Cowboys playing the ‘crying’ game: Gallen
RUGBY LEAGUE: He’s the king of antagonising Queenslanders. And Paul Gallen is at it again.
The Cronulla Sharks skipper has accused the undermanned Cowboys of “crying poor” over their injury crisis.
But the numbers prove opposite number Gavin Cooper is right when he says the team is “busted” despite the majority of players returning to the line-up.
Gallen was infamous for launching pot shots at the Maroons in his six years as NSW captain, and the Sharks hard man has wasted little time in taking a swipe at the boys from Townsville.
“They’re a good side. They’ve sort of been crying poor all year, the Cowboys, with all the injuries they’ve got,” Gallen (left) told Fox Sports.
“At the end of the day they’ve got two players out, and mind you they’re two very good players in (Johnathan) Thurston and (Matt Scott).
“But the rest of their side they’re stacked with a couple of Kiwi internationals, a lot of Origin players.
“Michael Morgan is as good as anyone in the competition, Gavin Cooper is an Origin player. They’ve still got plenty of strike power there and we’ll have to be at our best to beat them.”
Gallen’s summation that Scott and Thurston are the only big name regulars who will be missing from the Cowboys team on Sunday is technically correct.
But what has been overlooked is the number of players who wouldn’t be putting the boots on at Allianz Stadium if the season wasn’t on the line.
Te Maire Martin and Shaun Fensom are both understood to be carrying medial injuries which should put them on the sidelines, Lachlan Coote has been on one leg with an ankle injury for a fortnight and props Scott Bolton and John Asiata (elbow) are also playing injured.
Only Gold Coast (34) has used more players than the Cowboys this year (32), including six debutants, highlighting the lack of cohesiveness each week.
“We are busted if you look at our rosters, but we’re still going out there and putting in good performances,” Cooper told Fox Sports.
“We have to be smarter in a couple of areas and from now on there’s no preparing for finals, it’s here and as long as you win you stay in the fight.”
Cowboys coach Paul Green said while the big casualty ward was not ideal, the silver lining was it had given young players a chance and an opportunity for himself to grow as a mentor.
“It’s been really challenging given all the adversity we’ve had to face with the injuries,” Green said.
“That’s when you’re really tested as a coach and it brings out the best in you. When you’re rolling on and you’ve got your best players and your routine down pat, things look after itself.”