Round 3: North Qld Cowboys v Melbourne Storm

[TITAN PETE]

MONDAY

North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 7:00PM

Cowboys: Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Will Tupou, Willie Tonga, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Ray Thompson, Johnathan Thurston, Matthew Scott, Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange (from): James Segeyaro, Leeson Ah Mau, Tariq Sims, Ashton Sims.

Storm: Billy Slater, Justin O'Neill, Dane Nielsen, Beau Champion, Anthony Quinn, Gareth Widdop, Cooper Cronk, Kevin Proctor, Cameron Smith, Bryan Norrie, Adam Blair, Sika Manu, Ryan Hinchcliffe. Interchange (from): Todd Lowrie, Jaiman Lowe, Troy Thompson, Jesse Bromwich, Matt Duffie, Adam Woolnough.

[TITAN PETE]

Johnson sidesteps halfback question

Wayne Heming AAPThu, Mar 24, 2011 - 4:06 PM

North Queensland's Dallas Johnson produced a neat sidestep when quizzed on Thursday whether the winner of Monday's halfback battle between Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston should wear the No.7 for Australia in April's Anzac Test.

After 157 games with Cronk at the Storm, lock Johnson is now playing with world class No.7 Thurston at the Cowboys.

Thurston has been Queensland's halfback for their record five straight State of Origin series wins, but Cronk replaced him in Australia's losing Four Nations squad late last year after Thurston required surgery.

Asked if the victor of the looming halfback battle at Dairy Farmers Stadium should get the Test jumper, Johnson smiled and said: "You should ask the selectors that."

It was a nice piece of footwork by the tireless lock who, after a stint with Catalan in English Super League, has slipped back into the NRL as though he never left, producing 82 tackles in his first two games.

Johnson has deliberately avoided contact with his former Melbourne teammates this week.

"I've been trying not to take any calls from the boys but I'm sure I've still got a lot of mates down there," he said.

"It's a strange feeling preparing to play a team who I was so passionate about, with whom I'm a life member and against so many players I played alongside."

Johnson knows a lot about his former teammates and how coach Craig Bellamy will prepare them, but doubts it will be any advantage unless the Cowboys aim up after last weekend's lacklustre loss to Newcastle.

"One thing I know is they'll be very well prepared. It will be very physical and they'll turn up ready to play with Craig coaching them," he said.

Johnson found reports Bellamy had labelled him an "angry man" amusing.

"He's throwing a few stones at glass houses because he's not the calmest man himself," laughed Johnson.

"All I know is I have to prepare the best I can. I'm playing for the Cowboys now and I want to play the bestI can for them."

Johnson warned the result could be ugly if the Cowboys fail to fix their attitude after conceding some soft tries to the Knights.

"It's a huge task, look at their form the last two weeks, they've been outstanding and I didn't expect anything less from them," he said.

"We've looked at the tape (of Newcastle) and we were poor, very poor.

"We just didn't turn up with the right attitude.

"Everyone knows what will happen if we don't turn up with the right attitude against Melbourne."

Johnson said PNG-born hooker James Segeyaro was in for a big night with his NRL debut.

"I can still remember my debut (against Cronulla in 2003) vividly," he said.

"It's a huge moment and a huge occasion in any young player's career.

"It's something to strive for your whole life and to finally get there, it's a huge moment for you and your family."

Segeyaro will be only the third PNG player after Bruce Mamando and Graham Appo to play NRL for North Queensland.

[TITAN PETE]

Cowboys flogging the Storm 28-6 with 9 min to go

[Blazertaser]

What the F**k is with this season! Going to be the closest year on record.... Can not wait for the rest of the season to unfold

[Tamwelg]

Yeah it's super hard to pick a winner this year.

[Coaster]

We are putting a curse on teams.
STG lose after playing us
Storm lose after playing us
Broncos lose there captain after playing us

[Blazertaser]

We are putting a curse on teams.
STG lose after playing us
Storm lose after playing us
Broncos lose there captain after playing us

Thats Right! Thats what they get for messing with the mighty Titans. The Titan gods are showing them who's boss!

[DIEHARD]

Wow Cowboys were impressive, at least we didn't cop that performance. Hopefully they will be a few gears down when we taken em on.

[Boofhead]

Has me worried, we need to get back to our winning ways before we fall behind!

P.S. $25 on the Cowboys 1-12 FML.

[TITAN PETE]

Cowboys smash Melbourne Storm 34-6

By Liam Butterworth AAPMon, Mar 28, 2011 - 10:30 PM

North Queensland's young brigade has repaid the faith shown in them by coach Neil Henry, helping the Cowboys to their first win against NRL pace-setters Melbourne since 2006.

The Cowboys looked a completely different side to the one beaten 34-22 at home in round two with Ray Thompson and debutant Kalifa Faifai Loa instrumental in their side's 34-6 win at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Monday night.

The Storm had no answers to the Cowboys' defence and had few attacking chances in the rain-soaked conditions.

Dairy Farmers Stadium had previously been a happy hunting ground for the Melbourne side, who'd downed the Cowboys by at least 14 points in their last two clashes at the stadium.

But the Storm will have left with few, if any, positives from Monday's match.

Thompson got involved early, opening up the Storm defence with his passing and kicking game, before contributing to two tries as well as forcing Sika Manu to drop the ball after crossing for a certain four-pointer for the Storm.

A try by Storm pivot Gareth Widdop six minutes from half-time kept the visitors in the match but the 10-6 deficit at the break would be as close as Melbourne got.

The Cowboys' attacking intent carried into the second period, Ash Graham scoring tries in the 51st and 70th minutes while Matt Bowen bagged a double of his own by crossing in the 66th minute following his 13th minute effort.

Graham had earlier been guilty of spurning two golden opportunities in the first-half, but he made amends by crossing twice in the corner.

Bowen, in his club-record equalling 203 appearance in North Queensland colours, showed some form of old form throughout the night.

Fellow rookie Tariq Sims put the match beyond doubt seven minutes from time to score his first try in the NRL.

Of concern to the Storm was an injury to second rower Manu, who was helped from the field in the opening minutes of the second half.

Cowboys coach Neil Henry, who was shattered after last week's loss to Newcastle, had nothing but praise for rookies James Segeyaro, Faifai Loa and Sims.

"A few of our younger players have stepped up and got some experience and tonight our more experienced players really had a hand in the game," he said.

"It's a good feeling because it's a good performance across the board."

Co-captain Matt Scott said it was a welcome change from last week.

"Defensively I thought we were good, to keep a side like that to six points I thought it was a good defensive effort," he said.

His co-leader Johnathan Thurston, who criticised his team's preparation for last week's loss to the Knights, said there was an improved focus this week.

"Our attitude and our preparation during the week, it`s a good learning curve for the boys, he said.

"They should understand now what they need to do to prepare the best they can to put in a performance like that."

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said some of his side's defence was "embarrassing" and that they had a lot of work to do on the training paddock this week.

"The first 20 minutes we did nothing that we planned to do and that was a real strong point of our first two performances," he said.

Bellamy had some concerns over Manu's injury and an apparent eye socket problem with Kevin Proctor but said it was too early to ascertain how serious both problems were.

[TITAN PETE]

Has me worried, we need to get back to our winning ways before we fall behind!

P.S. $25 on the Cowboys 1-12 FML.

I had $20 on Tariqu Simms for last try scorer @ $34

My 1st collect on this season

[Boofhead]

I had $20 on Tariqu Simms for last try scorer @ $34

My 1st collect on this season

Thats a great bet mate, should of multied it with a Cowboys win!

Still looking for my first collect...