Cowboys keen to re-sign Lachlan Coote as fullback proves his matchwinning ability against Sharks

HE put his body on the line to seal victory, now the Cowboys are hoping Lachlan Coote will put pen on paper and sign a new contract.

THE Cowboys want to re-sign Lachlan Coote and will return to the negotiating table with the fullback, who made a matchwinning play in their season opener.

Cowboys players raved about the bravery of Coote following their victory over the Sharks.

With Cronulla down 20-14, Coote put his 85kg body on the line against 116kg Andrew Fifita as he charged for a try, wrapping him in a tackle.

“Credit to Cootey for putting his body on the line ... plays like that show where this team is at,” forward Jason Taumalolo said.

“The boys defensively, to come through, was very pleasing to watch.

“To get a good grinding game like that sets a platform for tougher times.”

Coote’s play exemplified why the Cowboys want him to stay, along with teen prodigy Kalyn Ponga.

Lachlan Coote made a matchwinning play for the Cowboys in their season opener.

Ponga, 17, is off contract at the end of 2017 and rivals have signalled their interest.

The side has more than a dozen first graders off contract and keeping the group together is a huge challenge.

Recruitment manager Peter Parr and coach Paul Green worked miracles to keep the team together for this season.

Coote’s tackle also made up for an earlier error when he spilt a difficult bomb that led to a Cronulla try.

“It was a pretty good effort from Coote. We had a few guys with efforts like that,” co-captain Matt Scott said.

“Cootey had a massive effort at the end of the game.”

Originally published as Cowboys keen to re-sign Lachlan Coote as fullback proves his matchwinning ability against Sharks