Cowboys ... the next Warriors?

[Sir Biffo]

I was just reading in another thread someone thinking the Cowboys will be back next year. Why? They have done absolutley nothing this year since round six and appear to be heading back to the old Cowboys who are happy if they finish 12th and chalk up a few wins.

Now I have a bit of time for the Cowboys after seeing them living on Struggle Street for the last 11 seasons, but seriously it just doesn't look that good for them, and they might go down the road of the Warriors, who were battlers, made the finals, made the GF and now are back to being battlers (apart from their last win).

 

[Jordan]

I'm definitely worried.. I'm hoping having someone like Thurston in the halves (along with Jason Smith next year), will be able to prevent this from happening.. but we are pretty lean for backs with the loss of Sing, Hannay and possibly Bowman.

 

[Evergreen]

I think they'll be OK.

They have good players in important positions (Thurston, Payne, Bowen), and Graham Murray is one of the best coaches in the league.

The forward pack is pretty good also. With blokes like Matthew Scott, O'Donnell, Southern, Webb and co they have the potential to cause a lot of damage when playing with confidence.

Injuries have been unkind, but this year it appears that the loss of Rauhihi has hit hard. They have lacked an 'enforcer' up front, and hopefully Webb can finally pull the finger out and step up in that department next year.

It's hard to put a finger on exactly what's happened in '06. If the rumours are true I can see how it would affect them, but regardless, they are definitely a team without confidence and have been since about round 7-8.

 

[Raider_69]

Smith partnering Thurston will ensure they are a geniune threat

 

[Bazal]

With Smith and Thurston in the halves, they could have 3 Scott Minto's and 2 Ash Grahams in the backline and still score a swag of tries....

 

[Ant]

I think from my point of view the cowboys can come back next year, they have suffered a lot of injuries this year. At full strength they can be a force.

I mean this year to look at their squad, players of note to have missed serious game time:
Bowman missed 6 games
Williams missed 17 games
Thurston missed 6 games
O'Donnel has missed 8 games

Those are arguably their 4 best players along with matt sing and bowen.

Thats key players missing big numbers of matches. Only 2 players sing and bowen have played every match. I am a form believer in a good season means having your top side on the park on a regular basis. I also think their young forwards who made origin in scott and lillyman have gotten tired as the season went on.

I think the cowboys will be strong again next year barring injury. They have good young forwards up front in tronc and scott, who should improve in the consistent stakes. Webb, O'Donnell and Norton is a good backrow. Good support off the bench in lillyman, sargent and jensen. Plus great hooker combo in payne/faimu.

In the halves well thurston and smith looks dangerous. Bowman to be back for one more year. Bowen superstar. But then it looks a bit bare. Sing is off, so is hannay. I know williams has just had a knee recon and will be out for 9-12 months, so they won't get him back till mid year at best. Henry is a talent and graham can cover. They have some good youngsters in all areas in the young guns. They have minto as well for cover. I think the key may be an unknown to most in Jackson Nickolau, he is very promising. He has been part of the storm and i know their plan was for him to succeed hill, but he is an innisfail boy and moved back close to home. He can cover centre, fullback 5/8th. I expect he will play plenty of first grade next year.

 

[Eels Dude]

They've still got a strong side and good combinations, they just lack confidence and execution at the moment. If they have a good off season, have everyone back on deck for the start of the season, they should be right to have a good year. The pressure will be off a bit next yr and hopefully can return to some winning ways.

 

[Iafeta]

Back to being battlers?

Ok - we're running 10th, look at the for and against, look at how competitive the team is, if you can't admit the team has improved a hang of a lot this year there's something wrong with your analysis.

We're in a rebuilding phase bringing through some youngsters, and still doing fairly well all things considered (salary cap rort etc). We'll be right, don't cry for us Argentino.

 

[RainMan]

All depends if a certain 2 players settle their differences in the off season. If not, I'm betting its more of the same since round 8 this year.

 

[Raiders Plight]

It is true about all the off-field problems at the cowboys? That nobody wants thurston in the team except management won't let him go.

