Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott named for Cowboys’ first trial against Tigers
COWBOYS co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott will make their comebacks from injury in North Queensland’s first trial match next week.
Cowboys
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cowboys. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT’s official. North Queensland’s champion duo are back.
Inspirational co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott will bury the pain of injury-riddled 2017 campaigns when they return to action for a trial against Wests Tigers next week in Cairns.
When Scott runs onto Barlow Park, it will have been 344 days since he snapped his ACL against the Broncos last year, while Thurston will return from the shoulder injury he suffered in Origin II last June.
Cowboys coach Paul Green will take a safety-first approach with Scott and Thurston. The duo will play around 30 minutes against the Tigers as a prelude to Thurston’s NRL testimonial match against Cameron Smith’s Melbourne side six days later at Suncorp Stadium.
For Scott, it is the first step in a long road back to the NRL after the disappointment of being overlooked for selection for last October’s grand-final showdown with the Storm.
SUPERCOACH: The Cartwright effect
“It’s good to have them back,” Green said of his co-captains.
“Johnno and ‘Thumper’ (Scott) haven’t played much footy in the last little while _ they wanted a hit out before that trial against Melbourne to blow out some cobwebs.
“Having them around training is really good. It’s added that level of experience and they will be glad to be back out there.”
Asked if Scott and Thurston would play half the game, Green said: “Not even that. They just want to get a hitout under their belts before the Melbourne (testimonial) game and round one, so probably 30 minutes or so, something like that.”
Green will field a strong team for the Tigers trial, with Kiwi Test pivot Te Maire Martin to partner Thurston in the halves.
Grand-final prop Scott Bolton and hooker Jake Granville will join Scott in the engine room, while Ethan Lowe, Origin rookie Coen Hess and John Asiata form a formidable back-row.
In the backline, Ben Hampton will start at fullback, with Javid Bowen and speed machine Gideon-Gela Mosby to provide some strike power in the threequarters.
First-choice fullback Lachlan Coote is sidelined with a minor hamstring complaint, while Green has rested veteran Gavin Cooper and Storm recruit Jordan McLean despite their willingness to play.
“Gavin is all right, he is playing the pension card,” Green said. “Coops was keen to blow the cobwebs out but he won’t learn too much from this trial.
“He (McLean) was keen to play, but the guys (who played in the World Cup for Australia and New Zealand last November) had a break, I want to get a bit more running into those World Cup guys at training.
“There’s a number of Origin guys playing so there’s no excuse for the locals not to come to the game.”
COWBOYS SQUAD for trial v Wests Tigers
Ben Hampton, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Javid Bowen, Shaun Hudson, Enari Tuala, Te Maire Martin, Johnathan Thurston, Scott Bolton, Jake Granville, Matt Scott, Ethan Lowe, Coen Hess, John Asiata, Kyle Laybutt, Jake Clifford, Mitch Dunn, Shane Wright, Corey Jensen, Sam Hoare, Emry Pere, Francis Molo, Carlin Anderson
Originally published as Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott named for Cowboys’ first trial against Tigers
NRL Pre-Season Challenge: Signings, injuries, positional battles
Injuries, a signings merry-go-round and hotly contested positional battles have set up an intriguing NRL pre-season challenge. Our NRL and SuperCoach experts reveal the big issues as clubs finetune their line-ups ahead of the season.
30 NRL coaches sacked in ruthless decade: Why Benji won’t be 31
There have been 30 NRL coaches sacked in less than a decade. Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield asks Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson - who has axed three coaches in his career - whether Benji Marshall will be 31.