Fight for answers as streak extends, with Cooper saying Cowboys are ‘ A long way from a win’
COWBOYS veteran Gavin Cooper concedes “a win feels like a long way away” as the club ponders a selection shakeup to arrest a slump that threatens to derail the season.
North Queensland coach Paul Green was left to lament another slow start from his side in Saturday’s poor 27- 10 home loss against Canterbury.
Statistics confirm the holes the Cowboys are digging themselves into early in games.
After giving up a 19- 0 lead at the break to the Bulldogs, they have been outscored 40- 97 in first halves this year. In contrast they have only been narrowly outpointed in second halves 50- 53, but being slow out of the blocks isn’t the sole reason for their five- game losing streak.
They look disjointed, tired and lacking in energy, and no team has made the grand final from a 1- 5 start.
“We need to change what’s happening on the field,” Green said. “Whether that be personnel or not I don’t know. We need to fix it and fix it quickly.
“You don’t want to change for the sake of change. The players need confidence too. We’re putting ourselves under too much scoreboard pressure at the start of games.
“When you’re in a position that we are at the moment, that last little bit is hard to get.”
Cooper was filthy at himself for giving away a penalty for backchat that led to a secondhalf Bulldogs try.
It’s a sign of the frustration building within the side after they made last year’s grand final without injured co- captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott.
“It seems like a really long way away with what we’re doing, but we know it’ll turn,” Cooper said.
“We know we’ve got a pretty sharp team when we’re on, but it seems like we’re a long way off in a lot of areas.
“We’re in unprecedented waters losing five in a row, I don’t think anyone saw this coming.
“I know teams may get up to play against us, but we’re not helping ourselves.
“We’re digging ourselves in holes right from the start and you can say to take the scoreboard out of it, but when you’re behind you do some uncharacteristic things.”
Thurston was the subject of criticism last week after a slow start to the season, but Cooper said it was unfair to lay the blame on the star halfback. He rejected suggestions the rest of the squad might have taken the foot off the pedal due to Thurston and Scott’s return from injury.
“I don’t buy into that at all. It’s just dropped balls and penalties, that’s what it comes down to,” Cooper said.
“We’re not looking for those guys to do anything extra special.
“There’s been a bit of talk about JT last week but he’s come back in and doing what he’s asked to do.
“He’s copped a bit of criticism but there’s 16 others out there every week and we’ve all got to cop it as well.”