Cowboys vs Eels

[Titans#1]

:confused:

No idea for this one, but since i'm a QLD'er I better go the Cowboys.

[Teegy]

Smae my moneys on the cowboy because i dislike Para so much

[PARANoIR]

My money's on the Cowboys, just coz they're a better side on their day.

I've been tipping a Cowboys - Tigers GF for weeks, so I better stick to it.

[Teegy]

Cowboys 13+ at TAB is still at $13

[PARANoIR]

Thats great value at 13 bucks. Whoever put money on a Tigers v Cowboys/Eels GF at the start of the year is going to be a very, very rich man!

[Shadow XL]

I will back cowboys, they can do it, but i think it will depend on how parra pull up from the week off, sometimes that can be a bad thing like we saw last night in the tigers-dragons game

[Dakink]

Eels by about 20 unless the cowboys really lift there game..

God that hurt to say.

[Shadow XL]

you sure that wasnt a mis-type DaKink?

[Dakink]

Which bit - the 20 or the hurt to say it - cause I can tell you it really hurt to say!

[Teegy]

I would got the other way with Cowboys by 20

[Shadow XL]

Murray gives Smith reasons to be nervous

24 September 2005


Constant pressure, the nagging limelight and even comparisons with Peter Sterling and Andrew Johns haven't fazed Parramatta halfback Tim Smith in his rookie NRL season.

But North Queensland coach Graham Murray believes he has three reasons why the 20-year-old playmaker should show his first sign of nerves their NRL grand final qualifier at Telstra Stadium on Sunday.

Murray says the Cowboys' back three - wingers Matt Sing and Ty Williams and fullback Matt Bowen - are North Queensland's answer to the young Eel's sublime talents.

Smith's kicking and passing have been second to none in his debut year - and that trend had better continue against North Queensland.

An errant kick or dropped ball will prove costly against a side that has scored easily a league-high 17 tries from broken play this season - seven more than nearest rival Canberra - thanks mainly to its back three speedsters.

Compared to Parramatta's Eric Grothe, Wade McKinnon and Luke Burt, North Queensland's back three have nabbed 19 more tries, six more try assists, 10 more line breaks and 560 more metres in 2005.

"The back three have to be pretty good. He has to have a good array of kicks," Murray warned Smith.

"I was quoted saying (Smith had a) Andrew Johns-style (kicking game). I'm not sure if he's that standard but he's creeping up there.

"Don't forget he's one of the leaders in try assists in the NRL. You don't get that by fluke. He'll get our respect, that's for sure.

"(But) we are proud of our back three...once that ball gets kicked...we are pretty confident these guys have the anticipation and the courage to come up with the football."

Asked if Smith would be nervous in the biggest game of his life, Murray said: "I've never met the young fella, I don't know what he's like but it's a big game tomorrow - I think they will all be nervous at some stage."

Bowen admitted all the talk had been on countering Smith's all round game after the youngster tore the Cowboys apart 50-12 in round nine.

"The last time we played Parramatta. Tim Smith had a field day. Our back three will be looking at that game and hoping to improve," Bowen said.

"We talk about Tim Smith all week. He's going to be a big part of tomorrow's game. (But) we won't be too overawed - we're looking forward to it."

Veteran Eels forward Michael Vella made no bones about the Cowboys' attacking edge








"They've got Matty Bowen, Ty Williams and Matty Sing - their back three is exceptional," he said.

"We've got to make sure everyone in the middle is on their game when those three come in looking for the ball."

Gold Coast-bred Smith leads the league in try assists (40) and is line to create history as the first rookie halfback to play every game of the season on the way to clinching a premiership.

But Eels legend Brett Kenny remained unimpressed.

"I would like to see him do the same things next year before I am prepared to say he's going to be a great player," he said.

"You see it happen so often, guys in their first year having a great season and then in their second they struggle - it happened to Braith Anasta, Karmichael Hunt and Sonny Bill Williams when he wasn't injured.

"A lot of people tend to give them more praise than they probably deserve. At one stage they were talking about Tim being the next Peter Sterling - he's only been playing for 12 months.

"He's played well but these (preliminary finals) are different games and it remains to be seen how he performs in these type of games."

[Titans#1]

Go Cowboy's. (Only cause they are from QLD)

[DeeGan]

I tipped Parramatta Eels.

The NQ Cowboys are dangerous this afternoon, they have no expectation and slipping in under the radar. The Cowboys have not been the same team as last season, though they have the star players (Bowen, Thurston) and forwards (Rauhihi, Tronc, Southern, O'Donnell) that can take this game away from Parramatta if they are not switched on.

