Date: Friday March 20 2015
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Kick-Off: 7:30pm (Brisbane time)
Broncos: 1 Jordan Kahu 2 Corey Oates 3 Jack Reed 4 Justin Hodges © 5 Lachlan Maranta 6 Anthony Milford 7 Ben Hunt 8 Josh McGuire 9 Andrew McCullough 10 Adam Blair 11 Alex Glenn 12 Matt Gillett 13 Corey Parker. Interchange 14 Jarrod Wallace 15 Joe Ofahengaue 16 Sam Thaiday 17 Kodi Nikorima.
Cowboys: 1 Lachlan Coote 2 Justin O’Neill 3 Matt Wright 4 Kane Linnett 5 Kyle Feldt 6 Michael Morgan 7 Johnathan Thurston (c) 8 Matt Scott (c) 9 Rory Kostjasyn 10 Ben Hannant 11 Gavin Cooper 12 Ethan Lowe 13 Jason Taumalolo. Interchange 14 Jake Granville 15 Kelepi Tanginoa 16 Scott Bolton 17 James Tamou 18 John Asiata.
Preview
It’s the Queensland derby this Friday night when JT’s North Queensland Cowboys face last round winners Brisbane Broncos at the Cauldron.
There will be no more desperate side in the National Rugby League to get off the mark in 2015 than the North Queensland Cowboys. Two straight losses at home is a big blow to a side that traditionally struggles to win on the road.
Paul Green has resurrected the career of Lachlan Coote by naming him at fullback. Coote missed all of 2014 after being injured during the Cowboys Nines victorious campaign. The former Panther will be keen to make up for lost time with a big game this week. Michael Morgan will move into the halves alongside Thurston. Robert Lui given the chop from the squad to travel south. Justin O’Neill is in doubt after being concussed last weekend.
It’s clear the Cowboys need more out of their back line to support the forwards. In particular Matt Scott who’s due for a big game in this blockbuster. Expect no let up in Thurston being targeted but with Morgan’s move into the halves the pressure could be taken off the champion halfback.
Brisbane will be pleased to have escaped with the two points at Remondis Stadium last Friday night. Their two tries were off the back of Sharks errors. Attack will be an area Brisbane will need to improve in if they are any chance of knocking off the Cowboys. One player who was set to make a difference this week was Dale Copley. For a second week in a row he’s on the injured list and will be replaced by Corey Oates on the wing.
Could this week belong to Anthony Milford? It’s a position that has troubled the Broncos with Ben Barba and Josh Hoffman tried in the six jumper at different times last season. This game could represent a chance for Milford to use his skill against a tiring big Cowboys pack and weave some magic. He has the experience outside of him to give the Broncos scoring chances. Maybe it’s Milford’s night as he becomes more comfortable with his new role.
Prediction they’res points in the Cowboys, but is there enough in the Broncos? That’s the big question. I think that might be in the affirmative and they might fall over the line in this one.
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