North Queensland Cowboys: 2019 preview, draw, squad changes, news, every player, odds and ticketing

Troy Whittaker

North Queensland Cowboys: 2019 preview, draw, squad changes, news, every player, odds and ticketing image

A new dawn is upon the Cowboys after the former king of the north, Johnathan Thurston, ended his 14-season reign.

Despite a lacklustre 2018 campaign in which they finished 13th, there is hope abound that North Queensland can return to premiership contention without JT.

Michael Morgan is the chosen one to take over Thurston's mantle, and the playmaker has more pressure on his shoulders than ever before.

He is set to be partnered in the halves by Te Maire Martin, with Jake Clifford waiting in the wings for his chance.

The Cowboys' biggest strength is undoubtedly their forward pack.

Jason Taumalolo, Josh McGuire, Matt Scott, Jordan McLean, Gavin Cooper, Cohen Hess, Scott Bolton, Ethan Lowe and John Asiata... all in the same team.

With a pack that large and mobile, North Queensland should dominate the middle-third of the field this year and lay a solid platform for their back-line.

Powerful ex-Dragons winger Nene Macdonald joins the club and will help North Queensland make yardage out of their own end with his strong frame.

Jordan Kahu looks to be the man to play fullback, having signed with the Cowboys weeks before the season following Barba's axing.

Ethan Lowe

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS PRE-SEASON NEWS

Following the disappointment of last season, Cowboys CEO Greg Tonner resigned after four years at the helm.

Ben Barba signed a one-year contract with the club in September after lighting up the UK Super League for St Helens and winning the Man of Steel award.

But Barba soon found trouble and was punted without playing a game after an alleged domestic violence incident at the Townsville Casino in February, throwing the Cowboys' plans into disarray.

The fullback copped an effective life ban from the NRL after CEO Todd Greenberg viewed the CCTV footage of the altercation.

Barba was set to compliment the coup of Australian Test prop Josh McGuire, who walked away from the Brisbane Broncos in search of a fresh start having spent 10 seasons at Red Hill.

The hard-nosed McGuire will join one of the NRL's most fearsome forward packs.

Front-rower Scott Bolton pleaded guilty to common assault in January regarding an incident at a Bondi bar last May.

Bolton escaped conviction and is yet to be formally punished by the Cowboys or the NRL.

However, he copped a 10-match ban and a fine worth five per cent of his contract.

His suspension will be halved to five games if he agrees to address the captains and senior players of all 16 clubs during Magic Round weekend in May.

In the wake of Bolton's guilty plea, North Queensland coach Paul Green insinuated that players would have minders in public settings going forward to stop similar dramas.

Former Broncos winger Jordan Kahu joined the Cowboys in late February, just weeks before the season, and is expected to play fullback.

Scott Bolton

PRE-SEASON TRIALS

February 23 – Cowboys 22 def. Titans 16

March 2 – Cowboys vs Storm

#Jake Clifford

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS' 30-MAN SQUAD

North Queensland have one spot remaining in their top 30 and have until June 30 to fill it.

Josh McGuire, Tom OpacicNene Macdonald and Jordan Kahu are the club's marquee recruits

Johnathan Thurston and Antonio Winterstein have retired, while title-winning fullback Lachlan Coote has moved to St Helens.

Kane Linnett (Hull Kingston Rovers) and Shaun Fensom (Brisbane Broncos) are also gone.

 PlayerDate of BirthHeight, weightPositionNRL matchesRep honours
1Ben Hampton29/2/1992179cm, 89kgFive-eighth/Fullback84Nil
2Nene Macdonald11/5/1994192cm, 108kgWing91Papua New Guinea
3Coen Hess14/8/1996190cm, 114kgSecond-row59Queensland
4Corey Jensen8/1/1994188cm, 107kgLock35Nil
5Emry Pere8/9/1998193cm, 106kgSecond-row0Nil
6Enari Tuala19/10/1998188cm, 96kgCentre11PMXIII
7Ethan Lowe20/3/1991194cm, 105kgSecond-row108Nil
8Francis Molo3/9/1994183cm, 112kgProp13Cook Islands
9Gavin Cooper19/8/1985197cm, 108kgSecond-row284Queensland, World All Stars, PMXIII
10Gideon Gela-Mosby27/12/1997180cm, 89kgWing8Nil
11Jake Clifford2/1/1998184cm, 95kgHalfback6PMXIII
12Jake Granville7/2/1989172cm, 87kgHooker111Nil
13Jason Taumalolo31/5/1993191cm, 117kgLock162Tonga, New Zealand, NRL All Stars
14Javid Bowen30/3/1993193cm, 91kgCentre/Wing29Nil
15John Asiata19/4/1993183cm, 104kgProp93Samoa
16Jordan Kahu28/1/1991183cm, 93kgFullback/Wing/Centre95New Zealand, Maori All Stars, World All Stars
17Jordan McLean10/8/1991196cm, 188kgProp96Australia, World All Stars, Country Origin, PMXIII
18Josh McGuire2/3/1990180cm, 104kgLock194Australia, Samoa, Queensland, PMXIII
19Justin O'Neill4/4/1991190cm, 96kgCentre159Australia, Queensland, NRL All Stars
20Kurt Baptiste15/3/1991173cm, 85kgHooker70Papua New Guinea
21Kyle Feldt9/2/1992191cm, 103kgWing98Nil
22Matthew Scott30/7/1985185cm, 110kgProp251Australia, Queensland, NRL All Stars, PMXIII
23Michael Morgan27/12/1991185cm 94kgHalfback/Five-eighth140Australia, Queensland, PMXIII
24Mitchell Dunn3/2/1997190cm, 99kgSecond-row2Nil
25Murray Taulagi12/3/1999189cm, 93kgWing0Nil
26Peter HolaNot listed (age 19)Not listedProp0Nil
27Scott Bolton9/5/1987187cm, 112kgProp228Nil
28Shane Wright13/3/1996188cm, 104kgSecond-row3Nil
29Te Maire Martin2/10/1995181cm, 87kgFive-eighth48New Zealand
30Thomas Opacic7/9/1994183cm, 100kgCentre19Nil

