Rd 12: Cowboys vs Raiders

[Queenslander]

North Queensland Cowboys v Canberra Raiders
Saturday 27th May 2006, Dairy Farmers Stadium at 5.30pm

Referee: Gavin Badger

Team Notes:

Cowboys:

4 players will be backing up after origin; M Bowen, Thurston, Webb and O'Donnell

Luke O'Donnell expects the thumb injury he sustained during the State of Origin series opener last night will keep him out of this weekend's NRL clash against Canberra.

Raiders:

Craig Frawley returns to first grade been named on the wing, with Adrian Purtell named in the centres for the Raiders' Premier League clash with North Sydney.

Andrew Lomu is set for a return to action, while Simon Woolford will start at hooker, with Alan Tongue moving into the back row.

Terry Martin and Alan Rothery have both been named on an extended interchange bench.

Cowboys:

Matt Bowen
Brenton Bowen
Ashley Graham
Paul Bowman
Matt Sing
Justin Smith
Johnathan Thurston (VC)
Matthew Scott
Aaron Payne
Carl Webb
Steve Southern
Luke O'Donnell
Travis Norton (c)

Interchange:

Rod Jensen
David Faiumu
Mitchell Sargent
Shane Tronc
Gavin Cooper

Raiders:

1 Clinton Schifcofske (c)
2 Craig Frawley
3 Phil Graham
4 Adam Mogg
5 David Howell
6 Todd Carney
7 Lincoln Withers
8 Andrew Lomu
9 Simon Woolford
10 Troy Thompson
11 Thom Learoyd-Lahrs
12 Jason Croker
13 Alan Tongue

Interchange:

14 Marshall Chalk
15 Ben Jones
16 Michael Hodgson
17 Jason Williams
18 Terry Martin
19 Alan Rothery

[Social Loafer]

Raiders by 20

I Wish

[Queenslander]

O'Donnell expects to miss Raiders
By Dave Donaghy
May 25, 2006

NORTH Queensland ironman Luke O'Donnell expects the thumb injury he sustained during the State of Origin series opener last night will keep him out of this weekend's NRL clash against Canberra.

O'Donnell today gave a strong indication he was unlikely to back up for the Cowboys on Saturday night after making his debut for NSW in the Blues' 17-16 win over Queensland at Telstra Stadium.

O'Donnell?s maiden appearance lasted just six minutes, as he left the field with a suspected broken thumb.

The 25-year-old player said he wanted to undergo scans immediately to assess the damage, but anxious club officials said they would wait until the swelling had gone down.

"I'm pretty hopeful but gut feeling now (is) I'd end up missing (the game)," O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell had only just overcome a painful rib cartilage injury suffered during Australia's Trans-Tasman thumping of New Zealand earlier this month.

A broken thumb could rule him out for up to a month.

Cowboys officials said that coach Graham Murray would give the club's five State of Origin players until tomorrow afternoon to prove their fitness.

Aside from the concern over O'Donnell, injury clouds are hovering over Matt Bowen, Carl Webb, Matt Scott and Johnathan Thurston.

Bowen has a sore neck and a burst blood vessel in his arm, Webb is nursing a cork, and Scott and Thurston are suffering from general soreness.

All five players had an ice bath upon arrival in Townsville today.

If O'Donnell is ruled out, Gavin Cooper will be drafted into the team, but further withdrawals would cause serious headaches for Murray.

AAP