Mistake led to big play
IT was a moment that emphasised the character upon which the Cowboys’ grand final fairytale has been built.
Early in the second half in Saturday’s preliminary final win, centre Justin O’Neill lost the ball 20m from his own line, not a Roosters arm laid upon him.
The Roosters spread the ball wide to winger Blake Ferguson, who scored to give them the lead.
A player with less mental strength, as teammate Antonio Winterstein says, “would have gone into his shell”.
But O’Neill, furious at himself, took his very next opportunity for redemption.
From the kick- off he cut Ferguson in half with a textbook tackle, forcing the Blues and Kangaroos star into error.
The Cowboys scored through Kyle Feldt the next set, taking a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“I was pretty filthy with myself. It was a lapse in concentration. I knew I let the team down and I wanted to make up for it,” O’Neill said.
“I was lucky it happened pretty soon ( afterwards) and we got a try on the back of it.
“I could either go into my shell and fall out of the game, or stay in the game and do my job for the boys.
“I knew the next chance I got would be a kick- chase and a defensive set, so I wanted to do my job and then some.”
O’Neill will come up against his former side Melbourne in Sunday’s grand final. Just a few weeks ago he thought his season was over after dislocating his elbow, but the Cowboys’ finals charge gave him a chance to return against Parramatta in week two.
“It’s going to be weird com- ing up against the old team. It will be mixed emotions, but we’ve got a job to do,” O’Neill said. “They ( Storm) are just really professional.
“Obviously there are a couple of key players there and we can’t afford to give them too many opportunities.”
After switching to the left edge on his injury return, O’Neill will come up against star Storm centre Will Chambers on Sunday.
“It’s a big challenge. He’s playing some really good footy this year and he’s going to be a handful,” O’Neill said.
“I think if we play as an edge, we can contain him.”
Winterstein, who had the best seat in the house outside O’Neill on the wing, rated the tackle the key moment of the game.
“I think anyone would have gone into their shell, a big game like that,” Winterstein said. “It was a costly error, but ‘ Juzee’ brushed it aside and came up with the big play.
“As a team we’re mentally strong.”
Jason Taumalolo described the O’Neill moment as “something special”.
Taumalolo has been in devastating form throughout the finals and there is no chance he would make way for Scott’s return.
But the 113kg wrecking ball ( pictured) said Scott was so highly regarded he would give up his jersey to see him play.
“It will be pretty unfortunate if one of the boys missed out,” Taumalolo said. “If I had it my way, I’d give my jersey to a co- captain if I could. “Everyone can do the job — we’ve proven that in the last three w weeks. The boys off the bench have been phenomenal.
“We spoke about the ‘ benchies’ doing a great job for us ( against t the Roosters). They went out there and did that. They were a big p part of us winning the game.”