Families' Grand Feud

Newcastle Herald

Saturday October 4, 2008

By MARTIN DINNEEN

THESE two proud footy parents are used to cheering for the same side but now as their sons take the field for Sunday's NRL grand final on opposing teams the battle lines are drawn.

And while many Hunter footy fans are finding it difficult to decide where their allegiances lie in rugby league's centenary decider there is no doubt whose colours they will fly tomorrow.

Jim Perry, father of Manly front-rower Josh Perry, and Annette Morgan, mother of Melbourne winger Anthony Quinn, cheered their sons while they wore the blue and red of the Knights as well as the red and white of their junior club the Valentine-Eleebana Devils.

Perry and Quinn are products of a rugby league breeding ground that has produced the likes of Luke Burt, Brett Finch, Clint Newton and Daniel Abraham.

Both took the field for the Knights, with Quinn notching about 100 games before joining Melbourne last year while Perry played 143 games in the red and blue, including the 2001 grand final victory, before joining Manly this year.

"This year has just been a complete turnaround; he has been exceptional," Mr Perry said of his son's year in the Sea Eagles' forward pack.

Though nervous about the game, Mr Perry said he felt confident that this year Manly would get the job done and walk away with the silverware.

"I am as confident as 2001 when he played in the grand final and they won that one," he said.

"But I'll be there to support him no matter what."

Mrs Morgan is more tentative when it comes to her feelings about tomorrow evening's decider, feeling the pressure of expectation that is put on reigning champions in any sport.

"To be honest, I am really nervous," she said.

"Last year we had nothing to lose and this year it is going to be a tight one."

Quinn's half-brothers Sam and Josh Morgan add a little more confidence and plenty of enthusiasm to the Quinn camp, being Newcastle's most passionate Melbourne Storm supporters.

"They are his biggest fans and have all the Melbourne Storm gear," Mrs Morgan said.

The parents have no qualms about wearing their loyalty and emotion on their sleeve but they realise they will have to take a back seat in their sons' preparations.

Mr Perry will travel to Sydney today and share a meal with his son tonight before leaving him to deal with his own nervous tension.

"We will probably talk very little about football," he said.

"I'll try and sleep the night before, which I probably won't, and then my daughters are taking me shopping on Sunday to take my mind off it."

Mrs Morgan will travel to Sydney tomorrow with a large group of family and friends but will not speaking directly with her son before the game.

"I don't speak to him on the day but on the day before," she said.

"Before the game I text him and say have a great game, do your best, dream, achieve, believe.

"It's our little thing."

Despite the tension and expectation of NRL grand final week both parents are ecstatic to have their child play at the elite level of their chosen sport.

"It's very hard to explain the feeling of seeing your children reach where they want to be," Mr Perry said.

"He's just done so well for himself through the bad and the good times."

Mrs Morgan remembers her son's passion for the game when he was a junior and still sees it in him.

"He has always been a little rogue," she said.

"It doesn't matter how old they are, they are still your child."

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© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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