'11 | R2 | Sat | Cowboys 22-34 Knights | DFS

[Timmah]

1. Matthew Bowen 2. Ashley Graham 3. Will Tupou 4 Willie Tonga 5. Michael Bani 6. Ray Thompson 7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Matthew Scott 9. Aaron Payne 10. James Tamou 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Glenn Hall 13. Dallas Johnson

Interchange: 14. Ben Jones 15. Leeson Ah Mau 16. Tariq Sims 17. Ashton Sims
Extended Bench: 18. Ricky Thorby

1. Kurt Gidley (C) 2. James McManus 3. Junior Sa'u 4. Wes Naiqama 5. Akuila Uate 6. Beau Henry 7. Jarrod Mullen
8. Antonio Kaufusi 9. Matt Hilder 10. Evarn Tuimavave 11. Zeb Taia 12. Cameron Ciraldo 13. Chris Houston

Interchange: 14. Ben Rogers 15. Cory Paterson 16. Richie Fa'aoso 17. Dan Tolar
Extended Bench: 18. Joel Edwards

Referee
Jared Maxwell
Phil Haines
Touch Judges: Jason Walsh and Michael Wise
Video Referee: Phil Cooley


Toyota Cup Round 2
Cowboys v Knights @ DFS, Sat 6:15pm QLD (7:15pm NSW) - teams here

QRL Intrust Super Cup Round 1
Norths (BRI) v Mackay (NQL) @ Bishop Park, Sat 2:00pm
Central (BRI) v Northern (NQL) @ Browne Park, Sat 6:00pm - teams here

NSW Cup Round 1
Cronulla (CRO, MEL) v Central Coast (NWC) @ Toyota, Sat 3:00pm - teams here

 

[kia ora storm]

Knights by 4...

 

[to_ddeath]

Knights won with something in hand yesterday, should be a little too good here.

 

[besthalfbackPEARCE]

I went NQLD cause it's their homeground.

 

[Bicey_18]

I think this will be an early test to see how well the Cowboys worked on their defence in the off season because you know the Knights will throw alot at them. Should be a close one, leaning towards the Knights.. just

 

[Joker's Wild]

Costigan out for 3 months with a broken arm, DeGois gone for 3 weeks with a broken thumb and Gidley in doubt with a back injury

Always a tough road trip up north but I think the Knights have the edge, even with the above players missing.

 

[beave]

I was going to pick the Knights, but JW's player update has made me change my mind.

The amount though will be determined on who Henry picks this week, if Michael Bani is marking Uate, then it's going to be very close.

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

Cowboys but it be a tough test despite Newcastle injuries with a renewed defense thanks to the likes of Dallas Johnson and a positive attitude it can go either way.Uate would get a try a least in the game and if Bani does get pick he better play he heart out if he wants to stay in first grade for the rest of 2011 and know where the sideline is too.

 

[timka4]

Its over if Bani is marking Uate

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Heart as always says Knights but for my tipping comp will be going Cows, they were good on Friday night and Costigan and especially De Gois will kill us.

 

[Charlie124]

*double*

 

[Charlie124]

Cows by 13+ in front of the home crowd. Injuries have really hurt the knights (even though we're missing Winterstein, Tate and Bolton). Our forward pack has a lot of quality depth this year. While last year we'd have 3 good forwards and fill the rest of the pack with duds, this time around we're much stronger even with Boltons injury.

 

[Apey]

Cowboys unfortunately.

 

[Noname36]

Cowboys unfortunately.

This. Too many injuries to important players for the Knights sadly.

 

[RHCP]

I was going to say Cowboys but f**k it, it's Round 2 and I can be as ridiculously one-sided and optimistic as I please.

Knights by 20!

 

[jonno_knights]

The loss of Costigan wont change much. We lost him 10min into the match last week.

We will however lose DeGois' creativity and spark out of dummy half.

If Gidley plays, he will be able to chip in at hooker to get a roll on.

Hilder will tighten up the defense, together with Housten they will need to contain the Thurston/Bowen Combo. He will provide good service out of dummy half, and played a few great games there in 2008 covering for Bedsy.

We had the practice in hot and humid conditions last week, so should be as prepared as anyone in the comp to make the trip up north. It will be a good test to see where we are at, as the Panthers were a joke last week. We need to pick up as many away wins as possible in the first half of the season, as our Schedule gets easier in the run to the finals.

 

[perverse]

I'm going to back my boys in again here. we won't miss Costigan, we barely had him. De Gois' loss is significant, but Hilder will fill in admirably. Gidleys loss will hurt the most, and we'll struggle to win without him, but i've got my fingers crossed that his back will come good and he'll play.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Forktongues by 10

 

[Timmah]

North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights
Saturday 19 March 2011, kickoff 9:30pm; Dairy Farmers Stadium
Referees: Jared Maxwell and Phil Haines; Touch Judges: Jason Walsh and Michael Wise; Video Referee: Phil Cooley