I said in another thread, the three most impressive teams in 2005 were the Dragons, Eels and Tigers, this Parramatta outfit minus Hindmarsh should be too strong for the Cowboys. Here is stat for you, 4 times without Hindmarsh in 2005, 4 wins for the Eels? This is a champion team.

Apart from a very strong 13, the Eels have the best bench in the competition. The Cowboys will have to play one hellova' 80 minutes to topple this team.

As I type this, it begins to spit rain in Sydney. This plays to the advantage of the Eels more so than the Cowboys.

Tim Smith's kicking game will go along way to setting up this win. Expect Smith to target Bowen with the bomb as well as kick for his big outside backs who have the height advantage in comparison to the back three of the Cowboys.

Another great game in store for NRL fans!

[DeeGan]

Murray gives Smith reasons to be nervous

24 September 2005


Constant pressure, the nagging limelight and even comparisons with Peter Sterling and Andrew Johns haven't fazed Parramatta halfback Tim Smith in his rookie NRL season.

But North Queensland coach Graham Murray believes he has three reasons why the 20-year-old playmaker should show his first sign of nerves their NRL grand final qualifier at Telstra Stadium on Sunday.

Murray says the Cowboys' back three - wingers Matt Sing and Ty Williams and fullback Matt Bowen - are North Queensland's answer to the young Eel's sublime talents.

Smith's kicking and passing have been second to none in his debut year - and that trend had better continue against North Queensland.

An errant kick or dropped ball will prove costly against a side that has scored easily a league-high 17 tries from broken play this season - seven more than nearest rival Canberra - thanks mainly to its back three speedsters.

Compared to Parramatta's Eric Grothe, Wade McKinnon and Luke Burt, North Queensland's back three have nabbed 19 more tries, six more try assists, 10 more line breaks and 560 more metres in 2005.

"The back three have to be pretty good. He has to have a good array of kicks," Murray warned Smith.

"I was quoted saying (Smith had a) Andrew Johns-style (kicking game). I'm not sure if he's that standard but he's creeping up there.

"Don't forget he's one of the leaders in try assists in the NRL. You don't get that by fluke. He'll get our respect, that's for sure.

"(But) we are proud of our back three...once that ball gets kicked...we are pretty confident these guys have the anticipation and the courage to come up with the football."

Asked if Smith would be nervous in the biggest game of his life, Murray said: "I've never met the young fella, I don't know what he's like but it's a big game tomorrow - I think they will all be nervous at some stage."

Bowen admitted all the talk had been on countering Smith's all round game after the youngster tore the Cowboys apart 50-12 in round nine.

"The last time we played Parramatta. Tim Smith had a field day. Our back three will be looking at that game and hoping to improve," Bowen said.

"We talk about Tim Smith all week. He's going to be a big part of tomorrow's game. (But) we won't be too overawed - we're looking forward to it."

Veteran Eels forward Michael Vella made no bones about the Cowboys' attacking edge








"They've got Matty Bowen, Ty Williams and Matty Sing - their back three is exceptional," he said.

"We've got to make sure everyone in the middle is on their game when those three come in looking for the ball."

Gold Coast-bred Smith leads the league in try assists (40) and is line to create history as the first rookie halfback to play every game of the season on the way to clinching a premiership.

But Eels legend Brett Kenny remained unimpressed.

"I would like to see him do the same things next year before I am prepared to say he's going to be a great player," he said.

"You see it happen so often, guys in their first year having a great season and then in their second they struggle - it happened to Braith Anasta, Karmichael Hunt and Sonny Bill Williams when he wasn't injured.

"A lot of people tend to give them more praise than they probably deserve. At one stage they were talking about Tim being the next Peter Sterling - he's only been playing for 12 months.

"He's played well but these (preliminary finals) are different games and it remains to be seen how he performs in these type of games."

Please quote the source when pasting articles.

Cheers

DeeGan

[DeeGan]

After 30 minutes, the Eels are looking lost in this game.

The handling is poor from both teams though the Cowboys are the most impressive given their opening defensive efforts and the try to one of my favourite players in the competition in Matt Bowen.

Brian Smith can not wait to his team into the sheds at halftime.

The Eels have no apparent game plan and seem to be forcing their hand way too much.

Wet weather rugby league is about establishing forward momentum and keeping things tight with ball in hand. You grind out a win in slippery conditions, not look for the tv highlight moment on every set of 6.

Upset on the cards here today....