TOWNSEND ANSWERS THE CALL, NOW IT’S OUR TURN

ver to you Chad Townsend.

The marquee North Queensland Cowboys signing is here in Townsville and ready to knuckle down into what is without doubt one of the toughest and most pressure-laden jobs going around.

The heady days of 2015 seem very far away for Cowboys supporters right now.

There was a time when our NRL side was the benchmark. Endless explanations and theories on why that isn’t the case today have been thrown around by fans since the club’s slide out of finals’ contention, but there is no doubting that the club is still in the post-johnathan Thurston era.

THERE IS NO DOUBTING THAT THE CLUB IS STILL IN THE POSTJOHNATHAN THURSTON ERA

While it is unfair and probably unreasonable to expect the same magic of Townsend, the club has definitely been missing that dependable, consistent ‘go-to’ man who makes the right decisions during the big moments.

Thurston was that man for many years and Cowboys fans are craving the same type of playmaker who will make the right play when the pressure is on.

Townsend certainly has the attributes to live up to such high expectations.

He is an NRL premiership winner with the Cronulla Sharks and, with nearly 200 first-grade games under his belt, he has experienced plenty of pressure-cooker moments.

Townsend, it will be hoped, will use that experience to guide the Cowboys’ next generation of talent to their full potential.

Players with the amount of experience that Townsend possesses are invaluable to a younger side.

They are able to manage and lead, and keep younger heads cool when the pressure starts mounting.

Thurston did this for many players at the Cowboys.

Not only that, there was also the confidence in those players that – no matter what went wrong – Thurston would be there to steady the ship.

Townsend can be that man but he will need a little time.

And he will need his club and the community to rally around him as he finds his feet.