BRYN Morris is a game away from being able to share Australian rugby great John Eales’ nickname of ‘Nobody’.
The Wallabies icon earned that tag because ‘Nobody’s perfect’ and the Newport County AFC midfielder is on the brink of a remarkable achievement.
Provided manager Graham Coughlan doesn’t spring a huge surprise when the teams are announced at 2pm for the Exiles’ game at play-off hopefuls Bradford City, Morris will have started all 46 League Two fixtures.
The 28-year-old is one of just five outfield players that will hunt the perfect campaign on final weekend, with MK Dons’ Alex Gilbey, Notts County’s Macauley Langstaff, Doncaster’s Owen Bailey, Crewe’s Rio Adebisi the others.
Morris has played the full 90 minutes 41 times, has come off with the clock in the 80s three times and his only ‘short’ shift was when he was taken off approaching the hour in a heatwave at Crawley in September.
In addition to that, the midfielder has played in all 56 of County’s fixtures in all competitions so far with 55 of them starts.
The only time that he dropped out of the XI was at Cheltenham in the EFL Trophy when he came on at half-time because of a head injury to Aaron Wildig.
Morris, who arrived from Grimsby on a two-year deal last summer, has been a reassuring presence in midfield in a campaign when County players have been dropping like flies.
He will dig deep one last time before heading for the beach and a well-earned break.
“A lot of people just see the games but it's the build-up to it throughout the week with training and preparation,” said Morris. “I'm looking forward to a break but we want to go out with a positive result.
“I feel pretty good for it and have just got into a rhythm. With having a quite a thin squad I have pretty much known I am going to play as long as I am performing.
“I feel that I have been consistent and one of my core values is to be professional and give it my all.”
County head to Bradford on a seven-game losing streak after being hit by a second injury crisis of the season.
Morris, Scot Bennett, Will Evans and Nick Townsend have had to shoulder a heavy burden, as did Ryan Delaney and Shane McLoughlin until injury ended their seasons early.
That means the Exiles only have pride to play for at Valley Parade while their hosts have an outside chance of the top seven.
“When we have had a fully fit squad we have shown that we should be pushing for the play-offs, and we were when two points off it,” said Morris, who scored in the 2-0 win at Wimbledon in mid-March that had the Exiles dreaming.
“If we can keep the core of the squad together we have shown we can compete with the better teams in the league. The run-in has been disappointing but we want to finish as positively as possible.”
Morris has racked up the games but he’s also got quite the highlights reel from 2024/25.
His cracker from the home game against Walsall was scandalously beaten to County’s goal of the season by Shane McLoughlin’s super strike against Stockport.
Morris fired in crisply at Wimbledon, found the top corner against Accrington and, with the help of a slight deflection, sent Rodney Parade wild when making it 2-1 against Manchester United.
“At the start of the season the gaffer said to aim towards 10 goals and I thought that might be a bit ambitious because the most I’d scored was four in a season,” he said.
“I’ve got eight goals and four assists so next season I’d like to add a few more and reach double figures.”
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