Match Trial Match vs Melbourne in Mackay

[BDR]

7pm Saturday night (QLD time) at BB Print Stadium in Mackay.

Cowboys

1. Jordan Kahu
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Justin O’Neill
4. Ben Hampton
5. Nene Macdonald
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Michael Morgan
8. Matt Scott
9. Jake Granville
10. Jordan McLean
11. Jason Taumalolo
12. Coen Hess
13. Josh McGuire

Interchange
14. John Asiata
15. Gavin Cooper
16. Mitch Dunn
17. Scott Bolton
18. Tom Opacic
19. Jake Clifford

Storm

1. Scott Drinkwater
2. Suliasi Vunivalu
3. Marion Seve
4. Curtis Scott
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cameron Munster
7. Brodie Croft
8. Christian Welch
9. Cameron Smith
10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Kenneath Bromwich
13. Dale Finucane

Interchange
14. Brandon Smith
15. Tom Eisenhuth
16. Tui Kamikamica
17. Jesse Bromwich
18. Tino Fa'a
19. Joe Stimson
20. Ryan Papenhuyzen
21. Sandor Earl
22. Billy Walters
23. Justin Olam
24. Cheyse Blair
25. Patrick Kaufusi

Looks like, as expected, we're going to be close to full strength, Morgo and McLean will be in action. Some interesting tidbits in the article below, including that Hampton has trained to play centre most of the off-season. Should be a better indicator of our overall strength than last week was.

NRL trials week three: Teams, times for pre-season clashes

Paul Malone, staff writers, The Courier-Mail
February 25, 2019 1:48pm
Subscriber only

The Cowboys will take the pre-season wrapping off playmaker Michael Morgan and recruit Jordan Kahu against Melbourne in Mackay on Saturday.

Cowboys coach Paul Green said Morgan, who this year is set to don the No. 7 jersey worn with distinction by Johnathan Thurston, would step out for the first time this preseason.

Kahu and centres Justin O’Neill and Ben Hampton are also tipped to play after they sat out a 22-16 win over Gold Coast at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Where Broncos recruit Kahu, who hopes to become the Cowboys fullback, plays in Mackay will partly depend on the fitness of other backs.

North Queensland Cowboys training from 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville. Michael Morgan. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Wingers Murray Taulagi and Kurt Wiltshire both have knee injuries, which Green said had needed scans.

“He (Kahu) will play against the Storm, at fullback I’d say, but I’m not set on that because we picked up some injuries to outside backs,’’ Green said.

“Morgo will play next week. We didn’t play him because I wanted to give Te Maire Martin and Jake Clifford full games as the halves.

“Justin O’Neill will get a start in Mackay and Ben Hampton has trained in the centres for most of the preseason. Tom Opacic was good (in the centres against Gold Coast) and Javid Bowen did some good things. It’s healthy competition.’’

Jordan Kahu is set to make his club debut for the Cowboys in Mackay.

Green said he wanted the team to take on Melbourne to be close to the side he fielded in the first round of the premiership against St George Illawarra on March 16.

“But we haven’t had a chance to get as much training as we’d like — I might have an extra couple of players (in Mackay) because we missed so much training during the floods,’’ he said.

Forward Ethan Lowe, linked with a move to South Sydney, had 50 minutes put into him against the Titans, starting on an edge and later playing in the middle.

WEEK THREE NRL PRE-SEASON TRIALS
New Zealand Warriors v Wests Tigers
3pm Saturday (AEDT) at Northland Events Centre, Whangarei
Knights v Sharks
5.30pm Saturday (AEDT) at Maitland
Panthers v Eels
7pm Saturday (AEDT) at Panthers Stadium
Sea Eagles v Roosters
7pm Saturday (AEDT) at Central Coast Stadium

Charity Shield: Dragons v Rabbitohs
7.30pm Saturday (AEDT) at Glen Willow Stadium, Mudgee
Titans v Broncos
7.30pm Saturday (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
Cowboys v Storm
8pm Saturday (AEDT) at Mackay

 

[Beaves NQ]

Hampton in the centres is a recipe for disaster.

 

[TowtruckTronc]

Hampton in the centres is a recipe for disaster.

I agree he looked lost in defence last year in the centres. But his attack was always quite good i thought. I’m hoping with a full off season of training there he has levelled up his defence, no doubt that is what he would have focused on.

 

[Beaves NQ]

I agree he looked lost in defence last year in the centres. But his attack was always quite good i thought. I’m hoping with a full off season of training there he has levelled up his defence, no doubt that is what he would have focused on.

he’s just not big enough for mine. You can never fault his effort but you are required to do a lot more 1 on 1 in the outside backs, at least as a rotational bench hooker he has other big boppers in close proximity to help him out.

 

[TowtruckTronc]

On paper hampton in the 14 makes sense but i didn’t really rate him at hooker. You would think with his speed he could make something of it but i don’t think his defence is up to it. He definitely isn’t the biggest body and 1v1 against the likes of dugan or inglis would definitely be a worry.

I have the same worry with Kahu if he was to play in the centres TBH. Still think he makes our squad stronger but his defence at times last year for the broncs (in the centres) was borderline Jango level.

