There is one simple rule when it comes to supporting North Queensland: expect the unexpected. It’s been the same for their entire history.
In 2000 they finished wooden spooners with just seven wins for the season, but also had 46- and 40-point thrashing of the Dragons and now-defunct Northern Eagles in those seven wins.
This season they have a team with two of the world’s best attacking backs, but get held to nil at home against last year’s wooden spooners.
They’re known for being one of the worst travelling teams in the competition, but have won both of their 2012 away games while slumping to a 1-3 home record.
The round seven match against the Sydney Roosters was another away game, albeit one that felt like home. The Roosters moved the game up to Darwin, which for a game against a Townsville-based side is similar to the Cowboys moving a home game against Canberra down to Hobart.
Adding to the Roosters’ problems was that the Cowboys arrived into Darwin on Tuesday to help promote the game in the city, where the Roosters only arrived for their ‘home’ game on the Thursday. They even wore their alternate white jersey which allowed the Cowboys to wear their home strip.
A more gracious host you couldn’t find, yet in the first half the Roosters went even further out of their way to make the Cowboys feel as home.
Antonio Winterstein weaved through some poor defence to open the scoring, before repeating soon afterwards. Ashley Graham got his almost obligatory try-a-game on the 16 minute mark, before Kalifa Faifai Loa, in his first NRL game for the year, somehow got the ball down in the corner despite being tackled, airborne, and pretty much completely over the sideline.
Watch the highlights around the 1:22 mark and try to keep your jaw shut. Cannot be done.
The first half’s scoring finished with quite possibly my favourite Cowboys play: Thurston faces one way, then chip kicks the other for a flying Matty Bowen to run through, collect and score. The good guys lead 28-0 at half time – and even better, Manly are losing to the Gold Coast.
The second half started in typical Cowboys fashion: expect the unexpected.
Although they led 28-0 after 40 minutes, the Roosters began to consider a comeback after two quick tries before two more were disallowed by the video ref. That three came from high kicks is a concern; to beat the likes of Melbourne you have to be able to defuse those and not rely on the opposition knocking on.
With 20 minutes to go the Cowboys woke up again, with young Jason Taumalolo proving twice that when 110kg of back-row muscle really wants to get the ball over the line, good luck stopping him.
In between the Taumalolo tries Ray Thompson pounced on a lost ball to return it back home over the Roosters line, before Matty Bowen finished the match with a blistering run, try, and conversion to help register 50 points for the first time in seven years.
Concede 40+ points at home? Run in 50 points of your own the very next game. Coincidentally, the last time they did that was in 2005 – the year we made the grand final.
As always with the Cowboys, expect the unexpected.
sajjittarius
Roar Rookie
@Matt F consistently inconsistent's pretty much it! One of the things that frustrates me is that while they should be a top 4 team without a doubt, there's just something that holds them back for whatever reason - making it extremely frustrating for us fans! @Lowdown I don't think Henry's the problem - he did very well with limited resources in Canberra before heading back north. The club did well in 2004/05 with a strong forwards leader like Paul Rauhihi leading the way - when Matt Scott comes back it should shore up what's been a pretty leaky defence from time to time. The opposition tends to score too many too quickly against us.
Matt F
Roar Guru
They've got one of the most talented rosters in the competition but then again they've had that for a number of years and the consistently achive very little. They're very similar to the Warriors in that regard actually. If they can squeeze out enough wins to make the finals and then hit a hot streak during the finals they are capable of contending for a title, again like the Warriors of 2011, but they have to get there first. Expect the unexpected is one way of descriging them. Consistently inconsistent could be another!
Lowdown
Guest
Good team, great players, average coach - and therin lies the problem. Neil Henry just can't quite seem to cut the mustard despite some great cattle over the years. No doubt he's a great technical analyst of the game, but in regards to the critical aspects of building successful winning culture - he seems lacking. I may be unfair and I do think they will be a top 8 team again this year but I wouldn't be surprised to see to Cowboys fail spectacularly also.
Johnno
Guest
The cowboys on paper have a top class roster if they can get them all on the pitch and all fit and in form. Very explosive team JT JTamou who i would really like to see in a chi jersey not an aussie one jason taumalolo a young SBW in the making has decided to play for NZ good call. Matt scott, so 2 world class props, plus brent tate, and matt bowen so some good players at the cowboys, and workaholic dallas johnson.