Paul Green dares Roosters to target Jason Taumalolo, as Cowboys forward runs towards NRL record

PAUL Green has dared the Sydney Roosters to go hunting Jason Taumalolo as the North Queensland wrecking ball closes in on an NRL running record.

Can anyone stop Jason Taumalolo? (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

PAUL Green has dared the Sydney Roosters to go hunting Jason Taumalolo as the North Queensland wrecking ball closes in on a historic NRL running record.

The 113kg Cowboys colossus is on target to become the first NRL forward to break the 5000m barrier for the season.

Taumalolo has already passed the metres he made last year en route to becoming the first forward other than a hooker to win the Dally M Medal since Gavin Miller in 1989.

In 24 games this season, Taumalolo has charged for an astonishing 4707m, overtaking the record he set last year when he ran for 4486m in 27 games.

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Can anyone stop Jason Taumalolo? (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The only other player to previously reach the 5000m mark in the NRL era was fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who ran for 5795m in 2015.

But with talk the Roosters’ pack will be out to gang up on the man now regarded as the world’s best forward in an attempt to shut down the Cowboys’ go-forward in Saturday’s grand final qualifier, Green issued his own challenge.

“Look, while they are concentrating on Jason there is other guys in our pack who have the ability, obviously not the ability Jason does, he is a great player, but if they want to focus all their energies on Jason someone else will step up,” Green said.

Taumalolo has averaged 196m this year, and if the Cowboys can beat the Roosters he should reach the elusive barrier in the decider.

Needing 293m to crack 5000m, there is a chance he could reach it this week, but it would take a personal best. His previous benchmark was 283m in round 15 this year against Melbourne.

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Green said it had been another huge effort from the 24-year-old on the back of what he achieved last year.

“He started the season where he finished last year,” Green added. “He won the Dally M Medal which is a massive thing to do. Not many forwards have done that.

“I reckon he had a bit of a flat spot through the middle but it is a long year. It is hard to stay up every week.

“But the most pleasing point from my view is probably seeing him grow up off the field and take some leadership responsibility and take some ownership of the team.”

To put Taumalolo’s season in perspective, Steve Price held the record for most metres made by a forward in a season when he ran for 4476m in 23 games at the Warriors in 2007.

Jason Stevens was the next best at Cronulla in 2001 when he made 4370m in 28 games.

Paul Gallen is the closest forward to Taumalolo this year with 4325m in 25 games for an average of 173m.

In the two finals so far, Taumalolo made 234m against the Sharks and backed that up against Parramatta when he made 230m.

Green accepts once again the Cowboys will go into the game as underdogs but the belief within is what matters most.

“I meant it when I said I don’t really care what other people think of us,” Green said. “What matters is what happens inside our four walls at the Cowboys.

“Different things motivate different people. No one likes being written off but it doesn’t motivate me anymore.

“We are not done yet. We have still got some things we want to achieve.”