Taumalolo unlikely Job well Dunn to shore up middle

JASON Taumalolo remains at long odds to be named in Todd Payten’s line-up today, but if he does miss out, versatile backrower Mitch Dunn has put his hand up to patrol the middle of the park.

Taumalolo was a late omission from the Cowboys’ win over the Bulldogs after he fractured his hand in a training mishap. It was the opposite hand to the one he broke last month.

While Payten admitted it was less of a problem for the superstar lock, the Cowboys will not rush their talismanic leader back to the field.

“It is far less painful than the first one and the fracture is not displaced. I would assume it is going to be quicker (his recovery),” Payten said.

Dunn was handed an opportunity to come infield, joining the middle rotation on the bench after a late conversation with Payten before the club’s captain’s run on Saturday.

The Mackay product was impressive in the role, tackling his heart out in the middle of the field and proving the ultimate matchwinner with a solo try in the final minutes.

Dunn said he would be happy to remain in the middle for the Cowboys’ Anzac clash against the Raiders, despite the imposing front row of Josh Papalii and Ryan Sutton.

“It is pretty straight up and down, you make your tackles and run hard,” Dunn said.

“I have played a bit there before, so I wasn’t bothered or anything. We had Frankie (Molo) and Cozza (Corey Jensen) off the bench, who have been really good for us.

“I don’t care where I play in the 17, I just want to be playing. Especially at home, that was awesome. It was a good crowd, especially for a Sunday arvo.”

Dunn spent his juniors playing in the halves and could provide the Cowboys with a potential ball-playing option in the middle of the field like Cam Murray and Victor Radley do for the Rabbitohs and Roosters respectively.

But for now, the 24-yearold believes they need to keep it simple.

“If I do play in the middle I could swing the ball around a bit, but where we are at as a club is trying to just do the basics right at the moment,” Dunn said.

“That stuff will come eventually when we start stringing some wins together.

“They were two really close games that probably didn’t have to be close. We still have to focus on fading in and out of games. Momentum swings so fast. It is a new thing that people are trying to get used to and that is why the scores are blowing out a bit.”

Dunn played 47 minutes off the bench, making 89m through the middle as well as 29 tackles, with only two misses.