‘Young guns won’t crack’
Townsend confident
CHAD Townsend has declared North Queensland’s band of young guns will not choke in the sudden-death furnace as the Cowboys co-captain braces for a halfback blockbuster against Eels rival Mitchell Moses.
North Queensland is primed for the biggest regional game in its 27-year history when Townsend leads the Cowboys out in the first grand-final qualifier on Townsville soil against Parramatta on Friday night.
The Eels are mired in the longest title drought of any current club – they haven’t won the premiership for 36 years – and there are fears the youthful Cowboys could crumble under the pressure of delivering in front of a 25,000-sellout at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
A staggering 10 Cowboys have never played in a preliminary final. They include Scott Drinkwater, Murray Taulagi, Tom Dearden, Tom Gilbert, Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter, Hamiso Tabuai-fidow, Luciano Leilua and Griffin Neame.
But premiership playmaker Townsend has backed the Cowboys’ finals rookies to handle the heat, pointing to the cool heads and mental toughness that inspired their epic 32-30 golden-point defeat of Cronulla a fortnight ago.
“Our younger guys will not crack,” said Townsend, who steered Cronulla to the 2016 premiership.
“We have a lot of younger guys who were exposed to the Origin arena earlier in the year.
“Guys like Jeremiah, ‘Rubes’ (Cotter), Tommy Dearden and Tom Gilbert played for Queensland in front of some big crowds, in some big stadiums in some big moments.
“This is what the finals series is all about so they are well prepared. Our more inexperienced guys have come on in leaps and bounds this year and it’s because of the hard work they have put in.
“We showed against Cronulla we won’t be overawed by the sudden-death finals games and we’ll be ready again for the Eels.”
Townsend says he is ready to fight fire with fire with the inform Moses and the 217-game halfback explained why the Cowboys can defy the odds by qualifying for this year’s grand final.
“We can definitely win the premiership from here, I have no doubt about that,” he said.
“We have a game plan that we have modelled through the whole season and that model can stand up to the big teams in the big games.
“For us, we play an exciting brand of football, we aren’t afraid to move the ball and chance our arm, but we also have the control and the discipline to defend well under pressure.
“This game will bring out the best in me, I love these challenges. Mitchell Moses is a quality player and has had a great season, but I want to take on the best.”
COWBOYS hit-man Tom Gilbert has spoken about the private pain driving his premiership quest as he strives to farewell North Queensland with a grand final swan song.
Gilbert will make his last appearance as a Cowboy in Townsville in Friday night’s sold-out preliminary final blockbuster against Parramatta at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Bound for expansion club the Dolphins next season, the game will be Gilbert’s last as a Cowboy if North Queensland loses to the Eels.
While his three years in Townsville are coming to an end, Gilbert is not finished yet and determined to depart the Cowboys with a premiership fairytale.
And he has many reasons to do so – none more important than honouring his late grandfather Errol, who died at age 83 on the eve of the finals.
Gilbert, 22, was incredibly close to Errol – who was ironically a Parramatta fan – and took a week off training to mourn the loss of one of his greatest supporters.
He has been wearing a black armband in recent weeks and looked to the heavens after scoring the opening try in North Queensland’s qualifying final win over Cronulla a fortnight ago.
“It was for my grandfather – he passed away a couple of weeks ago and it’s been a really tough time for my family,” Gilbert said.
“The thing I enjoy the most about footy is the impact it can have on not only the community but my family as well.
“In what’s been a tough time for them, to score the opening try in my first finals match in the first exchanges … I couldn’t help but think of him and my family at the time.
“I’m a big believer he is up there and with me. I was really stoked to get that try. I don’t score many and I couldn’t think of anyone else but him.
“We were really close. I used to live with him. When he was sick (Parkinson’s disease), we always spoke about footy and I could tell there was a change in his voice in a good way. He would be uplifted and
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he was always interested.
“He was that kind of grandfather that really cared about his grandchildren. That’s something I hold close to my heart when I play footy.”
Gilbert has had a tremendous 2022 season after spending time in reserve grade last year. He made his State of Origin debut for the Maroons in the series decider and is now one game away from a maiden NRL grand final.
He will once again be thrust into the opening exchanges against the red-hot Eels and Gilbert said his grandfather was inspiring his premiership charge.
“What happened with him has really ignited a spark in me,” Gilbert said.
“He never complained and one of our quotes is ‘ Nothing Without Effort’.
“If I can do my job and this team can get it done, I know what it would mean to this town and also my family who are in a tough spot at the moment.
“Even if we don’t win, they’re going to be proud of me. But the reward of what lies ahead over the next two weeks will be huge for Townsville and my family.”
Despite loving the Cowboys, Gilbert made the decision to return to Brisbane next season for family reasons and be closer to his twin brother.
He has no regrets about leaving a premiership-contending club for the unknown at Redcliffe and said he would give everything he had to take the Cowboys to a fourth grand final.
“There is part of me that can’t help but think (it may be my last game), I’m not going to deny that,” he said.
“But I don’t want to have that selfish attitude that this is about me. I play my best footy when I’m focused and relaxed.
“There’s no regrets. It was obviously a tough decision and at the time I thought very hard about what was happening. I love my footy but I love my family even more so there’s no regrets about that.
“I am enjoying my last couple of weeks here regardless. I know I’m going to miss this place. The only way I can do that justice right now is going out there this weekend and playing with good intentions and effort. This team is going to be a powerhouse for the next couple of years and I feel like this is the start of it.
“They’ve got young players that are starting to flourish and a blend of experience that’s really helping this club at the moment.
“That’s going to reap rewards in the years to come and I’m really glad I got to be part of the start of that.
“Whilst I’m leaving, I’ll always be a proud Cowboys fan and player. I will always remember my time up here for the right reasons.”