Cowboys: 1. Matthew Bowen 2. Ashley Graham 3. Will Tupou 4 Willie Tonga 5. Michael Bani 6. Ray Thompson 7. Johnathan Thurston 8. Matthew Scott 9. Aaron Payne 10. James Tamou 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Glenn Hall 13. Dallas Johnson
Interchange: 14. Ben Jones 15. Leeson Ah Mau 16. Tariq Sims 17. Ashton Sims 18. Ricky Thorby
Knights: 1. Kurt Gidley (C) 2. James McManus 3. Junior Sa'u 4. Wes Naiqama 5. Akuila Uate 6. Beau Henry 7. Jarrod Mullen 8. Antonio Kaufusi 9. Matt Hilder 10. Evarn Tuimavave 11. Zeb Taia 12. Cameron Ciraldo 13. Chris Houston
Interchange: 14. Ben Rogers 15. Cory Paterson 16. Richie Fa'aoso 17. Dan Tolar 18. Joel Edwards

From NRL Teams: http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=20566

Lower grade sides (Toyota, QRL & NSW Cup): http://leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=20576

 

[Didgi]

Major milestone reached for Tariq Sims



15/03/2011 3:41:35 PM


2010 Toyota Cup Player of the Year Tariq Sims will make his NRL debut for the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys against Newcastle at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.
Cowboys coach Neil Henry confirmed this afternoon that the 21-year-old forward would be in the final 17 to face the Knights, joining his elder brother Ashton, who played his first club game and 138th NRL match last week.
Both brothers joined the Cowboys from the Brisbane Broncos at the end of last season.
Tariq comes into the round two squad in place of second-rower Scott Bolton, who will be out for a maximum of three weeks after tearing a calf muscle in last Friday night’s win against Brisbane.
Ex-Dragon Ricky Thorby has also been included in the 18-man squad for the Knights game which is the only round two match-up featuring two first-round winners.
Tariq had listed making his NRL debut as one of his 2011 goals and he hasn’t taken long to tick that off.
“He’s very excited about that,” Henry said of Tariq’s upcoming debut.
“He’s earned the right to start in an NRL 17 on the back of his trial form and his work ethic at training.
“He’ll be playing alongside his brother which will be exciting for the Sims family.”
Henry said that as well as being a hard worker, Sims didn’t look out of place playing in the two pre-season trials against the “big boys”.
“He’s done very well in our opposed sessions and he’s got a great attitude towards his football.
“I think he’ll acquit himself well.
“Being his debut, he’ll find out how quick the NRL is. There’s a lot of pace out there.
“Starting off the bench, we can limit his time on the field or extend him a bit if he’s going well.
“There’s a little bit of flexibility there about our back row.”
Gavin Cooper has been promoted from the interchange bench to Bolton’s starting second-rower position and will take up a spot on the left-hand side of the Cowboys’ attack.
Henry said Thorby’s inclusion in the 18-man squad showed he was in the mix for selection after he was disappointed to miss out on a place for the Broncos game.
“He’s been pretty good for us in the trials. He’s right on the edge there,” he said.
“He’s certainly putting a bit of pressure on the other forwards.”

http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.a...&title=major-milestone-reached-for-tariq-sims

Good on him, the bolded bit is great news if he can recover that quickly.

As always Timmah is too quick. Article from NQC:

Former St George Illawarra Dragon Ricky Thorby has been added to the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ squad for their round two meeting with the Newcastle Knights at Dairy Farmers Stadium this Saturday night.


See you at the game! Tickets on sale through cowboys.com.au/tickets or call 1300 GO COWBOYS!


The 25-year-old forward was today included in an 18-man squad by coach Neil Henry, taking the place of second-rower Scott Bolton, whose torn calf muscle is expected to keep him on the sideline for two to three weeks.
Prop James Tamou, who scored the Cowboys’ opening try in the 16-14 win against Brisbane on Friday night, has been named in the starting pack after coming off the bench in round one.
Thorby came to the Cowboys after four seasons with the Dragons where he made a total of 21 NRL appearances, including 10 last season.
He made his debut for St George Illawarra in round 12 in 2007.
Tariq Sims, 2010 Toyota Cup player of the year and 18th man against Brisbane, remains in the squad.
Meanwhile, Cowboys fullback Matthew Bowen has lodged an early guilty plea to his grade one contrary conduct charge placed by the NRL match review panel on Monday.
Because he had seven incident-free years in the NRL prior to this charge, Bowen received a discount on his penalty which reduced his demerit points to 50.
He is free to play against the Knights on Saturday night.


North Queensland Toyota Cowboys v Newcastle Knights
Round 2, 2011 NRL Telstra Premiership
8.30pm, Saturday 19 March, Dairy Farmers Stadium

1. Matthew Bowen
2. Ashley Graham
3. Will Tupou
4 Willie Tonga
5. Michael Bani
6. Ray Thompson
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Matthew Scott
9. Aaron Payne
10. James Tamou
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Glenn Hall
13. Dallas Johnson
Interchange
14. Ben Jones
15. Leeson Ah Mau
16. Tariq Sims
17. Ashton Sims
18. Ricky Thorby

http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.a...thorby-&-sims-brothers-to-line-up-for-round-2

And Toyota Cup Team is:

1. Wayne Ulugia
2. Alex Elisala
3. Dominic Walsh
4. Moses Pangai
5. Kyle Feldt
6. Michael Parker-Walshe
7. Michael Morgan
8. Sam Hoare
9. Jay Lobwein
10. Felise Kaufusi
11. [URL="http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-nyc-display&id=656&team=Cowboys-nyc&chris-mclean"]Chris McLean[/URL]
12, Jason Taumalolo
13. John Koko
Interchange
14. Nathan Norford
15. Anthony Gadd
16. John Puna
17. Chris Grevsmuhl
18. Zac Santo