 

[ShadesOfTheSun]

I think they'll be OK.

They have good players in important positions (Thurston, Payne, Bowen), and Graham Murray is one of the best coaches in the league.

And the Warriors have had Stacey Jones, Wiki, Price, etc. The situation is quite comparable thus far, really.

 

[HevyDevy]

Back to being battlers?

Ok - we're running 10th, look at the for and against, look at how competitive the team is, if you can't admit the team has improved a hang of a lot this year there's something wrong with your analysis.

We're in a rebuilding phase bringing through some youngsters, and still doing fairly well all things considered (salary cap rort etc). We'll be right, don't cry for us Argentino.

I have no doubt the warriors are a vastly improved team this year. Even in losses they are always competitive.

I think weeding out the bad influences (ie. Tony Kemp) has made all the difference. He undermined Daniel Anderson to get the top job and succeeded but he couldn't coach and that showed last year. His bickering with Daniel also fractured the players. At least now Cleary seems to have them all moving back in the rigth direction.

 

[Eels Dude]

And the Warriors have had Stacey Jones, Wiki, Price, etc. The situation is quite comparable thus far, really.

How are those 3 Warriors players comparable with those from the Cowboys?

 

[-Dr.J-]

Heh, the Warriors have had disease in the management for a long time, and off field issues permeating through performances. If that's the comparison you wanna draw, then fair enough.. Because it seems like that might be the issue with the Cows. Cos their team stacks up well, and has performaed well in the past.

Clearly though you're not watching this years Warriors hard enough though, they've found some decent rhythm structure and management that promises much for the future. If you can't recognise the ability of the Warriors, you're one of those cavemen that likes to hate on them "Cos they is kiwiz!". Have a four X...

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I think it's quite possible.

It may seem blasphemous to say it, but in some regards the 2002/03 Warriors were a little overrated. We were patchy in 2003. In 2002, our team wasn't *that* good on paper. We just had a few individuals in career best form (Jones, Marsh, SeuSeu), and one terminally underrated bonafide freak (Lauiti'iti).

I reckon that the Cowboys are overrated on paper, if that makes sense. Other people look at their line-up and rave about it, yet to me on paper they don't look that good. The same is often the case with the Warriors, we've often had stacks of mediocre players in the team yet people talk us up as being "filled with brilliant individuals".

So yeah, maybe.

 

[Esoj]

considering the warriors this year started behind everyone else they have done very well to get where they are. if they hadn't been docked the 4points they would be 1 win outside of the eight. the warriors are hardly battling and have improved greatly from the diasterous 2004 and 2005 seasons.

 

[Noa]

The Cowboy's are going to find it alot tougher then the Warrior's with another Queensland team coming in.

IMO the Warrior's are about to become one of the Juggernaughts of the competition. The young players that are starting to come into first grade are the first wave of players who have grown up watching them (8 then,18 now) and know what it takes to be a first-grade league player.

Previously, I suspect, the Toopi's and Lautiti's didnt quite comprehend the commitment it took and relied on natural ability.

Interested on our Kiwi's freinds view on this.

 

[Blaze]

IMO the Warrior's are about to become one of the Juggernaughts of the competition. The young players that are starting to come into first grade are the first wave of players who have grown up watching them (8 then,18 now) and know what it takes to be a first-grade league player.

I doubt it... We always seem to find a way of stuffing things up. Even when we had a good thing going from 01-03 we came crashing back down.

In saying that we should make the 8 next year. We need to.

 

[douglasallen91]

the point about the young players watching the warriors when they was little is the key to me. grew up with warriors in their blood

 

[Iafeta]

That's a fair point Noa.

It'll be interesting to see what happens now. The good thing right now is the influx of youngsters with fair ability - Ah Van, Vatuvei, Mannering, Tuimavave, Anderson, Rapira, Lauaki - all young fullas with a fair bit of potential.

Next year will be the year to decide on where the Warriors are going, one hopes it'll be a good one. If they carry on from the back half of this year in the same fashion it'll be most enjoyable.