Feldt feeling the heat at Cowboys
In a Cowboys team that rarely changes, competition for places in the three-quarters is building and those in the hot seat are already looking over their shoulder.
A forward pack full of representative big men, two of the elite playmakers in the game and perhaps the most underrated fullback in the NRL leaves little room for up-and-comers to make their mark, but there is a growing stable of young outside backs just waiting for their chance.
When the Cowboys open their 2018 campaign against the Sharks in Townsville on March 9, the names Kyle Feldt, Justin O’Neill, Kane Linnett and Antonio Winterstein will almost certainly fill the three-quarter line but there are no guarantees they will stay there. Waiting in the wings are a handful of try-scoring freaks and tackle-busting centres such as Javid Bowen, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Enari Tuala, Carlin Anderson and Marcus Jensen.
Since his stunning last-second try to send the 2015 grand final into extra time, Feldt has been a staple of the Cowboys backline, playing 52 of a possible 55 games.
But despite scoring 15 tries last season, a second camp with the Queensland Emerging Origin squad and with 74 NRL games to his name, Feldt is feeling the heat from the speedsters at his back.
“This year’s going to be really hard,” Feldt said.
“There are some really outstanding outside backs there and I know personally that they’re really knocking on the door.”
Injuries last year to O’Neill and Winterstein provided the opportunity for Bowen to play 13 games last season and his elusiveness provided the Cowboys’ attack with some added potency.
Winterstein, Linnett and O’Neill scored just 10 tries between them last season and if Bowen can add consistent defensive efforts to his ability in attack he could secure a call-up.
“The attacking side is normally always pretty good,” Bowen said when asked what he could bring to the team.
“I’ve just got to work on the defensive side and try and be consistent defensively.”