NRL in Cairns, South Sydney v NQ Cowboys
Footy fans have flocked to Barlow Park to see the Cowboys and Rabbitohs play in the first Cairns NRL game in two years. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE EXPERIENCE?
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UPDATE, 7.45PM: Daejarn Asi has given Cowboys coach Todd Payten plenty to think about after a leading performance as North Queensland crushed South Sydney’s happy homecoming.
The final count showed 7128 people packed the stand – and hill – at Barlow Park as new Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou returned to the site of his success earlier in his coaching career at the Northern Pride, but the Cowboys defended their turf, running out 24-12 winners.
Both teams rested their stars, with both running only a handful of potential Round 1 starters.
Jack Campagnolo, Souths’ Tully-born five-eighth, scored a memorable second half try in his return to Barlow Park, where he came through the grades at the Pride, but it couldn’t stop the Cowboys from riding out winners.
EARLIER, 4.30PM: It’s been a journey of many years for Temo and Cheryl Marks, who arrived in Cairns today to watch their son Romano Cook debut in his first NRL trial match for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
“It’s great, we’re over the moon,” Mr Marks said of the prospect of watching his boy on debut.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
The couple arrived in Cairns this afternoon from Newcastle, and after a brief pit stop at their hotel, headed straight for Barlow Park, where thousands of others are now arriving ahead of the South Sydney Rabbitohs trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys, set to kick-off from 5pm.
The earlier curtain-raiser between the Northern Pride and the Yarrabah Seahawks saw plenty of thrills and spills.
Jahoiyakim Afoa has made an instant impression in his first game for the Northern Pride, dazzling his way to a first half hat trick in the club’s 54-10 win against Yarrabah.
It was a rare pre-season trial match for the Seahawks, who put together an outstanding back end of the 2021 Cairns District Rugby League season to ultimately win the premiership.
And while they put up some resistance, the well-drilled Pride, who have trained three times per week since November, got the job done with ease.
EARLIER: Footy fans are slowly strolling in to Barlow Park for the first NRL game in Cairns in two years.
South Sydney have brought a pre-season trial match against the Cowboys to the Far North, the foundation club’s first trip to the region since 2018.
That game, which was also against the Cowboys, was the last of six straight years in which they brought premiership games to the venue.
Cairns District Rugby League premiers Yarrabah are facing the Northern Pride in a curtain raiser from 2.50pm.
A Souths team featuring Tully product Jack Campagnolo will face the Cowboys from 5pm.
Keep an eye on this link as we provide updates from both games, and the view of fans at the ground.
matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au
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