Cowboys rookie John Asiata will make his debut against the Storm

NORTH Queensland rookie John Asiata will make his NRL as coach Paul Green challenges his squad for an immediate response to last week’s Canberra flogging.

North Qld Cowboys weights / gym training session at Cowboys HQ. John Asiata.

NORTH Queensland rookie John Asiata will make his NRL debut as coach Paul Green challenges his squad for an immediate response to last week’s Canberra flogging.

Asiata has been 18th man for the past few weeks for the Cowboys but the 102kg former Australian Schoolboys backrower is due to finally get a start off the bench in Townsville tonight against a weakened Melbourne.

The Storm are without their injured big three — star trio Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith after the brutal Origin I on Wednesday night.

John Asiata going through some drills during a Cowboys weights session.

Storm officials have yet to confirm their starting line-up, but former Capras state league star Cameron Munster may start at fullback and backrower Tohu Harris could reprise his Kiwi Test role as starting five-eighth for the first time at club level.

Cronk’s injury could not come at a worse time for the Storm as all their halves replacements are either injured or suspended.

Green was coy when asked about Asiata yesterday, but it is understood the 21-year-old, who followed the coach from the Sydney Roosters to Townsville in the off-season, will make his debut off the bench.

“We just want them to get a bit of experience in the squad,” Green said.

The Cowboys’ four Origin stars Matt Scott, James Tamou, Johnathan Thurston and Brent Tate are all due to play tonight as North Queensland look to bounce back from the disappointment of the heavy loss in Canberra last Sunday.

“We have a job to do tomorrow night against a good team, no matter who is out,” Green said.

“Our attitude has been good but our execution was pretty poor last week. We’ve dealt with last week, we’ve reviewed it and that’s done and dusted. I’m very interested to see how we respond tomorrow night.’’

John Asiata during a training session.

With halfback Robert Lui named on the interchange bench, Green confirmed he would ideally get a chance to give Thurston a rest tonight but he also knows the Origin quartet are as hungry for a NRL club win as they were for Origin success.

“We go into the weekend trying to win the game, that is the most important thing for us,” Green said.

“If you get an opportunity to try to lighten the load on those guys, I’ve got to consider their welfare.”

Originally published as Cowboys rookie John Asiata will make his debut against the Storm