Dominic Brock | rugbyleaguelive.com | 08/05/08 | 0
North Queensland Cowboys v Cronulla Sharks
Saturday 10th May, 7.30pm
Dairy Farmers Stadium
Referee: Tony Archer
HEAD TO HEAD
Played 21, Sharks 16 wins, Cowboys 5 wins.
FORM GUIDE
Cowboys: LLLWWWLL
Sharks: WWLWWLLB
Both sides are coming off back-to-back close losses, with Cronulla going down at home to the Panthers and Tigers before last week’s bye while the Cowboys came close against the Storm before handing South Sydney its first win of the year.
The Sharks are specialising in close games in 2008 – they haven’t had a game decided by more than four points in seven weeks – while North Queensland have slumped to second-last place on the ladder.
Both sides have key men backing up from Friday’s Australia-New Zealand Test, with Johnathan Thurston and Carl Webb named for the Cowboys and back row pair Paul Gallen and Greg Bird in action for the visitors. Injuries to any of those four – particularly Thurston – will hurt their team’s chances on Friday. The visitors have also been without Ricky Stuart this week, with the coach away on national duty.
Despite their poor form and the absence of injured fullback Matt Bowen, the Cowboys look the goods on Saturday. They almost toughed out a win over the reigning premiers the last time they were at home, and last weekend’s loss to the Rabbitohs should snap them back into action. The Sharks will be fresh after a bye but they remain the worst attacking team in the comp this year, and the fact Brett Kimmorley is already thinking about where he’ll be next season won’t help.
THE BURNING QUESTION
Can the Cowboys snap back into action after losing to the bumbling Bunnies?
KEY MATCH UPS
Johnathan Thurston v Brett Kimmorley
Thurston will be backing up from Friday’s Test but will be keen to keep up the tempo on his return to club football, with his Cowboys underperforming in 2008 and needing to put on another string of wins to get back on track for the finals. With brilliant sidekick Matt Bowen struggling for fitness this year and unlikely to start on Saturday, more of the responsibility for sparking the Cowboys in attack will fall on Thurston’s shoulders.
Kimmorley also faces a test this season, for entirely different reasons. With his exit from the Sharks at season’s end now inevitable the halfback could be forgiven for losing some enthusiasm week-to-week. But he still needs to secure a contract with another club (most likely the Dragons) to see out his career, and the former Australian No.7 will want to create more points for Cronulla to show his best form is not behind him.
COACHES CORNER
With Bowen expected to be out the Graham Murray has reshuffled his team, with Ashley Graham slotting into fullback, Ben Harris taking Graham’s place at centre and former Newcastle back-rower Daniel Abraham coming into the second row. Travis Burns’ return at five-eighth also shifts Justin Smith to lock and Sam Faust onto the bench.
Despite their dismal position on the ladder for a team tipped by many as a top-four prospect, the Cowboys can be relatively happy with their form at home. They’re scoring 26 points a game at Dairy Farmers – despite being held to just 10 by the Storm – and if Thurston comes through Friday’s game unscathed they should have enough points in them to see off the Sharks. With Aaron Payne getting the Cowboys to follow an up-tempo game plan up the middle the hosts should have plenty of chances for Thurston to link up with his young outside backs on the fringes.
Cronulla can match the North Queensland forward pack but will have to match the Storm’s round 7 defensive effort if they are also to come away with the two points. The New Zealand big men could do Cronulla a big favour by battering Thurston on Friday night, but otherwise they’ll have to be on their game in defence to cut down the star halfback.
PUNTERS GUIDE
Head to head: Cowboys - $1.50; Sharks - $2.50
The hosts are starting as pretty comfortable favourites, despite their lowly place on the ladder and the Sharks’ top-eight position, and they should come out on top. Cronulla always seem to be in the game until the final moments but have again lost the knack of winning the tight ones, so take a look at the Cowboys by 1-12.
Ash Graham has notched four tries this season and has opened the scoring for North Queensland twice, and with him taking on Bowen’s role of sniffing around the ruck in attack look to the fill-in fullback as first try-scorer.
CASUALTY WARD
Cowboys: Matt Bowen – knee (indefinite), Ty Williams – hamstring (indefinite), Matt Scott – ankle (Rd 21), Shane Tronc – shoulder (indefinite), Sione Faumuina – groin (Rd 13), Luke O’Donnell – hip (Rd 12)
Sharks: Reece Williams – knee (season), Kevin Kingston – ankle (Rd 10)
BAD BOYS
Cowboys: Jacob Lillyman – Rd 10
Sharks: Ben Ross – Rd 11
TEAM LISTS
Cowboys: Ashley Graham, Mark Henry, Ben Harris, Ben Farrar, John Williams, Travis Burns, Johnathan Thurston (capt), Ray Cashmere, Aaron Payne, Carl Webb, Steve Southern, Daniel Abraham, Justin Smith. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Sam Faust, Dayne Weston, Ben Vaeau.
Sharks: Brett Kearney, Bryson Goodwin, Ben Pomeroy, David Simmons, Luke Covell, Brett Seymour, Brett Kimmorley, Adam Peek, Isaac De Gois, Danny Nutley, Paul Gallen, Luke Douglas, Greg Bird. Interchange: Kade Snowden, Fraser Anderson, Dustin Cooper, Terence Seu Seu, Paul Stephenson, Bryan Norrie (two to be omitted).
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