HAMPTON TIP S SIDE TO FIRE

COWBOYS five-eighth Ben Hampton believes Scott Drinkwater could possess the key to unlocking the side’s attacking potential at Queensland Country Bank Stadium this afternoon.

Drinkwater will return from injury into the fullback role for the clash with the Rabbitohs, with coach Josh Hannay backing Hampton to remain in the halves with skipper Michael Morgan.

It will be Hampton’s third-straight game in the halves, the first time he has played consecutive games there since joining North Queensland in 2016.

The Mareeba product said he was growing in confidence and tipped a confident Drinkwater to only add to the side’s potential.

Hampton and Drinkwater’s connection stretches back to their time in Victoria together when the latter was coming through the Storm’s development ranks.

He is looking forward to having an extra playmaker behind the line to take the pressure off the Cowboys two middle men.

“It should be good to get in and see if we can form a combination pretty quickly (against the Rabbitohs),” Hampton said.

“Having Drinky in the side is a really big boost for us. Originally he is a fullback, but he does a good job in the halves.

“He is a good talker and creative player, he plays with a lot of confidence and that is something we have lacked. To have Drinky come back this week, it will add a lot to our team and really help us out.”

Hampton has relished the opportunity to return to the halves, the position where he made a name for himself as a junior in Far North Queensland.

The 28-year-old has been a victim of his own versatility in the past four years, playing a range of positions including on the wing in the past 12 months. But Hannay gave him an opportunity to move closer to the action, and Hampton is determined to impress each week.