JASON FRESHENS UP BRILLIANTLY

A WEEK off the field was just what the doctor ordered for Cowboys wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo.

The 117kg lock has not had a rest since his return from a knee injury against the Titans in Round 8.

While most of the squad was off for the representative round, Taumalolo punched out 119 running metres and a team-high 31 tackles in a gruelling 61-minute stint for Mate Ma’a Tonga.

The workload of Taumalolo has been incredible this season, topping the NRL for metres per game with an average of 200, according to the Fox Sports Lab.

He is also the highest placed forward in terms of tackle busts, breaking through an average of 4.1 each game in the middle of the field.

It is hard work for the Cowboys superstar, and he was ready to take some time out to himself last week.

“I was pretty desperate for a break to be honest,” Taumalolo said. “Not everyone played the representative round, so a few of the boys got a rest then. For us to finally get a weekend off was much-needed rest for myself.

“It has been a good five days off – I enjoyed myself a bit too much over a few days there, but I guess that’s all part of the refreshing myself. It is good to be back putting in work.”

It has reignited the hunger in Taumalolo as he aims up for a big clash with Tongan teammate and fellow metre-eater, Roosters’ enforcer Sio Siua Taukeiaho.

Taukeiaho has been one of the form forwards of the NRL this season and has formed a damaging partnership with Kiwi international Jared Waerea-hargreaves, and the pair will be back in full force for the Cowboys clash.

Taumalolo knows his side have their hands full trying to combat the Roosters pack, but said it would just take a simple approach to get it done.

“Run harder, tackle harder,” he said. “They have international players in the middle, who are quality players and definitely love their power running. They rely heavily on their big boys to get them on our side of the field, and that is something we have to contain. I am sure the boys will be up for it.

“The Roosters team, it’s pretty stacked. They are waiting on a few players to back up from Origin, but the side they have without the Origin players is impressive in itself.

“We just have to be better all round, all over the field, and we can’t let them get a good start, like we have been letting a few teams in the last few games.”

As for how Taumalolo enjoyed himself a “bit too much” … well that is “classified information” according to the Tongan star.