Senior Cowboy Murray Taulagi withdraws from race for vacant centre jersey
One of North Queensland’s most experienced players has withdrawn from the race to replace Peta Hiku at right centre, insisting the Cowboys already had their answer at the position.
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Murray Taulagi’s long-term desire to make it as a strike centre for North Queensland will not see the Cowboys split up his deadly left edge combination with Valentine Holmes.
North Queensland has experimented with multiple right centres since the departure of Peta Hiku with Viliami Vailea, Zac Laybutt and even Semi Valemei all earning opportunities to train at the position this pre-season.
Taulagi, 24, rates himself a centre of the future for the Cowboys but insisted he was happy for others to get first crack at solving North Queensland’s centre conundrum.
“Honestly I’m just happy where I’m at now on the wing,” Taulagi said.
“If Toddy needs me at centre I’ll be there but we’ve got a couple of great centres coming up and I’m happy for them to slot right in. I’ll trust them to get their job done on that right side.
“Long-term I wouldn’t mind playing centre but I think I’m happy wherever Toddy puts me. Further down the year I wouldn’t mind playing centre but right now I’m happy on the wing.” Tom Dearden, Holmes and Taulagi are entering their fourth season as a left edge unit and the Queensland and Samoan representative said he was fortunate to have built that chemistry with the players inside him.
Taulagi has cut an unmissable figure through the pre-season with bleached blonde hair reminiscent of ‘90s Chicago Bulls bad boy Dennis Rodman.
The mad basketball fan revealed teammates had taken to calling him Dennis in response but fans may not get the chance to see it themselves in round 1.
“I’ve always wanted to do it … so I thought I’d get it professionally done,” Taulagi said.
“It doesn’t look too bad but it’s a very hard job to maintain.
“I want to get rid of it. I was trying to keep it until team photos but it’s just too long so I don’t know, we’ll see how I go.”
One part of Taulagi he is determined to keep is the fierce tackling style that became his calling card at State of Origin.
The departure of club defence coach Dean Young to the Dragons has opened the door to a re-imagining of the Cowboys’ defensive structure under former Warriors assistant Justin Morgan.
Todd Payten said the hallmark of the new system would be defending with more “calm” and “patience,” with defensive movements on the edge the most pronounced difference between the styles.
Taulagi said the new structure would not mean leaving his old ways behind.
“He (Morgan) has changed a few things but nothing’s really changed,” Taulagi said.
“I don’t mind a bit of jamming in, I like getting into the physicality of the game.
“We’ve practised really hard on defence this year and it’s a bit different but if we buy into it, it will definitely work.”
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Originally published as Senior Cowboy Murray Taulagi withdraws from race for vacant centre jersey
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