Offseason Discussion thread

[Prince Ernst of Hanover]

Jensen has put on some weight:

Jensen: He's going to bolster the squad

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys prop Corey Jensen on trying to keep on extra weight heading into the 2019 season.

www.cowboys.com.au

I think this example adds new meaning to the term, "he beefed up in the off-season".

 

[Cowboy Pete]

I don't know if it has been mentioned but we have a young gun in Clifford who is unlikely to get a run in the halves.
Do you think Green can develop him into a hooker.
Most star hookers played in the halves in junior football, can Clifford do it.

 

[Dream]

I don't know if it has been mentioned but we have a young gun in Clifford who is unlikely to get a run in the halves.
Do you think Green can develop him into a hooker.
Most star hookers played in the halves in junior football, can Clifford do it.

I reckon he can do it, he's big enough and tough enough to defend in the middle.

If he could manage to have a Cameron Smith like influence from hooker it might be worth looking into but I think it's probably a bit of a waste as it's a big change from the halves.

I don't mind the idea of giving him a go at centre, he'd only be out one position wider. This is only if TMM and Clifford and whoever is at fullback are all playing well and it's worth fitting them all into the team.

I think there's a good chance he'll force his way into the halves before too long though.

 

[Prince Ernst of Hanover]

I don't know if it has been mentioned but we have a young gun in Clifford who is unlikely to get a run in the halves.
Do you think Green can develop him into a hooker.
Most star hookers played in the halves in junior football, can Clifford do it.

"Unlikely to get a run in the halves?" Is this a joke post CP. I thought he and Morgan were obvious choices.

 

[Dream]

Green: He's got a great opportunity starting at fullback

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys head coach Paul Green on the opportunity of being able to play on the Sunshine Coast ahead of tomorrow night's trial against the Titans.

www.cowboys.com.au

Some good stuff in here, Green pretty much says that article about TMM winning the halves spot for round 1 was bullshit.

Fairleigh: Scott's in good shape

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys assistant coach David Fairleigh spoke to the media at Townsvillle Airport today ahead of Saturday's first trial on the Sunshine Coast.

www.cowboys.com.au

Fairleigh has a lot to say too. He makes it sound like Enari has a spot if he plays well in these games. He said they'll probably look at GGM at fullback tomorrow too.

 

[Heart]

Peter Hola seems to be extremely rated. Haven’t seen a young forward rated this high at the club since Taumalolo and Hess - both have turned out ok ...

They have a good record of identifying the really special young forwards and backing them. You don’t get a 4-year deal at Hola’s age unless you have the potential to be above average.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Honestly, if Clifford is not going to have a future in the halves at North Queensland, then he is going to have a future at another club.

It is that simple. The idea of him playing at hooker, not being his natural position, seems unlikely.

Young, talented halves with complete games are a rare and precious thing and that is reflected in the player market.

 

[Stido]

Honestly, if Clifford is not going to have a future in the halves at North Queensland, then he is going to have a future at another club.

It is that simple. The idea of him playing at hooker, not being his natural position, seems unlikely.

Young, talented halves with complete games are a rare and precious thing and that is reflected in the player market.

He will have a future here in the halves but needs patience. He's only just starting on his NRL journey. IMO not rushing him will do more good than harm.

 

[Desert Qlder]

He will have a future here in the halves but needs patience. He's only just starting on his NRL journey. IMO not rushing him will do more good than harm.

To a point I agree.

But at some stage the club needs to be honest about the situation. We all know that Jake Clifford is a starting NRL half either here or anywhere. Martin may be a great club man and acquits himself very well to the tasks given him, but no way he commands attention from other clubs that Clifford would.

The idea that they are in some sort of equal competition for the spot is a furphy, and I find it tiresome. The future is Clifford.

 

[Moggy]

He will have a future here in the halves but needs patience. He's only just starting on his NRL journey. IMO not rushing him will do more good than harm.

To a point I agree.

But at some stage the club needs to be honest about the situation. We all know that Jake Clifford is a starting NRL half either here or anywhere. Martin may be a great club man and acquits himself very well to the tasks given him, but no way he commands attention from other clubs that Clifford would.

The idea that they are in some sort of equal competition for the spot is a furphy, and I find it tiresome. The future is Clifford.

Hope he just doesn't become Ponga 2.0

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[Cowboy_4_Life]

To a point I agree.

But at some stage the club needs to be honest about the situation. We all know that Jake Clifford is a starting NRL half either here or anywhere. Martin may be a great club man and acquits himself very well to the tasks given him, but no way he commands attention from other clubs that Clifford would.

The idea that they are in some sort of equal competition for the spot is a furphy, and I find it tiresome. The future is Clifford.

I concur. Watching him absolutely dominate in Origin last year locked it in for me. Really has all the strings in his bow as a half.

