Team must come first, says rookie Cowboy
THE Cowboys rookie expected to make way for returning co-captain Matt Scott has declared he will accept being axed.
Scott is in line to make a remarkable return from a 205-day absence with a knee injury in Sunday’s NRL grand final against Melbourne at ANZ Stadium.
The Test and Maroons prop has been declared fit and coach Paul Green will green-light his return by tomorrow naming Scott in his 21-man grand final squad.
Scott’s return will be one of the game’s great comeback stories, however, it means Green must axe one of the players that has helped North Queensland produce a Cinderella story during the finals series.
While bench forwards Coen Hess (knee) and John Asiata (broken hand) are carrying injuries, rookie prop Corey Jensen seems the most likely player to make way for Scott.
Jensen, 23, made his NRL debut for the Cowboys in Round 7 and has played 16 games this season but admitted the team must come first.
“I don’t know what to feel. It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Jensen. “It’s my first year in the NRL and to make a grand final is a dream come true.
“(But) it’s a team-first mentality. Thumper (Scott) is one of our captains and an international player. He’s a great player for the club.
“If he was to come back and I was to miss out … the team comes first and I know he’ll do the job and do it proudly.”
It would be heartbreaking for one of the 17 players from North Queensland’s triumph over the Roosters last Saturday night to be axed for the decider.
League greats Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns yesterday appealed for Green to stick with the same team but Scott’s availability could be too hard to ignore.
The 109kg veteran would bring size and 233 games of NRL experience to combat Melbourne’s giant forward pack comprising Jesse Bromwich, Jordan McLean and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Dally M Medallist Jason Taumalolo has been in devastating form throughout the finals and there is no chance he would make way for Scott’s return.
But the 113kg wrecking ball said Scott was so highly regarded he would give up his jersey to see him play.
“It will be pretty unfortunate if one of the boys missed out,” he said. “If I had it my way, I’d give my jersey to a co-captain if I could.
“Everyone can do the job, we’ve proven that in the last three weeks.
“The boys off the bench have been phenomenal. We spoke about the ‘benchies’ doing a great job for us (against the Roosters).”