COWBOYS READY FOR KNIGHTS REVENGE MISSION
THIS season’s fiercest grudge match is set to explode, with Cowboys star Jake Granville ( left) pledging revenge on Newcastle following their manhandling of Johnathan Thurston earlier this year. “They gave it to Johnno when they came up here, so we owe them one,” the try- scoring hooker said. This Saturday, the Cowboys tackle the Knights in Newcastle in a mouth- watering Anzac Day blockbuster.
Their last contest was a Round 2 powderkeg that left Thurston with a black eye, handed the Cowboys a shock 16- 14 loss and had accusations flying in the aftermath.
Thurston was the victim of several off- the- ball hits from Knights enforcers Beau Scott and Jeremy Smith, and one nasty dangerous tackle that saw him land on his head.
It prompted Thurston to suggest the Knights had not learnt a lesson from the awful injury to teammate Alex McKinnon.
Smith’s knee also landed on Thurston’s face when the champion half was already tackled.
To inflame the situation further, Scott, Smith and Chris Houston, who also lifted Thurston, escaped suspension.
Scott’s late thumpings of Thurston prompted Australian captain Cameron Smith to make a stand that playmakers had to be better protected.
Cowboys prop Matt Scott also promised that the next time the clubs met, he wouldn’t hold back, and admitted he regretted that his pack didn’t do more to stop Scott’s late hits – even if it meant a stint in the bin.
That was the NRL’s Round 2. This Saturday, in boxing parlance, it’s Round 2.
It will be rugby league as many love it: brutal.
The Cowboys actually look back on that loss to Newcastle as the turning point for their season. They lost the next week to the Broncos, but have won four straight since.
“It created fire for us. It got us where we are today, to show that fight and to stay in a game,” Granville said. “They are a tough side. When they came up here they gave it to us.
“It is just footy I suppose. We will give it our best crack. They have quality players there. ‘ Stay in the fight’ has been the big call in the last few weeks for us ... stay in the fight, stay in the grind.”
Granville bagged his first NRL hat- trick in North Queensland’s 28- 24 victory over New Zealand on Saturday. His last two tries came in the final 10 minutes as the Cowboys surged to win in the dying seconds.
“The credit goes to the boys who got me the quick play- theballs on the line,” he said.