09 :: R20 Sat :: Cowboys 20 Panthers 28 @ Dairy Farmers

[Timmah]

1. Matthew Bowen
2. Michael Bani 3. Ty Williams 4. Willie Tonga 5. John Williams
6. Grant Rovelli 7. Johnathan Thurston (c)
8. Shane Tronc 9. Travis Burns 10. Matthew Scott
11. Carl Webb 12. Scott Bolton
13. Steve Southern

Interchange: 14. Steve Rapira 15. Antonio Kaufusi 16. James Tamou 17. Manase Manuokafoa
Reserves: 18. Dayne Weston

1. Jarrod Sammut
2. Junior Tia-Kilifi 3. Michael Jennings 4. Brad Tighe 5. Michael Gordon
6. Wade Graham 7. Luke Walsh
8. Frank Puletua 9. Paul Aiton 10. Matthew Bell
11. Trent Waterhouse (c) 12. Gavin Cooper
13. Nathan Smith

Interchange: 14. Adam Woolnough 15. Tim Grant 16. Joseph Paulo 17. Maurice Blair
Reserves: 18. Shane Elford

Referees
Shayne Hayne & Matt Cecchin
Touch Judges: Paul Holland, Gavin Reynolds
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead

Toyota Cup Round 20
North Queensland v Penrith
Dairy Farmers Stadium, Saturday 5:15pm

QLD Cup Round 18
Redcliffe v Northern (NQL)
Dolphin Oval, Saturday 2:00pm

Norths (BRI) v Mackay (NQL)
Bishop Park, Sunday 2:00pm

NSW Cup Round 17
Windsor (PEN) v Newtown (SYD)
Windsor Sports Complex, Saturday 6:00pm

 

[Caged Panther]

Tigers really didn't do us any favours by winning yesterday. I think the cowboys will have us covered by 13+. Particularly with Sammut, Graham and Jennings all set to take the field below 100%

 

[murraymob]

our record up there is pretty good.Thurston is the key shut him down we win.We are a better side than the tigpies gordon and woolnough are getting there match fitness back and will be better as well .I think we will win this one

 

[Truthy746]

I'm going with the Panthers here, Cowboys are going to hit a bit of a slump in the next few weeks I think due to Thurston and Panthers should be able to capitalise. Panthers by 8.

 

[Panther_Daz]

My first trip up to Townsville and i can't wait

Hope to see a big crowd up there with the Panthers winning!

 

[Timmah]

teams & refs in

 

[Timmah]

Cowbows at sixes and sevens over No.9
AAP Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:25:17

They may be at sixes and sevens over who should wear No.9, but the North Queensland Cowboys are very clear on what is required against Penrith at Townsville on Saturday night.

"If we are serious about being a chance of being in the top four we need to beat Penrith at home," Cowboys coach Neil Henry said on Tuesday.

Henry read the riot act to his team following their 34-14 drubbing at Leichhardt Oval last Sunday - a loss that severely dented their top four, and possibly top eight, hopes.

Another big dent was left on stand-in hooker Anthony Watts' face, ensuring Henry had to slot in a fourth-choice rake for their crucial NRL clash at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

After copping a belting in a scrum thanks to a "square up" from opposite number Robbie Farah, a battered and bruised Watts was then hit with a one-match ban for striking following an early guilty plea.

It was a big blow after regular rakes Aaron Payne (pectoral) and Clint Amos (knee) were already out for the season.

In the end, Henry opted for regular pivot Travis Burns as the new face at hooker - for now.

"We will need to be a bit creative with who ducks into the nine spot at different parts of the field," Henry said at Townsville on Tuesday.

"But he (Burns) is used to playing 80 minutes of football ... (and) we are pretty limited at this stage after losing three hookers."

Henry was more clear on what was expected from his sixth placed side (9-8 record) after the morale-sapping loss to the Wests Tigers.

"I thought some players were disappointing. We talked about that - they know who they are," Henry said.

"We need to be a bit better than that.

"Wests Tigers had their season on the line. We had a chance to take that away from them but we weren't good enough.

"And also the way the game fell it would have helped us push up the ladder and put pressure on for a top four spot."

Henry described the Penrith clash as "pivotal" to not only a top four, but a top eight finish.

"It's a home game, we need to stay in touch (with the top four)," he said.

"All the way down to ninth comes down to for and against.

"We have to maintain our superior for and against because in the run to the finals it may decide a few places in the top eight.

"So we need to defend better than last week."

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...ows-at-sixes-and-sevens-over-no9/default.aspx


Yes... you read correctly, the Cowbows are at sixes and sevens.

I wonder what they did to the Cowboys...

 

[Big Pete]

This is a really important game for both clubs and should be an absolute cracker.

Cowboys to be too good at home.

 

[Knights_Premiers]

I've tipped the Cowboys against some of Top 8 teams before and they have come unstuck (e.g. Titans, Storm, Dragons). The Panthers have a good record up there too but I can't bring myself to tip them. I don't know why. Cowboys by 2.

 

[StinkyPete]

cowboys by 2. i'm worried about our lack of a hooker for this game.

 

[murraymob]

thurston is the key to the game .Penrith have to get up quick on him.If he gets going the cowboys will be hard to beat

 

[jpaciocco91]

choc soldiers by 2

 

[Sleep]

Sadly, I think this one will get away from the Panthers. Cowboys to bounce back and win by 10.

 

[Rovelli]

Should be a good game this. Penrith have a good record up in North Queensland, and the Cowboys are still missing a little something that would make them a top-4 contender. They're not far away (ladder-wise), but they're not a complete side. Penrith have been hurt by injuries, but should still like their chances at making the top-8, with a 3-point gap to Souths, and a Broncos team going south. I really like the upstart Penrith side, but I think Thurston will be the difference. Cowboys by 1.

 

[murraymob]

the penrith boys traveled up there today.By all reports from panther daz who traveled with the team as 19th man in case of injury.Daz may nead plenty of taping up before entering any field.Jennings has said he is sweet ready to go.
Thurston may be the cowboys key but jennings firing for us is vital as well

penrith by 8

 

[Panther_Daz]

the penrith boys traveled up there today.By all reports from panther daz who traveled with the team as 19th man in case of injury.Daz may nead plenty of taping up before entering any field.Jennings has said he is sweet ready to go.
Thurston may be the cowboys key but jennings firing for us is vital as well

penrith by 8

Mate after the Townsville Cup races tomorrow i will be in no state to be 19th man for anyone:crazy:

 

[bigfoot]

100 penalties against Penrith in the first 20 minutes.
NRL Record? :lol:

 

[Dragon]

What a try Panthers

 

[bigfoot]

Wow, I can't believe we are level at halftime after the amount of possession the Cowgirls have had. :crazy:
Gordon = most underrated winger in the NRL, by far.

 

[Caged Panther]

Was really quite surprised to get that last try. It's certainly is normally the sort of situation where we don't get benefit of the doubt.

Would have been happy with 10-6 at half time given the way the first half went, so I stoked with 10 all, think the cowboys are playing the better though.