Te has shown he can be good in the halves as more of a 'flash of brilliance' type player, more a weapon than an orchestrator. Big Dog has shown both - he can do it himself, or make those around him good enough to get it done as well.

 

[Heart]

He will have a future here in the halves but needs patience. He's only just starting on his NRL journey. IMO not rushing him will do more good than harm.

He’s not going to need patience because he’s going to be the starting half in Round 1.

Martin doesn’t have the vision Clifford naturally possesses. It’s that simple. Clifford is the better player, easily. It’s a no contest.

 

[Prince Ernst of Hanover]

He will have a future here in the halves but needs patience. He's only just starting on his NRL journey. IMO not rushing him will do more good than harm.

Haven't we made this mistake before? Like....fairly recently.

 

[crayne07]

Haven't we made this mistake before? Like....fairly recently.

........ Yawn........

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[BDR]

Courier-Mail reporting Morgan will be named sole captain at the season launch

Category: | The Courier Mail

www.couriermail.com.au

Scott set to be axed in Cowboys leadership bombshell
FEBRUARY 23, 2019

North Queensland’s greatest prop Matt Scott will be stripped of the captaincy under coach Paul Green’s plan to install a new leadership structure at the Cowboys.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Green is poised to drop a leadership bombshell, scrapping the Cowboys’ eight-year co-captaincy model in a move that will see Scott replaced by a single full-time skipper this season.

Green has kept his leadership blueprint a guarded secret as North Queensland prepare to unveil their new captain at the club’s gala season launch in Townsville on March 8.

Matt Scott’s

But Scott’s superb premiership-winning reign as skipper is over, with Jordan McLean emerging as a challenger to chief playmaker Michael Morgan to lead the Cowboys in the post-Johnathan Thurston era.

It is understood Morgan will clinch the captaincy, but Green is a huge fan of McLean’s leadership potential.

Scott and Thurston were co-captains since 2011 and skippered the Cowboys to their historic premiership triumph in 2015.

Scott was expected to be retained as skipper this season but after making a successful comeback from neck surgery against the Titans on Saturday night, the 33-year-old revealed he is ready to be dethroned.

In a sign of the leadership winds of change sweeping the Cowboys, Scott’s front-row cohort McLean led the side out in their 22-16 trial defeat of the Titans at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

“I don’t think we will go towards co-captains (this year),” Scott said.

“Greeny is pretty keen to go to a single captaincy model.

“I’m pretty happy at this stage of my career (to be replaced as captain).

“We need to prepare for the future. The best way to do that is to hand the captaincy over to someone else and for me to take a step back, not in my leadership role around the club, but just in my public role as a leader.

“Greeny is holding his cards close to his chest but Macca led the team out (on Saturday night), so that’s a bit of an indication on the way Greeny is leaning.”

The demotion of Scott will come as a shock because he is a revered figure at the Cowboys.

No current player at the club can match the toughness and courage that has seen Scott overcome neck and back injuries to play 251 NRL games, 22 Origin matches and 22 Tests for Australia.

With Thurston, Scott was named the NRL’s captain of the year in 2015, but with the Maroons warhorse inching towards retirement, possibly this year, Green is keen for a long-term leader.

Scott pledged to play a key supporting role for Morgan or McLean.

“I will do whatever I can do to help the leaders of our club and help them along the way,” he said.

“Morgo has matured a lot the last two years.

“I think 2017 (when Thurston was injured) was a blessing in disguise for him. He got forced into that leadership role.

“Morgo would be able to handle the captaincy. He has good support around him in myself, Macca, Jase (Jason Taumalolo) and Coops (Gavin Cooper), so there is plenty of help and support there if he needs it.

“Morgo is pretty mature and calm so I’m sure he could handle it.”

 

[Prince Ernst of Hanover]

This would make sense.

It wouldn't surprise me if he relinquishes it voluntarily. Got to start thinking more about the future.

 

[Desert Qlder]

The Courier Wank.

It's a bombshell that Scott is totally cool with.

 

[crayne07]

The Courier Wank.

It's a bombshell that Scott is totally cool with.

This is a excerpt from " NRL. COM" article........

As he contemplates how long he has left in the game, Scott also believes it is time for him to step back from the captaincy duties he has shared with Thurston since 2011.
Hinting that Green is going to revert to a sole captain in 2019, Scott said he was happy for one of the club’s younger players to take the reins.
“We need to prepare for the future now and the best way to do that is to hand it over to someone else and me to take a step back,” Scott explained. “Not in my leadership role around the club but more in my public role as a leader.”


CM............ Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.


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[Desert Qlder]

Furthermore, the honoured and respected club leader Matthew Scott has likely been one of the lead planners in the leadership transition. Such is his authority.

"Axed" GTFOH!

 

[MPW_Fanboy]

Happy with Morgo’s appointment. Thumper could very well be pushed out of the 17 by seasons end so it makes perfect sense to relieve him from the captaincy.