Same 17 carries hopes
COWBOYS coach Paul Green has stuck to his word and named an unchanged line- up for Sunday’s NRL grand final.
The same 17 players who have led North Queensland’s unlikely charge from eighth will take the field against the Storm, with veteran prop Matt Scott set to be denied a miraculous return from a ruptured ACL as long as there are no unexpected hiccups this week.
Green cheekily replied “none” when asked how many injury concerns the Cowboys have ahead of the grand final, but there were a few high- profile observers at yesterday’s open training session.
Captain Gavin Cooper curiously took no part in the contact session while Ethan Lowe also watched on with his black eye, but Green insisted both would be fit for the team’s final training run in Sydney.
“Today was a bit more about recovery than training and also an opportunity for our fans to come and have a look at us before we head off to Sydney,” the coach said.
“We’ve got a few bumps and bruises out of the weekend, but nothing major. There’s a few guys who didn’t train, but I expect them all to get through and be right to play.”
Scott isn’t the only unlucky player to miss out on a grand final berth, with a reserves bench that includes Ray Thompson, Javid Bowen and Braden Uele.
Club stalwart Thompson was also 18th man for the Cowboys in the 2015 grand final while Bowen has played a crucial role this season with 13 games at both centre and wing.
The Cowboys have been forced to use a whopping 32 players during their injury- hit campaign and Green said every one of them still had a role to play as the club chases its second premiership in three years. “It’s been a hell of a year for us for a number of different reasons. I don’t remember a year as tough from an injury perspective,” Green said.
“We’ve used something like 32 players this year, which is a lot more than we’ve used in past years. Different guys have had to play their part throughout the year.
“The thing with guys like Javid that are around the fringes of the team now, it’s important that they stay mentally focused and prepare as if they are playing because that can rub off through the group.”
North Queensland’s last encounter with the Storm was shrouded in controversy after Green was slapped with a $ 10,000 fine for claiming fans were dudded by a refereeing performance he described the worst he had seen.
Matt Cecchin and Gerard Sutton will take the whistle for the grand final and Green insisted he had no issues with their appointments.
“I had a bit to say about it a little while before the finals and I think it probably opened some good dialogue between myself and Tony Archer ( referees boss) through the last few weeks,” Green said.
“I think the refs have probably been a bit more consistent. I’m really happy with them ( Cecchin and Sutton).
“I thought they’re probably the best two refs.”