Ray Thompson is in-line to replace Cowboys’ Origin bound halves

UNLUCKY Ray Thompson can show himself to be one of the playmakers to take the Cowboys to more success in the Origin period, coach Paul Green says.

Ray Thompson is in-line to replace Origin-bound halves.

UNLUCKY Ray Thompson can show himself to be one of the playmakers to take the Cowboys to more success in the Origin period, coach Paul Green says.

Thompson played five-eighth and halfback in the two NRL matches which the Cowboys won last year when Johnathan Thurston and Michael Morgan were both away on Maroons duty.

Thompson had surgery on a spiral fracture of an ankle in February and in the official NRL injury list is said to be available for a return when the Cowboys play Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

North Queensland will play two matches this season without their Origin stars, both away games.

The first is the Round 12 match in Wollongong on May 28, followed by a Round 18 clash in Canberra.

Green said Townsville Blackhawks five-eighth Kyle Laybutt, 22, will also come under strong consideration for NRL selection in that period.

It is a testing time of the year for the Cowboys, with the Dragons match coming after clashes with Melbourne and Brisbane.

“We know that it’s a tough time for the club. We’re doing our best to get ready for it,’’ Green said.

Ray Thompson during Cowboys training.

“I am still looking at a couple of different combinations (in the halves and hooker). Hopefully Ray Thompson will be back pretty soon.

“Kyle Laybutt has been going well for the Blackhawks as a five-eighth or halfback.

“As the time gets closer, I will look at how I want to play in those games and pick a team to suit that, depending on fitness.’’

Laybutt is originally from Bundaberg and played well for the Cowboys under-20s last year, earning a contract extension to the end of 2017.

Green said it would be an alternative to again play Rory Kostjasyn at five-eighth.

“We beat the Tigers last year when Rory played in the halves. It’s definitely an option for us,’’ he said.

North Queensland surpassed most expectations in games without their Origin players last year.

Kostjasyn played at No. 6 and Thompson at halfback in an 8-0 win over the Tigers in Round 11 last year.

In the 18-12 win six rounds later over St George Illawarra, also at Wollongong, the Cowboys got the job done with Thompson at five-eighth and Robert Lui, who has since left the club, at half.

Those two wins helped North Queensland to a top-four finish last season which allowed them to lose in the first week of the finals and still prevail as premiers.

Lachlan Coote is also listed to be returning against the Storm on Saturday from ribs soreness which led the Cowboys to make him unavailable for City Origin selection.

The Cowboys have one bye before Origin and their second bye on the weekend after Origin II.