Jason Taumalolo accepts ban for shoulder charge and says the Cowboys want to put season 2018 to bed in style
A ONE-match ban for a shoulder charge isn’t about to make Jason Taumalolo change his ways and the North Queensland forward wants the Cowboys to do whatever it takes to avoid the wooden spoon.
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SUSPENDED Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo says he does not need to change his tackling technique and will finish 2018 with “a bang” in a bid to avoid claiming the wooden spoon.
Taumalolo will miss Saturday’s clash against Cronulla at Southern Cross Group Stadium after accepting a one-match ban for a shoulder charge in last week’s derby win over Brisbane.
The powerhouse forward hit Broncos winger Jamayne Isaako in the illegal tackle and was also suspended for two games last year following a shoulder charge on Broncos forward Alex Glenn.
Despite copping multiple suspensions for shoulder charges, the 113kg Taumalolo said he did not need to change anything.
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“It’s not so much my tackling technique,” the 2016 Dally M Medal champion said.
“I guess at the time it was one of those tackles where at the last minute you try to stop them in contact. I made contact with his head.
“It’s part of a contact sport. I’ll cop the suspension and support the boys.”
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The timing of Taumalolo’s suspension could not be worse for the Cowboys.
The Tongan tearaway produced his best game of the season in the Broncos win, charging for 271m and busting six tackles in a game-changing performance.
Despite winning 34-30, the Cowboys dropped to last spot on the ladder after Parramatta’s 40-4 thrashing of St George Illawarra saw the Eels jump ahead of North Queensland on points difference (-102 to -88).
With three games remaining, the Cowboys are now fighting to avoid claiming the wooden spoon in champion halfback Johnathan Thurston’s final NRL season.
The sixth-placed Sharks, who knocked off premiership heavyweights Melbourne last weekend, will present a tough task for a North Queensland side missing Taumalolo.
The Cowboys then face Parramatta and Gold Coast in two clashes which could decide who finishes with the 2018 wooden spoon.
Taumalolo, 25, will return for the Eels game at 1300SMILES Stadium next week and said he was determined to finish the season with some big performances.
“I want to finish off the year with a bang,” he said.
“It hasn’t been the year we wanted, but that’s all part of being in the NRL. You’re not always going to get everything your way.
“I want to finish off the year strong and keep us from getting the wooden spoon. We want to finish off with a couple of wins for Johnno.
“While we don’t want to be in the position we are right now, unfortunately we are. We can only try and get ourselves out of it.
“The boys haven’t been thinking too much about the wooden spoon and our position on the ladder.
“But the reality is we are coming last and if we are to keep ourselves from getting the wooden spoon, we need to win the remainder of our games.”
Cowboys coach Paul Green has named John Asiata to start in Taumalolo’s No.13 jersey against Cronulla.
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