Willie Mason tips NQ Cowboys will go all way

NEWCASTLE enforcer Willie Mason has rated North Queensland capable of breaking their 17-year premiership drought.

NEWCASTLE enforcer Willie Mason has rated North Queensland capable of breaking their 17-year premiership drought on the back of the hard edge provided by Origin bookends Matt Scott and James Tamou.

Mason, who had a one-year stint at the Cowboys in 2010, knows what it takes to win a premiership, claiming the Clive Churchill Medal in Canterbury's 16-13 upset of the Sydney Roosters in the 2004 grand final.

And after being on the receiving end of a Johnathan Thurston masterclass in Newcastle's 22-14 loss in Townsville on Saturday night, Mason has no doubt the Cowboys' class of 2012 are the real deal.

The game-breaking brilliance of Thurston aside, former Test and NSW Origin forward Mason said the platform set by Scott and his 113kg sidekick Tamou could propel North Queensland to their maiden title.

"This competition is wide open and for me they certainly can win it," said Mason who, during his 12-month tenure at the Cowboys, played a mentoring role for Tamou.

"The Cowboys can go toe-to-toe with anyone, especially with 'Thumper' (Scott) and Jimmy (Tamou).

"He (Tamou) is just a big, strong human. He's so fit, he's got an offload, he's learning all the time, he's raw and he can hit hard.

"Jimmy is pretty much the new age front-rower, he is big and strong but can also play good minutes.

"The thing I like about the Cowboys is they have everything. Thurston and Bowen are in outrageous form, but they also have tough front-rowers, their back-rowers like Glenn Hall and Dallas Johnson work hard and they have strike power out wide in Brent Tate.

"They will give this comp a huge shake."

Now 32, Mason said he was pleased by the lethal resurgence of Bowen, whose career was at the crossroads three years ago following his second knee reconstruction.

"Mango is back," the Knights forward said.

"I'm so proud of Matty, when I was playing with him at the Cowboys people thought he would never be the same player.

"You can see his confidence is back.

"He's got the show-and-go (dummy) again, he's embarrassing some very good NRL players.

"Thurston and Bowen were on (against the Knights) and if they are like that in the finals the Cowboys will be hard to stop."

Retiring hooker Aaron Payne, who played his final regular-season home game on Saturday night, has no doubt the Cowboys have the mental toughness to go all the way.

"At times we don't play our best but there is a belief there that even when we aren't playing well, we know we just have to get to the end of our set, kick long and defend hard and the momentum can swing back our way," he said.