Round 11 (v Knights) - Teams & Stories

[Granty]

http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=16628

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys (NYC) v Newcastle Knights

Round 11 Toyota Cup, 4.45pm Monday 25 May, Dairy Farmers Stadium


Cowboys

1. Wayne Ulugia
2. Chippie Korostchuk
3. Moses Pangai
4. Jared Huston
5. Steven Eliott
6. Michael Parker Walshe
7. Ben Cronin
8. Aiden Day
9. James Segeyaro
10. Dylan Smith
11. Troyden Watene
12. Chris McLean
13. Dane Hogan

Interchange:

14. Tyson Martin
15. Ronnie Alovilli
16. Chris Faust
17. Jack Cooper

Coach: Kristian Woolf


Knights

1. Johnathon Ford
2. Ryan Lamb
3. Peter Mata’utia
4. Simon Williams
5. Kieran English
6. Ryan Stig
7. Kevin Pease
8. Mitchell Garbutt
9. Chris Marlborough
10. Joshua Ailaomai
11. George Morseau
12. Ethan Cook
13. Con Mika (c)

Interchange:

14. Byron Fruean
15. Cruise Wilson
16. Ben Wyborn
17. Shaun Boss

Coach: Rohan Smith

[Granty]

http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.aspx?s=injury-register

Injury Register

Update – Tuesday 19 May

Ray Thompson (shoulder)
Shaun Maloney (knee)
Sam Bowie (ankle)
Noel Barnes (back

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/05/23/54961_sport.html

Experience, youth to bolster Cowboys under-20s

JOSH ALSTON

May 23rd, 2009

A MIXTURE of experience and new blood will line up for the Cowboys under-20s on Monday night with Ben Cronin returning from injury to wear the No. 7.

Joining him will be debutant Michael Parker Walshe, an 18-year-old from the Sunshine Coast who gets his start with Michael Morgan absent through representative duties.

While he was not earmarked to play for the club until next season, when injured skipper Ray Thompson is too old for the under-20s, coach Kristian Woolf said he had shown promising signs on the training paddock and deserved his spot.

"I haven't seen a lot of him, only what he's done at training," he said.

"But he's fitted in really well, he's a good kid, quite athletic and quite skilful as well.

"Obviously with Michael Morgan playing in the schoolboys we needed someone to fill the role and he's done a good job at training."

Woolf was also breathing a sigh of relief that Cronin had overcome his hip problem this week, with the club's halves stocks down to crumbs with Morgan and Thompson out.

"We're definitely quite lucky he's back this week, if he wasn't we would have been very new in the halves," he said.

"He adds some stability, especially with a new kid coming in at six."

The forwards have also been reshuffled for the clash against the Knights with former Australian Schoolboys representative Ronnie Alovili dropping to the bench to make way for promising prop Aiden Day.

Woolf said Day's commitment at training had forced his hand and he was hopeful Alovili's benching would fire him up and get him back to his best.

"Aiden Day's done quite well and he's a kid who deserves the opportunity," he said.

"He works really hard at training and in the gym, he's one of those kids that makes you pick him.

"Ronnie hasn't been at his best the last couple of games so this is a reward for Aiden as well as a message to Ronnie that he has to lift a little bit."

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/05/25/55171_cowboys.html

Under-20s Cowboys looking to improve defence

JOSH ALSTON

May 25th, 2009

CLOSE ties between the grades has Cowboys under-20s coach Kristian Woolf confident his boys can aim up strongly in defence against the Knights this afternoon.

First-grade coach Neil Henry got the young Cowboys down to training on Wednesday where both teams squared off in a defence-based opposed session.

Woolf said that session was just the shot in the arm his team needed after they fell away last week against the Warriors, losing 41-16.

"It was a nice physical session and they got a fair bit out of it so they will be better prepared this weekend," he said.

"They will take massive benefits out of that, the first grade boys have been terrific in helping out and giving advice on things.

"They will get a lot out of the intense training, the talk and the attention to details the first-graders have."

