Cowboys coach Paul Green says Michael Morgan is unlikely to play against the Knights

COWBOYS coach Paul Green is resigned to being without Michael Morgan and will take his time assessing the freshness of his other Origin players.

COWBOYS coach Paul Green is resigned to being without Michael Morgan and will take his time assessing the freshness of his other three Origin players before he decides on a team to take on Newcastle in Townsville on Saturday.

Morgan’s head knock, suffered when tackling NSW forward David Klemmer, reduced Queensland to a 16-man outfit for the last 34 minutes of their 6-4 win over NSW in Sydney on Wednesday.

Green was careful last year in his deployment of 30-somethings Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott during the six-week Origin period.

It was the first Origin match played under the eight-man interchange rule and both packs showed obvious signs of fatigue later in the second half.

Asked what his plans were for Thurston, Scott and James Tamou, Green said on Thursday: “I’m not sure which way I’ll go. I’m not sure on the Origin boys until they arrive home.

“I don’t think Morgs will play. I think reduced interchange took a greater toll on the forwards. The game was certainly slower (than some Origin matches played with 10 interchanges per side). Conditions could have had something to do with it.’’

Green named all four Cowboys Origin players on Tuesday in the team to play Newcastle.

Ray Thompson was halfback and Jahrome Hughes five-eighth when Thurston and Morgan were unavailable for North Queensland’s loss to St George Illawarra last Saturday.

Michael Morgan suffered a head knock in this tackle of David Klemmer.

Green may decide to play either Thurston or Scott — but not both — if they are keen and able to play for their club off a three-day break.

The Cowboys will want to guard against complacency against a Knights side who have won one match this season, but on the upside at least do not have an away game this weekend after their Origin players returned from a flight from Sydney.