Round 3: St George-Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

Payne unsuccessful at NRL judiciary
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - 8:09 PM

St George Illawarra forward Corey Payne has been unsuccessful in his bid to have a careless high tackle charge downgraded at the NRL judiciary.

The judiciary on Wednesday night confirmed Payne's shot on Newcastle winger James McManus at Oki Jubilee Stadium on Friday was a grade-three careless high tackle.

Payne will now serve a one-match suspension, ruling him out of Saturday's clash with North Queensland at WIN Stadium.

source: nrl.com.au

With Payne gone, i'd assume wicks will start at 12.

And the bench will be Peek, Hunt, Chase and Setu.

[Poida]

Cowboys will make Dragons swallow fire rather than blow it

[Queenslander]

Smith out for Cowboys


March 29, 2007

NORTH Queensland has suffered a blow ahead of its NRL clash with St George-Illawarra with veteran five-eighth Jason Smith ruled out with an ankle injury.

The Cowboys had been hopeful their star off-season recruit would recover in time for the clash at OKI Jubilee Stadium.

But after failing a fitness test this morning, Smith and the club did not want to take any chances so early in the season.

"He tried to run on the ankle but he knew that it just wasn't right," coach Graham Murray said of the 35-year-old.

"Players like Smithy know when things are not ready so he will miss this one."

Murray said Justin Smith, who was named at lock, will likely switch to pivot to partner No.7 Johnathan Thurston.

Smith was forced from the field midway through the second half of Saturday's win over the Sydney Roosters with a severely sprained ankle.

MRI scans this week showed he suffered ligament damage, but the Cowboys are hopeful he will miss just one week.

Meanwhile, injured Sharks trio Adam Dykes, Lance Thompson and Ben Pomeroy will have until tomorrow to prove their fitness for Saturday's NRL match against South Sydney.

All three missed training today and are unlikely to play, although coach Ricky Stuart will wait until tomorrow morning's practice before making a final decision and naming replacements.

Dykes (foot injury) is the worst of the three with both back rower Thompson (knee) and centre Pomeroy (hip) showing signs of improvement today.

The Sharks' short five-day turnaround this week ? after playing Monday night ? has not helped the three players get over their injury concerns.

AAP

[Queenslander]

Training injury rules out Hornby


March 30, 2007

ST George-Illawarra has suffered a massive blow on the eve of its NRL clash against North Queensland with five-eighth and skipper Ben Hornby ruled out due to injury.

Hornby damaged his quadricep muscle at training yesterday and was officially ruled out of the WIN Stadium clash by coach Nathan Brown this morning.

Brown said he had yet to make a decision on his replacement, though dumped pivot Richie Williams is likely to be reinstated to partner Mathew Head in the halves.

Williams, who made his debut in the season opening win over Gold Coast Titans, was dropped after an indifferent performance against Newcastle last week.

He was originally omitted to make way for the return of Head, who will play his first match of the season against the Cowboys after a long rehabilitation from knee surgery.

The Cowboys have injury problems of their own with five-eighth Jason Smith out of the match after succumbing to an ankle injury.

Lock Justin Smith is favoured to move to pivot to replace his namesake with Jacob Lillyman likely to come off the bench and into the starting side.

AAP

[Dakink]

Just read the above elsewhere http://news.leaguehq.com.au/dragons-...70930-54l.html

You must be effin kidding me!!!

What are they doing wrong down there - the club needs to seriously look at how and where it is training - its recovery. Bugger it it needs to look at everything. First Coops then Hornby in training injuries!!

I realise they happen but come on how often do they have to happen...

[Future Star]

Somethings wrong with the dragons conditioning....

Cowboys by 18...

[Queenslander]

SCORE UPDATE

DRAGONS: 0

COWBOYS: 10

Tries: Johnathan Thurston, Ashley Graham
Goals: Johnathan Thurston (1/2)

[Poida]

Go The Cows

[Poida]

Cowboys 16-0

Brenton Bowen try

[qld power]

cowwwwwwwwwwwwwwboys wooo woo woo

[Poida]

Bowman try
Cowboys 22-0

[qld power]

phew thank god they hung on couldnt handle another lost like the broncs had

[Poida]

Yeah 22-18 win

Cowboys gees they need to improve their game big time without JT.
Jt shouldnt have been sin binned from what I heard.

[Cowboys_Rabbit_Fan]

Anyone know what he did?

[Steel Dragon]

It was professional foul, from what I could tell listening to ABC Radio. Damn Dragons. So close yet so far - again.

Jason