Struggling Cowboys must work out roles for gun halves

IF the Cowboys want some answers, they need only look at the Penrith team that trumped them in every facet in their Round 4 clash.

TWO great playmakers. One major headache, requiring one swift solution.

Michael Morgan’s on-field relationship and dynamic with Johnathan Thurston should be clarified as a matter of urgency for the Cowboys to claw their way out of a worrying early-season form slump.

If the Cowboys want some answers, they need only look at the Penrith team that trumped them in every facet in Townsville on Thursday night.

The Morgan-Thurston alliance was outplayed by the Panthers’ scrumbase combination of James Maloney and Tyrone Peachey because their union was complementary — and more thoroughly defined.

Without the injured Nathan Cleary at halfback, it was clear that Maloney was the main man. He took control. That left Peachey to play a more relaxed role as a running five-eighth.

That is the formula for success for Thurston and Morgan, whose premiership-winning scrumbase combination has undergone a slight, almost imperceptible, but critical shift in the space of three years.

James Maloney was the main man for the Panthers. Picture: Alix Sweeney

In 2015, there was no question Thurston was king of the Cowboys’ offence. He ran the show. Morgan played more instinctively.

But when Thurston succumbed to shoulder surgery last year, Morgan matured and relishing the extra responsibility, he now seems comfortable, at age 26, to be the main man calling the shots.

Which brings us to their performance against Penrith and the sight of two dominant playmakers, both capable of taking control ... yet having no real control at all.

The conundrum with two elite playmakers is it’s almost impossible for both to be concurrently great as game managers. At some point, one has to be the general. The other has to be prepared to run and service the backline.

It must be remembered both Morgan and Thurston are coming back from injury, so it would be foolish to think they won’t recapture their title-winning mojo.

Michael Morgan and Johnathan Thurston. Picture: Evan Morgan

But for that to happen, Morgan needs to alter his mentality to recalibrate his partnership with Thurston and understand why, when in synch, they can be so potent.

While Thurston is around, Morgan has to temporarily abandon the all-encompassing management role he played during the finals last season so well.

Striking the right balance is not always easy and I recall the time when Thurston first came into the Queensland Origin team in 2005.

I was the senior playmaker in the Maroons’ halves. “JT” was the young gun blitzing it at club level. I wanted him to play his natural game because he was playing so well.

Johnathan was conscious of the fact I was the senior playmaker and he didn’t want to tread on my toes.

We ended up with a Mexican stand-off where no-one took full control.

Michael Morgan on the charge for the Cowboys.

Thurston and Morgan should sit down along with their coach Paul Green, and determine what their roles and responsibilities are, and how they want to structure the Cowboys’ offence in the best interests of the team.

For me, the most effective method would be for Thurston to be the main man and run the team. Morgan should revert to his running role and focus on being that attacking spark plug.

It’s way too early to dismiss the Cowboys as a premiership force. But their two most important players must get back to understanding each other, otherwise their season will start slipping away.