Round 26 (v Sharks) - Stories

[Stido]

http://www.cowboys.com.au/games.php?game=112

GAME DETAILS: ROUND 26
http://www.cowboys.com.au/Uploads/Team%20Logos/sharks1.jpgvs Cronulla Sharks When: Sat 6 Sep 5:15 pmWhere: Toyota StadiumLineups:

Cowboys
Run On Team

Tom Humble
Ben Lancini
Brandon Boor
Steve Eliott
Chippie Korostchuk
Ray Thompson
Brady Payne
Shaun Maloney
Ryan Carr (c)
Ben Spina
Jack Cooper
Chris Faust
Nick Slyney

Interchange

Joel Lillyman
Nathan Barraclough
Tyson Martin
Steven Beaumont
Chris Riesen

Sharks
Run on team

Ben Orcher
Blake Ferguson
Nathan Stapleton
Stewart Mills
Luke Hume
Shane Pumipi
Jarryd Hogan
Tohi Leha
Lancen Juodo
John Viiga
Blake Williamson
Jack Bosden
Jason Bukuya

Interchange

Jake Anelzark
James Sharkie
Sebastian Swain
Nathan Donnelly
Brad Marks

[Stido]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/09/06/15994_cowboys.html

`We was robbed' belief will drive young Cowboys
JOSH ALSTON (alstonj@nqn.newsltd.com.au)
September 6th, 2008

A STRONG belief in the club that they were robbed against minor premiers Canberra last weekend will fuel the Cowboys under-20s as they prepare to end their season against Cronulla tonight.

A vital call right at the death of last week's game sealed a narrow two-point win for the Raiders in a clash between first and third-last.

Coach Grant Bell was disappointed in the outcome but praised his players for their efforts.

"I thought they played terrifically well, they played against the minor premiers," he said.

"We had five of our key players who we had all year out, lots of people make lots of our players being out, but you take out (fullback Sam) Bowie, (winger Obe) Geia, (forward Josh) Land, (forward Nick) Slyney up to first grade and (fullback) Tom Humble suspended and come up against the minor premiers, I thought they played tremendously well.

"I couldn't fault their effort and at the end of the day we lost by two points to a side which, some have suggested, could have (won the game due to) a strip."

A win is also vital for competition points, with the Cowboys sitting in 14th place but on 15 points with the Sharks.

And despite an ordinary year by Cronulla, Bell was not underestimating his enemy.

"It's probably a bit unfair to say teams have struggled. They've been up and down at different times, they beat us by seven last time we played them at home here and they've got some good players as all the sides do," he said.

"Winning games is a difficult proposition and I think our guys have got to be commended on how well they have played.

"I think that they can know that they played well last week and look forward to taking good form with them from last weekend into this game."

[Stido]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/09/06/15985_cowboys.html

Cowboys juniors into unknown with 11-a-side game
JOSH ALSTON (alstonj@nqn.newsltd.com.au)
September 6th, 2008

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2008/09/05/League-extra.jpg
FAREWELL APPEARANCE ... Cowboys under-20s captain Ryan Carr will play his final game for the club in the 11-a-side game against the Sharks today. Carr is off to the Wests Tigers next season

RUGBY league history beckons North Queensland's youngest Cowboys today. The under-20s will experiment with a radical new rule change being trialled in the Toyota Cup at the back end of the season, taking on the Sharks with just 11 players a side.

The format is being road-tested by the NRL in the new competition between clubs who have no chance of making the finals and are playing against teams that are also out of the post-season action.

It began last weekend when Newcastle took on Melbourne under the experimental rules.

The result was interesting.

Fast, expansive play to begin with, followed by frantic ball playing as the players ran out of puff towards the end.

The big Melbourne forwards won the battle early on and the Storm raced out to a 22-0 lead after just 32 minutes.

But as the game wore on, Newcastle found their feet in the extra space and put in a number of scintillating runs to scorch the Storm 36-26 by fulltime.

So how have the Cowboys prepared for the clash given that no player has played under such conditions?

"I think at the end of the day you're still playing rugby league and it's an opportunity for the league to take a look at what happens with two less players on the field from both sides, how the space opens up and how teams might look at using the space," coach Grant Bell said.

"We've discussed how you would use the extra space and how you might defend that extra space that's there.

"We've had a bit of a look at it and we've done some opposed work, 11 on 11.

"We've got to go in there with an idea about it but part of it is you're never quite sure how that sort of game is going to unfold because it's so new for everybody."

The biggest issue will be which positions will be made vacant.

At the start of last week's game Newcastle opted to go without a halfback and a prop, relying solely on five-eighth Martin Paulson.
Melbourne took out a second-rower and a centre.

Both teams were given the luxury of 20 interchanges to ease their way into the format and prevent fatigue.

No such favours will be afforded to the Cowboys and Sharks though, who will only have 12 – last year's NRL standard.

So what positions will Bell weaken to get a result? Forwards or backs?

"I think you need balance, you've got to leave one of each out," he said.

"That's one of the things that we're not certain of, I think we'll probably look at leaving a forward and leaving a back out of the mix.

`You certainly still need to maintain enough players that can go forward, play tough through the middle and manage that part of it and you've got to balance it with enough guys that have got the speed or the skill to get you around the park or to make something of the opportunities that you create.

"If we're going to have a look at it we need to have a look at how teams play with it, how they manage it and how they might adjust to adapt."

Scrums are included in the contest, with just five players required to pack down.

But a rule in the first game which allowed the game to revert to 13-a-side (which was not used) will be scrapped for this encounter.

No matter the result, the Cowboys will scrap on until the 80th minute with 11 on the field.

"From our point of view ... it's a great opportunity to see how you do manage the game and adapt so my understanding is no, we're playing the 11-a-side for the duration of the game," Bell said.

[Stido]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/09/08/16031_cowboys.html

11 young Cowboys left holding the spoon
ANTONY STEWART (stewarta@nqn.newsltd.com.au)
September 8th, 2008

THE game the NRL deemed meant nothing left the Cowboys' under-20s lamenting finishing the inaugural National Youth Competition with the wooden spoon.

With both teams out of finals contention, the league decided to experiment with the Cronulla-North Queensland clash by reducing the teams to 11-a-side.

It was a format that didn't sit well with the young Cowboys, who went down in miserable conditions at Toyota Park 42-16.

With Cronulla's win and the Sydney Roosters shocking finalists St George Illawarra, the Cowboys slumped to last place.

"I understand why the exercise happened, but I thought it was tough ask going into the last game of a season where the focus has been on 13-a-side," coach Grant Bell said.

"But personally I have got to say that I am not a huge fan, but I will have a look at the tape and review it properly before I pass the definitive opinion."

Cronulla first-grade coach Ricky Stuart suggested the reduction as a way to open up the game as rugby league looks to compete with other codes.

The game also trialled the experimental 20m restart rule in which players can defuse a kick in their own in-goal area and take a 20m tap instead of a dropout.

"The boys were a bit disappointed ... it was seen as a nothing match so therefore there wasn't a problem running it – the boys saw it as anything but a nothing match," Bell said.

"Based on the footy the boys have played in the 13-a-side game ... particularly their last game against (minor premiers) Canberra, they (have) played wonderfully well.

"I said to our guys `reflect on that because that's our last 13-a-side competition game and you showed you were playing great football' and they should be commended on that."