Round 1 - Team and Stories

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/03/12/11331_sport.html

Cowboys under-20 team

Sam Bowie
Obe Geia
Brandon Boor
Tyson Martin
Stephen Beaumont
Brady Payne
Ray Thompson
Shaun Maloney
Ryan Carr
Josh Land
Leo Faagutu
Chris Faust
Nick Slyney

Interchange

Tom Humble
Nathan Barraclough
Dane Hogan
Chris Reisen.

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/tabid/10244/default.aspx?id=50012

NYC Titans V Cowboys

NRLNational Youth Competition
Round 1 Team Lists

Titans V Cowboys
Friday 14 March, 5.10 PM
Skilled Park

Gold Coast Titans Team List

1 Shannon Walker
2 Jordan Rapana
3 Esi Tonga
4 Kingi Aka’Oula
5 David Moore
6 Cody Nelson
7 Sam Stewart
8 James Baillie
9 Kayne Lawton
10 Siosaia Vave
11 Ben Ridge
12 Will Matthews
13 Ryan Simpkins (C)

Interchange

14 Tom Kingston
15 Richard Barrett
16 Cameron White
17 Jared McCarthy
18 Steve Darby

North Queensland Cowboys Team List

1 Sam Bowie
2 Obe Geia
3 Brandon Boor
4 Tyson Martin
5 Stephen Beaumont
6 Brady Payne
7 Ray Thompson
8 Shaun Maloney
9 Ryan Carr
10 Josh Land
11 Leo Faagutu
12 Chris Faust
13 Nick Slyney

Interchange

14 Tom Humble
15 Nathan Barraclough
16 Dane Hogan
17 Chris Reisen

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/03/14/11397_sport.html

Under-20 Cowboys face acid test

14Mar08

NORTH Queensland begin a foray into the unknown tonight when the Cowboys under-20s play their first match in the NRL's National Youth Competition.

The Cowboys tackle the Gold Coast Titans in the curtain-raiser to the first-grade contest at Skilled Park.

Coach Grant Bell has been thrilled with his team's preparation heading into the competition's debut match, rating the squad's training and work ethic as first class.

But while the Cowboys youngsters backed that up with solid performances in their various trial games over the past month, Bell said tonight would be their first big test.

"You don't know until you are in a game where exactly you are at but certainly at this stage they are training well, their attitudes have been positive," he said.

"I think we (the clubs) are all going into the competition a little bit unsure of which way we are ultimately going to line up.

"Once we get the first few rounds out of the way there will be a better awareness of where everyone is at in comparison to each other."

Bell said learning the ins and outs of their opponents had been difficult in the buildup to their clash with the Titans, with video footage scarce.

And with what little they had obtained of the Gold Coast in action, the former Cowboys first-grade coach said it may count for little come game day.

The most important thing, Bell said, was to ensure North Queensland had their own game in order.

"We have had a chance to look at some vision but it wasn't extensive," he said.

"But the thing is, with trials, we used them to have a look at players, have a look at how they fit into the squad rather than playing to their best as a team in the trial.

"And Gold Coast have probably done the same."

The NRL introduced the National Youth Competition to provide a better pathway for rugby league's stars of the future.

Bell said that had not been forgotten in the build-up to tonight's match.

"I think in any competition it is important to get off to a good start and that's in the background for anyone in competitive sport," he said.

"But that's a part of the process for these young guys and really the competition for them is all about an opportunitty to develop their skills and practices.

"Our benchmark of success will be when a player comes through and achieves at the next level."

Hooker Ryan Carr was named as the team's captain earlier this week after showing strong leadership qualities during the trials.

The 19-year-old from Sydney mixed his game time in the trials between the under-20 and senior squads, producing a number of eye-catching performances.

[Granty]

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/03/14/8813_gold-coast-titans.html

Star duo to line up in youth comp's historic first game

Luke Turgeon

14Mar08

TEENAGE Titans stars Shannon Walker and Will Matthews have been cleared to take on the Cowboys in the Toyota Cup tonight at Skilled Park.

Walker (hand) and Matthews (calf) were yesterday passed fit to line up against North Queensland for the historic first game of the new national youth competition.

