O’neil sees positives in settled line-up

FOR the first time in three weeks Cowboys centre Justin O’neill will be playing inside the same winger for consecutive games.

And he believes that could lead to a more solidified defensive performance against the Newcastle Knights.

Injury and form led to Hamiso Tabuai-fidow and Connelly Lemuelu earning debuts against the Warriors and Tigers respectively. With Valentine Holmes still sidelined, Tabuai-fidow will hold onto the No. 1 jersey and Lemuelu will get a second crack on the left flank.

Having started the season with Ben Hampton outside him, O’neill admits the changing combinations could affect how players defend.

But he said a more consistent team sheet could reap rewards as North Queensland attempt to resurrect their season tonight.

“It makes it a little bit disruptive, you have people coming in you

TOWNSVILLE Bulletin sports editor or Matthew Elkerton asks the burning ng questions as Kalyn Ponga and his Newcastle Knights return to North th Queensland for the first time this his season.

This game was meant to be the he early audition for the Maroons ns coveted fullback role.

The incumbent, and always exxciting Kalyn Ponga up against the he haven’t defended with before. It definitely helps building combinations with people you’ve played with week in week out,” O’neill said.

“You know what this person’s strengths and weaknesses are … I can see a positive in that. We want to train where our players who are not playing on the weekend are training week in week out with us, they’re still wanting to be in the best conditions and ready to go so there is less disruption when they get a chance.”

O’neill has noticed a change at training over the past week, with the attitude and intensity heightening as the pressure mounts on the team to perform.

The toughest thing for young players was digging out of a negative hole and switching the mindset to the next goal, the 29-year-old said.

And he said it was up to him and the rest of the senior core to set that tone.

Having been a part of premiership winning sides and triumphant

State of Origin campaigns O’neill has seen enough to know what goes through a young player’s mind when the going gets tough.

It was now up to him and the likes of Jason Taumalolo, Josh Mcguire and Kyle Feldt to portray how a team picks themselves back up again.

“I think that’s pretty much the role a senior player can offer to younger players by leading by example and showing how much the club means to myself, or whoever it is,” O’neill said.

“Leading by example and playing the best footy I can, and showing the younger boys or anyone new to the club this is what we’re about.

“We’ve definitely had a few meetings, there’s always things to work on when you’re not winning games.

“The change is going to come from when we step out on the field and I think we need to be leading by example. That’s the best direction we can give as senior players.”

returning re superstar Valentine Holmes. It was set to be the th biggest talking point on the field at QCB Stadium before fo injury struck.

Holmes will not take the field for the Cowboys, allowing in the club’s former under-20s gun to have a free run at proving pr he deserves to keep his spot at the back for Queensland. Q

Ponga has been devastating this season, and the pace of the game and tired bodies in the middle third have been the right concoction to unlock his potential. The Cowboys will need to shut him down early, to ensure they aren’t facing a similar half time deficit as last week.

The exciting thing is the Cowboys most exciting prosp pect since Ponga departed the Sunshine State, the bloke

they call ‘The Hammer’, will be lining up against him this afternoon.

This has been the question on the mind of all North Queensnsland fans this week.

After a demoralising first half alf performance against the Tigers ers this week there was some brutal tal honesty that rifled through the he Cowboys camp this week. It was necessary. harsh, but

While the club refuses to use the word crisis, the Cowboys are c certainly a side under pressure an and coach Paul Green is at the en end of his tether.

With a lack of experience in th their ranks, it will take a lot of m maturity from their youngest sta stars to stand up to the pressures an and bounce back against the N Newcastle Knights.

Talking about standing up when it is needed, Josh Mcguire did just that this week.

The veteran forward did not mince his words when he spoke of a lack of attitude and effort in the loss to the Tigers.

But he also said talk is cheap, action is what will get the Cowboys out of this hole.

It seems like a great buzzword, or spirited phrase, but is it really right?

When the chips are down and the blowtorch is being applied, there isn’t much better than an inspirational spray from a leader. It is something the Cowboys lacked until they got back in the sheds and in front of Green last week.

The way he spoke this week, maybe Mcguire is the man to stand and shout when its needed.