North Queensland Cowboys v New Zealand Warriors: Five things we learned

THE Cowboys have fallen to their fourth-straight loss raising questions about Johnathan Thurston’s decision to play on in 2018. Here are the five things we learned from their 22-12 loss to the Warriors.

Johnathan Thurston

THE Cowboys have fallen to their fourth-straight loss raising questions about Johnathan Thurston’s decision to play on in 2018. Here are the five things we learned from their 22-12 loss to the Warriors.

1 — THE Cowboys need to get creative and fast. While the Warriors defence was outstanding last night, North Queensland also did not throw much at them in attack. They looked flat and struggled to find their flair yet again, with Ben Hampton’s try the only promising glimpse all night.

2 — OPPOSITION teams are finding more ways to nullify star forward Jason Taumalolo after he made just 107m against the Warriors. This is well below his usual standard, after he averaged over 200m a game last year. With Jordan McLean out, Taumalolo needed to step up and that was not the case.

MATCH REPORT: Cowboys stumble again against Warriors

3 — JAKE Granville needs to rediscover his running game. The off-contract hooker made just 27m last night. In 2015 when the Cowboys won the title, he was making 65m per game. The numbers have slowly dropped each year, with Granville averaging just 10m a game so far this year.

4 — THERE were suggestions before the game that Johnathan Thurston has gone one year too far. It’s not the case with a champion like the Cowboys skipper, but there is mounting pressure on him to return to his best. It’s his last year and if the Cowboys are any chance of improving, it will be through Thurston.

There are suggestions Johnathan Thurston has decided to play one season too long.

5 — THE Cowboys are now facing an unwanted record after slipping to four consecutive losses. Should they fail against the Bulldogs next week, it will be their fifth straight defeat, something that has never happened under Paul Green’s watch.

Originally published as North Queensland Cowboys v New Zealand Warriors: Five things we learned