Electric fullback Walker and mobile back rower Matthews are the biggest names in the Titans Toyota Cup squad. Both were members of Tweed Heads' Queensland Cup premiership winning side last season and boast experience with the Junior Kangaroos and Australian Schoolboys.

"They have been cleared to play so they will run out," said Titans Toyota Cup coach Steve Murphy. "Everyone has to play well but it is important for the group and the mindset of the group (that they are there)."

Murphy said it was important his young troops not get overawed by the occasion.

"By about half-time there will be about 15,000 people there and it is something that would be foreign for just about all of those kids," he said. "The occasion could get to them but we hope we have done everything we can to try and avoid that."

The Toyota Cup has the same rules as the NRL, except there is no golden point in regular season games. They play 40-minute halves and use special yellow footballs.Murphy said the Titans were gunning to open their inaugural campaign with a victory over their North Queensland rivals, but was deliberately not looking too far into the future.

"It is a year of firsts for us, like it was for first grade last year," he said. "We have to make sure that while we all want to win games and be competitive that we establish our team."

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/03/15/11430_cowboys.html

Young Cowboys flogged

ANTONY STEWART

15Mar08

NORTH Queensland's National Youth Competition got off to a disastrous start with a 36-point loss to the Titans and a serious leg injury to Leo Faagutu.

The talented back-rower had to be helped from the field in the opening stages of the second half at Skilled Park last night.

From the opening whistle the Cowboys were given a lesson on how costly poor discipline will be in the NRL's new competition.

North went down 46-10 and gifted the Titans their first four tries.

They lost the ball close to their own line just two tackles after the kick-off and Gold Coast hooker Kayne Lawton took advantage.

The 18-year-old powered past some soft defence to etch his way into the history books as the first player to score in a competition game at the new stadium.

But the message on discipline did not sink in for the rising North Queensland stars.

Bad ball security or soft penalties helped the home team go to the break leading 16-4.

With a player of Titans fullback Shannon Walker's ability on the field, added possession was the last thing the Cowboys needed to hand the Gold Coast.

Walker, who looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, showed why he is being hailed as a star of the future when he side-stepped five defenders to score.

When he scored his second early in the second stanza it opened the floodgates and Gold Coast cruised to victory.

The Cowboys' points came through Chris Reisen and Obe Geia.

GOLD COAST 46 (S Walker 2, K Lawton 2, Jared McCarthy 2, Kingi Aka'oula, Sam Stewart, C White tries; C Nelson 5 cons) d NORTH QUEENSLAND 10 (C Reisen, O Geia tries; N Barraclough con)

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/03/15/11430_cowboys.html

Young Cowboys flogged

ANTONY STEWART

15Mar08

NORTH Queensland's National Youth Competition got off to a disastrous start with a 36-point loss to the Titans and a serious leg injury to Leo Faagutu.

The talented back-rower had to be helped from the field in the opening stages of the second half at Skilled Park last night.

From the opening whistle the Cowboys were given a lesson on how costly poor discipline will be in the NRL's new competition.

North went down 46-10 and gifted the Titans their first four tries.

They lost the ball close to their own line just two tackles after the kick-off and Gold Coast hooker Kayne Lawton took advantage.

The 18-year-old powered past some soft defence to etch his way into the history books as the first player to score in a competition game at the new stadium.

But the message on discipline did not sink in for the rising North Queensland stars.

Bad ball security or soft penalties helped the home team go to the break leading 16-4.

With a player of Titans fullback Shannon Walker's ability on the field, added possession was the last thing the Cowboys needed to hand the Gold Coast.

Walker, who looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, showed why he is being hailed as a star of the future when he side-stepped five defenders to score.

When he scored his second early in the second stanza it opened the floodgates and Gold Coast cruised to victory.

The Cowboys' points came through Chris Reisen and Obe Geia.

GOLD COAST 46 (S Walker 2, K Lawton 2, Jared McCarthy 2, Kingi Aka'oula, Sam Stewart, C White tries; C Nelson 5 cons) d NORTH QUEENSLAND 10 (C Reisen, O Geia tries; N Barraclough con)