 

[rocketfrog]

https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/02/26/team-list-trial-v-storm

Team list: Trial v Storm

Cowboys.com.au
Tue 26 Feb, 2019

Cowboys team to play Storm:
1. Jordan Kahu
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Justin O’Neill
4. Ben Hampton
5. Nene Macdonald
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Michael Morgan
8. Matt Scott
9. Jake Granville
10. Jordan McLean
11. Jason Taumalolo
12. Coen Hess
13. Josh McGuire

Interchange
14. John Asiata
15. Gavin Cooper
16. Mitch Dunn
17. Scott Bolton
18. Tom Opacic
19. Jake Clifford

 

[Jagjaxon]

Taumalolo at 11, no baptise or bench hooker

Wow big calls

 

[rocketfrog]

Melbourne Storm team for the Mackay Trial

1. Scott Drinkwater
2. Suliasi Vunivalu
3. Marion Seve
4. Curtis Scott
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cameron Munster
7. Brodie Croft
8. Christian Welch
9. Cameron Smith
10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Kenneath Bromwich
13. Dale Finucane
---
14. Brandon Smith
15. Tom Eisenhuth
16. Tui Kamikamica
17. Jesse Bromwich
18. Tino Fa'a
19. Joe Stimson
20. Ryan Papenhuyzen
21. Sandor Earl
22. Billy Walters
23. Justin Olam
24. Cheyse Blair
25. Patrick Kaufusi

 

[Dream]

Taumalolo at 11 will make a lot of people happy.

I'm pretty excited to see how this team plays, looks like it will be a big change in style from recent years.

Jase running off Morgo's hip could be a revelation.

 

[BDR]

I would prefer Jase closer to the middle, I feel he is wasted out wide. Just a trial though so I won't read too much into it.

Will be good to see Kahu in action and get a read on him

 

[Dream]

I would prefer Jase closer to the middle, I feel he is wasted out wide. Just a trial though so I won't read too much into it.

Will be good to see Kahu in action and get a read on him

I'm a bit excited because it probably indicates that they've at least been working on some plays with Jase out wide. Even if he ends up playing in the middle they could switch it up at times in attack to punch holes in the edges.

 

[MPW_Fanboy]

Disappointing to see that TMM has effectively won the race to partner Morgo in the halves. I give it a month until we revert back to Clifford. Very interested to see how taumalolo goes on an edge. I prefer him in the middle but am excited to see him instil fear into the opposition edge. If cooper has indeed lost his spot in the starting side, than I don’t see much benefit to him playing a cameo role off the bench. He’s not that type of player who can provide an explosive impact in a restricted period of time.

 

[Haz]

Interesting. Not alot of impact off the bench though. Agreed Jt wasted a bit out wide but good luck to edge oppositions!

 

[Dream]

I don't know whether to believe this will be close to the round 1 team or not, based on the bench, I think that forward pack could still change considerably.

It looks like O'Neill and Hampton have first shot at the centre spots though. Would have liked Tuala in this game too, instead of or in addition to Opacic.

 

[BDR]

Disappointing to see that TMM has effectively won the race to partner Morgo in the halves. I give it a month until we revert back to Clifford. Very interested to see how taumalolo goes on an edge. I prefer him in the middle but am excited to see him instil fear into the opposition edge. If cooper has indeed lost his spot in the starting side, than I don’t see much benefit to him playing a cameo role off the bench. He’s not that type of player who can provide an explosive impact in a restricted period of time.

I am expecting TMM and Clifford to get a half each, guess we'll see how it plays out

 

[Beaves NQ]

i don’t think our rd1 team will look like that at all. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Jordan]

I would prefer Jase closer to the middle, I feel he is wasted out wide.

Back in the day the sentiment was more that he was wasted in the middle being a battering ram. He's just become so good at that role that I personally would find it difficult to move him. I guess it is a way of having Scott, McLean, Jase and McGuire all in the starting side.

 

[JP Sportnut]

Hey guys first post of the new season and it is already depressing me if this is the team we run out round 1. Have some serious questions of Green.

First of all Taumalolo permanently on an edge? God I hope not. McGuire should be the starting prop over Scott. The bench needs some punch.

It is a new year so I'm going to give the guy a break but Hess needs to play like his first full year rather than his Bryce Cartwright impersonation last year and a half other wise he should be a bench player also

TMM over Clifford? Dont get me started. Why did we sign Kahu? He is a backup winger/centre at best. O'Neill and Hampton in the centres? Really? Morgan is going to have to put them over the line because they are not creating anything

And our 2nd best 2nd rower has just been released for nothing. Did he shag Green's Mrs?

God I hope I look like a fool but this is such an uninspiring lineup position wise imo

 

[Jagjaxon]

Let's just see how they go before writing them off already jeez

 

[Minto]

Well, that's a team alright. Excited to see Jase out wide but surely he doesn't start the season there.

Disappointed to not see Corey Jensen at least on the extended bench. Opacic but no Tuala is strange as well. The centre pairing is just meh. Hampton tries hard and usually does pretty well wherever he's slotted in but he's just a stopgap. O'Neill is O'Neill. I'll be very surprised if he shows anything different than the last couple years.

Also, where is Baptiste?