COACH: Paul Green

Additions (players who weren't in 2018 top 30): Nene Macdonald (St George Illawarra Dragons), Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys), Tom Opacic (Brisbane Broncos), Kurt Baptiste (Sydney Roosters), Jordan Kahu (Brisbane Broncos), Emry Pere, Murray Taulagi

Losses: Antonio Winterstein (retired), Johnathan Thurston (retired), Lachlan Coote (St Helens), Kane Linnett (Hull Kingston Rovers), Shaun Fensom (Brisbane Broncos), Sam Hoare (unsigned), Josh Chudleigh (unsigned), Kyle Laybutt (unsigned)

Re-signed: Javid Bowen (2019), Jake Clifford (2020), Jake Granville (2021), Ethan Lowe (2019), Francis Molo (2020), Michael Morgan (2023), Justin O'Neill (2019), Emry Pere (2020), Shane Wright (2020), Peter Hola (2022)

Off-contract beyond 2019: Kurt Baptiste, Scott Bolton, Javid Bowen, Gavin Cooper, Ben Hampton, Corey Jensen, Ethan Lowe, Te Maire Martin, Gideon Mosby-Gela, Justin O'Neill, Matthew Scott, Murray Taulagi, Enari Tuala, Jordan Kahu

#jake granville

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS' BETTING ODDS

At $15 (via TAB as of 2/2/19), the Cowboys are equal-seventh in the betting to win the 2019 premiership. It would be the second time the club has lifted the Provan-Summons Trophy.

Jason Taumalolo is rated a $21 chance of claiming his second Dally M Medal.

The Cowboys are $1.75 to make the top eight, $3.75 to finish in the top four and $26 to suffer the most losses.

#Jason Taumalolo

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS' 2019 DRAW

Games played on

Thursday: 4

Friday: 8

Saturday: 9

Sunday: 3

 

Teams they play twice

St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos, Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Melbourne Storm, Canterbury Bulldogs, Gold Coast Titans, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Wests Tigers

RoundDateOpponentVenue
1Saturday 16 March 7:35pmSt George Illawarra1300SMILES Stadium
2Friday 22 March 7:55pmBrisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium
3Saturday 30 March 5:30pmCronulla Sharks1300SMILES Stadium
4Saturday 6 April 5:30pmCanberra Raiders1300SMILES Stadium
5Friday 12 April 7:55pmMelbourne Storm1300SMILES Stadium
6Saturday 20 April 5:30pmNew Zealand WarriorsMt Smart Stadium
7Friday 26 April 6:00pmCanterbury BulldogsANZ Stadium
8Friday 3 May 6:00pmGold Coast Titans1300SMILES Stadium
9Sunday 12 May 4:05pmSouth Sydney RabbitohsSuncorp Stadium
10Saturday 18 May 5:30pmParramatta Eels1300SMILES Stadium
11Saturday 25 May 3:00pmCanberra RaidersGIO Stadium
12Sunday 2 June 4:05pmGold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium
13Saturday 8 June 7:35pmManly Sea Eagles1300SMILES Stadium
14Friday 14 June 7:55pmWests Tigers1300SMILES Stadium
15Friday 28 June 6:00pmSt George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium
16BYE
17Sunday 17 July 2:00pmSydney RoostersCentral Coast Stadium
18Saturday 20 July 7:35pmSouth Sydney Rabbitohs1300SMILES Stadium
19Thursday 25 July 7:50pmCronulla SharksShark Park
20Thursday 1 August 7:50pmWests Tigers

Leichhardt Oval

21Thursday 8 August 7:50pmBrisbane Broncos1300SMILES Stadium
22Saturday 17 August 3:00pmNewcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones Stadium
23Friday 23 August 6:00pmPenrith Panthers1300SMILES Stadium
24Thursday 29 August 7:50pmCanterbury Bulldogs1300SMILES Stadium
25Friday 6 September 7:55pmMelbourne StormAAMI Park

# Cowboys

It's a big year for...

Michael Morgan. 

Morgan has the unenviable job of taking control of the Cowboys from arguably the greatest player of all time in Johnathan Thurston.

The 27-year-old is well-equipped to withstand the pressure, with a CV that includes winning a competition and representing Australia and Queensland.

The form he showed in the 2017 finals without Thurston to lead North Queensland from eighth place to the grand final is the stuff of legend.

Morgan's output this season will dictate how the Cowboys perform.

If he rises to the task of steering the side as he did in '17, Paul Green's men could win another title.

But if Morgan falters, a repeat result of last season beckons.

A strong start to the year is imperative for Morgan's confidence, especially since the new halfback is coming back from a torn bicep.

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MEMBERSHIP AND TICKETING

As of February 16, the Cowboys had 11,736 members for the upcoming season.

North Queensland are on track to better their 2018 membership total of 23,437.

Membership packages can be viewed here.

General tickets for the season are available here.

#jordan mclean cowboys

Troy Whittaker