Harko
Juniors
- Messages
- 238
It was Saturday, January 28 1995 and the venue was Leprechaun Park, Mackay. The North Queensland Cowboys were playing against the Illawarra Steelers in their first every trial match.
I was 12 at the time and up until 1995 was a passionate Broncos supporter but that night changed it all for me.
I watched a Cowboys reserve grade side go around with names such as Justin Loomans, Ian Dunemann, Laurie Spina, George Bartlett, Peter Jones and John Buttigieg running around.
Then in the main event I witnessed a gutsy Cowboys outfit go down at the hands of the Steelers 22-14. Ironically the Cowboys coach at the time was now Queensland Cup winning Young Guns coach Grant Bell and the Steelers coach at the time was now Cowboys coach Graham Murray.
That night was truly something special to me, my father and the other 6,000 who packed the ground to witness the match. The atmosphere was amazing and I was watching the likes of Adrian Vowles, Jason Martin, Martin Bella and now Cowboys trainer Glen Murphy play for the first time.
As I sat on the couch watching the Cowboys grand final qualifier on the weekend I remembered back to that game and thought about just how far the club has come in the years since then as a tear rolled down my cheek.
Since then, Cowboys fans have truly had their loyalty tested with many lows and highs through-out the years.
As Graham Murray said after the game, "This is for every player who has put on a Cowboys jersey."
As Brett Firman crashed over in the first half it reminded me of a similar try scored in that first ever game by Jason Martin. While Martin was not at the club long and Firman has not been here long those tries show what the Cowboys are all about, guts, determination and taking nothing for granted.
Players like Kyle Warren, Adrian Vowles, Laurie Spina and Wayne Sing to name a few will never be forgotten and this weekend they can stand tall knowing they had a part to play in this day.
Now it has all come down to the first Sunday in October, for all those years of torment the Cowboys and their fans have suffered the grand final and winning it is the ultimate reward.
The Cowboys have indeed come a long way and their are many fans who have been there from the start and this week is a huge week for them.
When the boys run on the field this weekend I will find myself going through many emotions but the biggest one will be pride. When a lot of people wrote the team off they stuck together and come out better for it.
All the best this weekend boys, I know you can do it and I am not the only one as there will be thousands of Cowboys fans world wide cheering for you to get over the line.
All you guys deserve a pat on the back Peter Parr, Neil Henry, Glen Murphy, Billy Johnstone, Graham Murray, Kelly Egan and all the support staff as well as all the players weather you are just in the squad or get to run out on the field for the game and I am talking about Matthew Scott, Jacob Lillyman and Brenton Bowen and at the end of the day win, lose or draw you boys have done all us fans mighty proud and will always be our team.
I was 12 at the time and up until 1995 was a passionate Broncos supporter but that night changed it all for me.
I watched a Cowboys reserve grade side go around with names such as Justin Loomans, Ian Dunemann, Laurie Spina, George Bartlett, Peter Jones and John Buttigieg running around.
Then in the main event I witnessed a gutsy Cowboys outfit go down at the hands of the Steelers 22-14. Ironically the Cowboys coach at the time was now Queensland Cup winning Young Guns coach Grant Bell and the Steelers coach at the time was now Cowboys coach Graham Murray.
That night was truly something special to me, my father and the other 6,000 who packed the ground to witness the match. The atmosphere was amazing and I was watching the likes of Adrian Vowles, Jason Martin, Martin Bella and now Cowboys trainer Glen Murphy play for the first time.
As I sat on the couch watching the Cowboys grand final qualifier on the weekend I remembered back to that game and thought about just how far the club has come in the years since then as a tear rolled down my cheek.
Since then, Cowboys fans have truly had their loyalty tested with many lows and highs through-out the years.
As Graham Murray said after the game, "This is for every player who has put on a Cowboys jersey."
As Brett Firman crashed over in the first half it reminded me of a similar try scored in that first ever game by Jason Martin. While Martin was not at the club long and Firman has not been here long those tries show what the Cowboys are all about, guts, determination and taking nothing for granted.
Players like Kyle Warren, Adrian Vowles, Laurie Spina and Wayne Sing to name a few will never be forgotten and this weekend they can stand tall knowing they had a part to play in this day.
Now it has all come down to the first Sunday in October, for all those years of torment the Cowboys and their fans have suffered the grand final and winning it is the ultimate reward.
The Cowboys have indeed come a long way and their are many fans who have been there from the start and this week is a huge week for them.
When the boys run on the field this weekend I will find myself going through many emotions but the biggest one will be pride. When a lot of people wrote the team off they stuck together and come out better for it.
All the best this weekend boys, I know you can do it and I am not the only one as there will be thousands of Cowboys fans world wide cheering for you to get over the line.
All you guys deserve a pat on the back Peter Parr, Neil Henry, Glen Murphy, Billy Johnstone, Graham Murray, Kelly Egan and all the support staff as well as all the players weather you are just in the squad or get to run out on the field for the game and I am talking about Matthew Scott, Jacob Lillyman and Brenton Bowen and at the end of the day win, lose or draw you boys have done all us fans mighty proud and will always be our team.
