, but [more his positioning]," Bulldogs prop Aiden Tolman said. "Speed is so hard to defend – it's not a skill-based thing – and he's got that. It's one of his greatest assets and to have him back in the side is definitely a good thing for us."
