Resilient Cowboys on cusp of history
SYDNEY: Greeted like rock stars as they returned to Townsville yesterday, North Queensland is looking to put on another big show as it seeks to become just the second team to make the NRL grand final from eighth spot.
The Cowboys’ 2416 semifinal win over Parramatta — which got to the decider from eighth in 2009 — comes after the clutch win over Penrith in week one of the finals.
And that followed the Queenslanders having to rely on Canterbury’s upset defeat of St George Illawarra to even qualify for the postseason.
Paul Green’s men have been widely lauded for their fighting abilities over an injuryriddled back end of the year, but the
Cowboys proved their premiership credentials against the Eels.
The 2015 premiers now meet the Sydney Roosters in a preliminary final in Sydney on Saturday.
As they did in finals week one, star duo Michael Morgan and Jason Taumalolo showed they have found another level in the absence of cocaptains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott.
Their backtoback finals wins now have their fans dreaming of a second title in three years.
Forward Coen Hess is confident of facing the Roosters despite picking up knocks to his knee in either half against the Eels, with the latter forcing him to an early mark.
‘‘Obviously, there in the first half, just got twisted. I think during the halftime period it calmed down and got my mind over it more than anything,’’ he said.
‘‘Then again in the second half, one of the Eels players came in as third man a little bit aggressively and it flared back up. I got taken off for precautionary reasons to ice it up.’’
Premiership favourite Melbourne will host Brisbane in the other preliminary final after the Broncos did enough to dispatch a disappointing Penrith team 136 on Friday night.
Wayne Bennett’s side got the jump early on the Panthers before holding off a late comeback despite losing Corey Oates, Jai Arrow and Sam Thaiday to concussion during the match.
Penrith fiveeighth Tyrone May is awaiting scans on a feared ACL tear.
The Broncos are likely to get skipper Darius Boyd back from a hamstring injury to take on the Storm, as well as impact forward Tevita Pangai Junior (knee). — AAP