Wayne Bennett expects to see a rejuvenated Brett Morris in 2019, tipping his former charge to rediscover his best at the Sydney Roosters.
While they will be on opposite sides of the SCG on Friday night - Bennett in control of South Sydney for the first time and Morris making his maiden NRL appearance for the Roosters - the master mentor couldn't hide his fondness for the veteran winger.
Morris was a key part of Bennett's grand final-winning team at St George Illawarra in 2010, with the seven-time title winner recalling the way the ex-NSW and Australian representative bounced back after being dropped to reserve grade at the start of that campaign.
"He's a wonderful player," Bennett said.
"I sent him to (then Dragons feeder side) Shellharbour to play when I first arrived. I wasn't happy with him.
"By the end of the year he played for Australia, NSW and he's had great career. I love watching him play. He's always doing his best.
"I sent him to the bush for a little while. He got the message and came back after two or three weeks."
By his own admission, Morris, 32, didn't live up to his own standards in his final two years at Canterbury and this week revealed that the uncertainty surrounding the club because of their salary cap situation got in his head.
He looks to have turned over a new leaf at the reigning premiers and showed he was ready to bounce back by scoring a hat-trick in the Roosters' World Club Challenge victory over Wigan.
Bennett said Morris looked primed to rebound, describing him as a special player.
"You saw what he did in the World Club Challenge," Bennett said.
"He's a quality player, he's in a quality team, he'll enjoy that, it'll be easy for him to play football.
"He won't have to worry about all the drama and all the things that go on off the field."
