Ethan Lowe says communication will help Cowboys improve right edge defence

NORTH Queensland second rower Ethan Lowe believes better communication is needed if the Cowboys are to fix their right edge defence.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Ethan Lowe of the Cowboys looks dejected after losing the round two NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Newcastle Knights at 1300SMILES Stadium on March 14, 2015 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

NORTH Queensland second rower Ethan Lowe believes better communication is needed if the Cowboys are to fix their biggest weakness of 2015 in their right edge defence.

Of the 48 tries the Cowboys have conceded in 2015, Fox Sports Stats reveal that 23 of them have come through their right edge.

They have conceded just 11 tries through the middle of the field and 14 tries down the left flank, making their right edge clearly the weakest side and an obvious target for rival clubs in attack.

Lowe usually forms part of that right side defence with Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill and Matthew Wright and he said the Cowboys were making a deliberate effort to improve that aspect of their game ahead of Saturday’s clash with Cronulla in Townsville.

Cowboys Michael Morgan and Ethan Lowe tackle Tony Williams. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“I think some of it is communication, if we get our talk a lot better than it has been I think it will improve quite a lot,” Lowe said.

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“Obviously we know it's an issue we need to try and fix up and we’re doing our best to do that.”

Morgan, who returns tonight in the No. 7 jersey after being a late withdrawal last week due to a shoulder issue, said it was a matter of producing their defensive intent consistently across 80 minutes after they were horribly exposed by Parramatta three weeks ago.

“There are games where we do fall off a little bit and they attack our side and we won’t defend it. Then there are times we do defend it well in a game,” Morgan said.

“We just have to be more consistent throughout an entire game of doing it when teams throw shape at us down there.

“It will keep happening because the last few weeks we have struggled a bit but I have full confidence in the guys around me on that edge to get the job done.”

The Cowboys will tonight attempt to become just the fourth team in NRL history, 13th of all-time, to win 12 games in a row but the Sharks have been the NRL streak busters in recent seasons.

Of the last three teams to compile eight wins in a row or more, Melbourne’s 2012 streak and the Roosters’ 2013 run were both ended by Cronulla.

Cronulla will again be without Paul Gallen tonight after he failed to overcome a rib cartilage injury, the Sharks skipper now having played just 16 of a possible 38 games since the start of the 2014 season including just seven this year.

“Gal trained well on Wednesday night and did nearly everything bar the contact and just probably fell a little short,” Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said.

“Maybe another day or two and he may have gotten there.”

Cronulla are coming off wins against the Roosters and Newcastle and could move into the top eight for the first time this year with a win over the Cowboys.

“On paper they have a very good team, they have a lot of threats over the park,” Morgan said.

“When in full confidence they go really well, they showed that against Souths and the Roosters this year when they beat both of them.

Ethan Lowe during a training session. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I think if we control the game through the middle, it’s what we’ve been good at lately …

hopefully it takes guys like Ben Barba and Jack Bird who are in form out of the game a bit.”