Aggressive Morley aims to inspire Roosters

The Sydney Roosters forward Adrian Morley is hoping this weekend to become the first Englishman to play in an NRL Grand Final since Harvey Howard in 2000. The Roosters meet the Brisbane Broncos at the Aussie Stadium for a place in the Grand Final against either the New Zealand Warriors or the Sharks.

Two years ago, Howard was part of the Broncos side that beat the Roosters 14-6. And Morley, who has been plagued by hand and back problems since his move in 2001, is determined to help fire his side to their first NRL title.

The former Leeds Rhinos player has been a big hit with his aggressive style of play and is expected to play a crucial role on his return from a week's suspension. Morley said: "I try to play the game in a tough and aggressive manner. That's the way I played in England. The last couple of years haven't been the best due to injury but everything is going well at the moment and I'm confident."

His power going forward, together with an incredible tackle rate, will be crucial if Sydney is to have a team in this year's final. The Broncos have two of the finest tactical kickers in the game in Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer but the Roosters will be led by Brad Fittler, who has been an inspiration this year since retiring from all representative football.

The Olympic stadium will resemble little Auckland on Sunday when the New Zealand Warriors attempt to become the first non-Australian side to reach a Grand Final. The Warriors, who two weeks ago wrapped up the minor premiership, will face the Cronulla Sharks in a do or die semi-final that many thought would attract a sparse crowd.

After fears the match attendance for tomorrow's second semi-final might be an all-time low, 10,000 tickets were bought up by the club sponsors to give away this week – all one had to do to get a free ticket was to turn up at agencies throughout Sydney with a Kiwi passport.

The result: 10,000 tickets were snapped up within two hours with the promise from club owner Eric Watson of another 10,000. And the Warriors will be attempting to give them something to cheer about against the impressive Sharks.

Some are arguing that a week's rest will go against the Warriors, that their big pack of forwards will not be battle hardened. But the former Bradford Bulls and current Canberra Raiders coach Matt Elliott believes the rest has given them the chance to get over any niggling injuries and be fully prepared.

"The only thing that could go against them is the weather," says Elliott, whose Raiders crashed out of this season's finals to the Warriors 36-20 in Auckland. "When we played them the conditions were quite cool but if the temperature is up in the mid-20s then it could sap their energy."

Elliott finds it hard to pick a winner, believing the Warriors' defensive tactics will suit the Sharks' flat attack. "Both sides will be looking for weaknesses in each other's defence and in Stacey Jones the Warriors have probably the best short kicking expert in the game. But Brett Kimmorley's long kicking for the Sharks is also a killer.

"What the Warriors do have is a very mobile pack of forwards with a lot of skill and that is where the Sharks will have to be on their guard."

Elliott says he can't pick a winner from either game, with Brisbane Broncos travelling south to meet form team Sydney Roosters on tonight. "You look at all four sides and you try to pick weaknesses to exploit but to get this far they can't have too many."