MORSEU ON MOVE TO CQ CAPRAS

COURTESY RHYS O'NEILL @ THE CAIRNS POST

HIS CDRL season is over, but Maipele Morseu’s footy career is set to truly begin ... again.

The 23-year-old could do little as Brothers’ campaign ended at the hands of Ivanhoes on Sunday, in turn calling time on the talented playmaker’s days at the club.

Even bigger ambitions now await, however, with Morseu (pictured) to link with Intrust Super Cup club the Capras next year after rejecting the lure of a train and trial deal with the Northern Pride.

Arguably the form halfback of the CDRL year, Morseu made his name as a game-changing fullback at Queensland and Australian schoolboys level.

The one-time Melbourne Storm scholarship-holder only returned to Cairns at the start of last year as the behest of close friend Chey Bird, with the Brothers coach in desperate need of a halfback at the time.

The move has paid off, with one-time Storm under-18s coach and incoming Capras boss Kim Williams enticing Morseu to Rockhampton.

After finally putting to bed a knee injury that needed a reconstruction during his time at the Storm, Morseu is hoping for a new lease of life at the back.

“I thought I’d try something new,” he said.

“I think I’ve played some good footy this year so I wanted to have a crack.

“It’s been the best two years I’ve had up here.

“It was a slow start last year and this year has picked up.

“I’ve been happy with my form and I just need to put on some size.”

Morseu admitted the dream wavered at times as he slugged it out during rehab.

“The boys have been good, helping me out and being injury free has helped,” he said.

“I just need to keep trying to get my knee right.

‘‘I still want to chase the dream.

“It was over when I did my knee and I thought ‘It was not meant to be’.

“I thought of giving it away when I did my knee, doing rehab too many times.”

Morseu was the fullback in the national schoolboys side featuring Jason Taumololo, Ryan James and Cameron King in 2009 – “that’s the year I killed it”.

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Brothers boss Bird said.

“He’s got the ability to play at that level.

“If he plays in his preferred position he could be anything.”

In a nod to the strength of the CDRL, Morseu will join Tully’s Cutters-bound duo Leroy Rankin and Aaron Jolley (train and trial) in the ISC in 2016.

Rankin, in particular, has long been tipped for higher honours and was dubbed the best unsigned backrower in the north by good judges earlier in the season.