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Maroons utility Michael Morgan helped put the disappointment of a State of Origin opening loss behind him by guiding North Queensland to a much-needed 20-8 home NRL win on Saturday night over Gold Coast.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
North Queensland Cowboys 20
Gold Coast Titans 8
After producing an entertaining affair earlier in the season, the North Queensland Cowboys will take their turn to host the Gold Coast Titans, hoping Johnathan Thurston will be back on the paddock. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).
The game in reference, played during Round 4 saw a brave and understrength Titans outfit put on a brilliant display at home, but ultimately come up short in a high-scoring, entertaining affair to the tune of 32-26.
Now it’s the Cowboys turn to host the Queensland derby, and they will be hoping it’s Johnathan Thurston’s first game for the club in over a month.
He has struggled with injuries and missed State of Origin 1, but is once again on the reserves list for the Cowboys.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys have had other injury problems to deal with as their season slumped below expectations. Both Lachlan Coote and Jake Granville have been watching on from the sidelines, while veteran prop Matt Scott is out for the season.
Leading into the Origin round with Granville and Coote back on the field, alongside Michael Morgan who picked up his game considerably, they put in two much-improved performances, one for a win over the Bulldogs and the other a loss to the Sharks.
Coming out of the bye, the refreshed Cowboys will be looking to put in a charge for the top four during the second half of the season, but that needs to start here with the side currently sitting in seventh position.
If we are talking about teams playing understrength, then the Titans are at the top of the list. Even though they are getting back towards full strength now, they spent a considerable chunk of time with injuries left, right and centre.
It’s hard to remember a game this season where they have finished with four fit players on the bench, and at one point, leading into a stirring win against the Cronulla Sharks they had ten or more players out with injury, including Jarryd Hayne.
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Hayne in a lot of ways holds the fate of the Titans in his hands. After some less than average club form, he turned it on for New South Wales on Wednesday, and will now need to carry that back to the Titans.
For Hayne, it’s also about not overplaying his hand and allowing the creative combinations to work, with Ashley Taylor, Kane Elgey, Tyrone Roberts and Nathan Peats all doing good things so far in 2017. If they can do that, then there is no reason they won’t knock over the Cowboys.
The Titans currently sit out of the top eight with four wins from 11 games.
It’s worth noting both teams have made no changes from their last performance a fortnight ago.
Prediction
It’s hard to see the Titans picking up a win on the road, particularly if Thurston is back. Still, the experience of Morgan, Granville and Coote will power the hosts over the line in an entertaining encounter.
Cowboys by 6.
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