Woolf said the entire first grade squad and staffers have had an active interest in the under-20s this season, more so than in any other club.

"We are very lucky up here to have the first-grade coach, the coaching staff and the players taking a lot of interest, there is more involvement than in any other club in the NRL," he said.

They will need to improve this weekend against the in-form Knights.

Despite sitting in 13th place, Newcastle have shown dramatic improvement in recent weeks, winning two out of three games and only losing by six points against the Roosters.

"They have been a little bit up and down this season but they have got some very good players," Woolf said.

"We've had a fair look at vision and they have some dangerous outside backs and some big blokes in the middle. They move really well so they're going to be a tough side."

Young halfback Michael Morgan injured his shoulder during the state under-18 schoolboys carnival over the weekend, but Woolf said he was hopeful he would be fit to return after the bye.

[Granty]

http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=16821

Solid win for Toyota Cup Cowboys

Monday, May 25, 2009

http://www.cowboys.com.au/site/_content/article/00016821-leadimage.jpg

Rainy conditions failed to dampen the Toyota Cup Cowboys' enthusiasm as they swept Newcastle aside in a convincing 28-6 victory at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Scoring first when Chippie Korostchuk crossed in the eighth minute for the first of his two tries, the Cowboys led all match but it was in the second half that their dominance was really on show, with four unanswered tries.

Leading just 8-6 at half time, the Cowboys defended well on their own try line as Newcastle threatened to score and when in possession made the most of scoring opportunities.

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys 28 (Chippie Korostchuk 2, Steve Eliott, Jared Huston, James Segeyaro, Dane Hogan tries, Troyden Watene 2 goals)
d Newcastle Knights 6 (Joshua Ailaomai try, Peter Mata’ Utia goal)

[Granty]

from the post-game presentations at the Cowboys Leagues Club:


The Cowboys Under 20's Player of the Match went to Moses Pangai

[Granty]

Scoring Summary from the NRL.com site

----------

Cowboys

Tries

Chippie Korostchuck 9m
Chippie Korostchuck 37m
Steven Eliott 50m
Jarod Huston 53m
James Segeyaro 68m
Dane Hogan 78m

Conversions

Troyden Watene 50m
Troyden Watene 68m


Knights

Tries

Josh Ailaomai 23m

Conversions

Peter Mata'utia 23m

[Granty]

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/05/26/55435_sport.html

Under 20s maintain touch with top eight

JOSH ALSTON

May 26th, 2009

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/05/25/alovili.jpg
ANKLE INJURY ... Ronnie Alovili

THE Cowboys under-20s have kept in touch with the NYC top eight after a second-half blitz secured them a vital 28-6 win over Newcastle.

The win has come at a cost though, with former Australian schoolboy prop Ronnie Alovili facing a stint on the sidelines after going down with an ankle injury with just under four minutes left in the game.

Wet conditions and ill discipline ensured the game was no spectator's dream, and repeated penalties earned the ire of referee Michael Wise.

Cowboys debutant Michael Parker Walsh was sinbinned in the 30th minute and was quickly followed by Knight George Morseau.

But North Queensland made the best of it and with a man off the field went to the break leading 8-4, winger Chippie Korostchuk bagging two tries.

Shortly after the break they scored twice in the space of three minutes, Steven Eliott picking up the crumbs of a Ben Cronin bomb and Jared Huston crossing in the right corner off a well-timed Wayne Ulugia pass.

Hooker James Segeyaro limped off with an apparent leg injury in the first half, but returned to play slicing through the line for a try in the 68th minute.

"All we talked about all week was defence, I think we really aimed up in defence," Eliott said. "It was unlucky for them to even score that one (try) I thought. We dropped a bit of ball and they had a lot of ball in our half in the second half but we still held them to no tries there
which was good."

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 28 (Chippie Korostchuk 2, Steven Eliott, Jared Huston, James Segeyaro, Dane Hogan tries; Troyden Watene 2 goals)
d NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 6 (Joshua Ailaomai try; Peter Mata`utia goal)