O'Donnell and Thurston top Cowboys targets
JOSH ALSTON
November 17th, 2009
GETTING the signatures of Cowboys stars Johnathan Thurston and Luke O'Donnell for beyond 2010 will begin in earnest this pre-season but a host of other players may have to wait.
The club's intention to do everything it can to keep its skipper in North Queensland colours has been well-reported over recent months with talks to begin formally in early December when Thurston returns from holidays.
New South Wales second-rower O'Donnell is also high on the Cowboys' agenda and executive director Peter Parr said discussions would begin with him as soon as he returned from his break.
But other players off contract will be assessed in the pre-season, trials and opening rounds before any further offers are likely to be tabled.
''(O'Donnell) is one guy we'll be looking to talk to over the off-season, he's in Sydney at the moment with the new baby,'' Parr said.
''When he gets back we'll have a yarn with him and we'll be having a chat with his manager.
''Outside of him and Johnathan, I don't know too many we're going to pursue in the off-season.
''A few of the younger guys have been good such as Steve Rapira and James Tamou and we want to see them back that up with another good pre-season.
''We're in no rush, to be honest, to sign too many too soon.''
A number of players will come off contract at the end of 2010 including Carl Webb, John Williams, Steve Southern, Grant Rovelli, Clint Amos, Donald Malone, Mitchell Achurch, Obe Geia, Brandon Boor, Anthony Watts, Nick Slyney, Isaak Ah Mau and Dane Hogan.
With the club having missed the finals for the past two seasons, Parr said the football department was keen to run its eye over their form in the pre-season and regular season before leaping in with offers.
''There's a few guys we're looking at to improve on last year and I think Neil and the rest of the coaching staff want to assess those players before we move onward too much,'' Parr said.
''We're obviously talking to Neil and the footy department all the time, it's a continuing thing, recruitment and retention.
''Keeping Johnathan and Luke is a given and we'll keep talking to the other players, when we're comfortable about making an offer we'll go about the process.''
Meanwhile former Cowboy Jaiman Lowe has signed to play with feeder team the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup.
Parr said his signing further strengthened the depth in the club and said he could come into the frame for first grade should injuries strike again in 2010.
''I think he's a proven NRL player, he's played (98) first-grade games,'' he said.
''It's a long season and because of that, the more depth that we have the better.
''There's no doubt getting players like him and Brenton Bowen back to the Northern Pride increases our depth.''
