Souths’ plan to run Cows off park
Cowboys seek revenge against the red-hot Rabbitohs
RABBITOHS revelation Damien Cook says the club’s “eyes up footy” can set Barlow Park alight tomorrow with coach Anthony Seibold empowering his players to catch any flat-footed Cowboys off-guard with daring, improvised play.
North Queensland have omitted a host of struggling stars, including 2017 Origin debutant, Justin O’Neill, in the hope of reinvigorating their nightmare season.
Cook, still buzzing from his State of Origin win with NSW last Sunday, said the full throttle approach had forced opposition sides to play footy on their terms this season.
“A lot of teams have great defences and you still need good structures,” Cook said.
“But with teams defending so well you take your chances and improvise a little bit.
“If there’s a good chance for me to run, I’ll do it. We’ve been told to back ourselves. Instead of going through your set and just bashing up a kick we’re playing with a bit more freedom.
“We’ve got some great strike power with Dane Gagai and Greg (Inglis) there and our forwards are doing a great job.”
The last time the two sides played, the Rabbitohs prevailed 20-19 with Cook instrumental in steering his team home.
But Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt said Cook’s opportunities to wreak havoc from dummy half would be limited.
“We’re just trying to work on our own game and make a good charge towards the back end of the season,” Feldt said.
“We know we can stick with any team. It’s just about capitalising on our opportunities.
“Cook’s a really good player. We’ve just got to make sure our rucks are tight and do a good job on him.”
With Far North juniors Enari Tuala, Ben Hampton, Scott Bolton and former Northern Pride star Coen Hess in the squad, Feldt said the Cairns clash, hosted by the Bunnies, would be a homecoming for several of the Cowboys stars. “It feels like a home game for us,” he said. “It’s only a few hours up the road and we’ve got a few Cairns boys in the side. We don’t get up there much but when the big games come they get out in force.”
IT’S a moment Cowboys champion Johnathan Thurston hadn’t yet processed.
Tomorrow’s clash with South Sydney at Cairns will be the final time he runs onto the same field with Greg Inglis before he retires at the end of the year.
Two of the indigenous greats of the game, Inglis and Thurston have been teammates many times for Queensland and Australia. But Inglis has the chance to officially end his great mate’s remote hopes of playing in one last final series before he calls it quits.
“I haven’t really thought about it (playing Inglis for last time) until you mentioned it, I’m a bit sad now,” Thurston said yesterday, before unleashing his trademark laugh.
“Obviously GI is a good mate of mine and is playing some really good football, too, it’s a big job for our right edge.
“A lot of my best memories on the footy field have been with GI outside me in the Maroon and Kangaroos jerseys.
“When I retire and become old and fat, I’ll be able to look back on those memories and hopefully have a beer or two with him.”
Before that happens though, the Cowboys face the tough task of shutting down arguably the NRL’s most lethal left edge, led by Inglis and inform five-eighth Cody Walker.
With just four wins from 15 games, the Cowboys likely need to win all nine of their remaining matches and face a nightmare schedule after the second-placed Rabbitohs, including ladder leaders St George Illawarra and Canberra in the national capital.
But Thurston insisted he hasn’t given up on the dream of enjoying a September fare- well with the Cowboys.
“Yeah of course (we can still make finals),” he said.
“If you want to test yourself, these are the games. The season’s on the line and you have to fight for everything.”
The Cowboys suffered a shattering loss against the Rabbitohs in round 11 in Townsville, when a last-gasp penalty goal clinched a 20-19 win for the visitors.
NSW Origin hooker Damien Cook inflicted the damage by setting up both Rabbitohs tries, and the Cowboys have focused on quelling his influence.
“When the mids are laying a fair platform that’s when he’s at his most dangerous. We’ve seen that throughout the year, when there’s one marker or a quick play the ball and he’s straight out of there,” Thurston said.
“His pace off the mark is electric and no doubt we need to be tight around there and finish our tackles.”
Fellow Cowboy co-captain Matt Scott (neck), who missed their last match against the Warriors, is expected to play despite sitting out training yesterday.
Meanwhile, Thurston believes Queensland should stick solid with maligned halfback Ben Hunt for Origin III.
Commentating for Channel 9, Thurston was highly critical of the execution of the Maroons spine after James Roberts was sin binned for the closing stages of their seriesclinching win last Sunday.
“I think the selectors will stick with the team they’ve chosen the first two games and hopefully Benny Hunt is there as well,” Thurston said.
“I was a bit critical of all the halves, not just him. That’s just because I’m passionate about the jersey.
“I was just devastated like everyone else we didn’t get the job done.”