Cowboys name unchanged side to face Canberra after Cronulla thrashing

It’s not every coach who would name an unchanged team from the one which let in six tries in their most recent half of football. But Cowboys coach Paul Green isn’t a man to back down.

Green is right to show faith in his players to deliver. Image: AAP Image/Michael Chambers

• Lockyer: Pangai not worth $1m price tag
• No more half measures for winless Titans

It’s not every coach who would name an unchanged team from the one which let in six tries in their most recent half of football.

Cowboys coach Paul Green held his nerve on Tuesday and maintained a long-game strategy in making no changes for North Queensland’s home match on Saturday against Canberra.

The Cowboys players were given a public message from Green that they had another chance to “rectify’’ the wrongs of a 42-16 loss to Cronulla last Saturday.

The Cowboys crashed to a second straight defeat after a second half in which five tries were let in within a 17-minute span.

It can’t get any worse for North Queensland. Can it? Image: Zak Simmonds

Green sought stability for a difficult assignment against an often dangerous Raiders side.

“I wasn’t happy with the game but I’d already made a few changes last week,’’ Green said.

“They were pretty disappointed with the performance and I’ve given those guys the opportunity to rectify it.

“I don’t want to keep chopping and changing, but we also need some confidence and consistency in how we perform.

“They deserve another chance to hopefully get it right and the ball is in their court now.’’

Only two teams have conceded more than the 83 points North Queensland have let in after three rounds.

Green is right to show faith in his players to deliver. Image: AAP Image/Michael Chambers

“The tries we concede in the second half weren’t off expansive footy that pulled us apart and made us make bad decisions,’’ Green said.

“It was a little bit of effort. Our tackling has to get better. It wasn’t our structure that broke down.’’

Green was asked about reported delays on construction of the North Queensland Stadium, which is scheduled to stage its first match in March.

“We are planning to start our season there and it would disappointing if it wasn’t the case,’’ Green said.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart said it was “not the time” to be playing the Cowboys after their mishap against Cronulla.

“Paul Green will have them fired up,’’ said Stuart, who had taken the Raiders to a 2-1 start to the season.

Jake Clifford remains the five-eighth sidekick to skipper Michael Morgan with the versatile Te Maire Martin at fullback.

Green pointed out that two Cronulla tries from a kick from Clifford and Morgan which went wrong, while two others stemmed from handling errors by others.

“You want to try to build confidence early in the year, especially as we had some players new to the club. The best way is to win games,’’ he said.