At the midway point of the NRL season, the bottom-eight bound North Queensland Cowboys looked as likely to feature come September as I did to be dating Katy Perry.
The Cowboys are now three wins away from the grand final, and KP is two months from a tour of Australia. If you believe in miracles and fairytale finishes, it’s a good time to be alive.
In a year where I decided playing fantasy football for the first time would be more rewarding than a tipping comp (SPOILER: my Sky Valley Stoners performed like you’d expect a team bearing that moniker to), the only evidence of any pre-season predictions on my behalf comes via an obscure tweet just before 2014 kicked off.
Which means I’m striking them at around 50 per cent to date (c’mon Dragons fans, a broken hoodoo does not a good season make), and that first week of October tip is starting to take on the faintest whiff of credibility.
When it comes to the Cowboys, one of the predictions I got wrong is perhaps key to why things are going so right. Star five-eighth-come-halfback Johnathan Thurston was well off his rhythm when it counted in State of Origin 2014, but from Game 3 onwards has played like the guy who collected man-of-the-match honours four times at the World Cup in England late last year.
He’s hungry; scheming and probing; determined to carry his side to premiership glory on his back. Not that he has to. Unlike Jarryd Hayne at Parramatta, he’s not a lone juggernaut trying to drag a squad of players still soul-crushed by Ricky Stuart in his wake.
The late season hot streak has coincided with Jason Taumololo remembering he’s a ridiculously massive unit with agility and speed to burn, perhaps due to rookie coach Paul Green showing him footage of his colossal display in a courageous losing battle against Cronulla in last year’s finals, or perhaps even as a subconscious reaction to being traded out of my pathetic fantasy league squad.
Matt Scott has also been stampeding up the paddock in career-best form since Origin, while the loss of T-1000-esque Brent Tate has been tempered somewhat by the injection of Tautau Moga’s pace since moving north from Roosters territory.
This Cowboys squad also plays with the same relentless intensity no matter who they’re throwing shade across the halfway line at. The 64-6 humiliation of the Wests Tigers in Round 22 may have been the rock-bottom moment Robbie Farah and his mate Mick Potter had to have, but the Cowboys’ attack would have sliced up any team in the comp that night.
They’ve since steamrolled competition frontrunners South Sydney and Manly, fallen over the line against the Sharks, and lost by one to a Penrith team who just won’t stop winning games no one expects them to.
These are exciting times in Townsville – the most exciting since the dream run of 2005. There are platforms being laid, nice blends of youth and experience, and plenty of full credit no doubt being given to the boys.
There’s also a space on JT’s mantle where the NRL premiership ring he generously dished off to injured Bulldogs skipper Steve Price in 2004 could be. And if he doesn’t collect one in 2014, chances are Mitchell Pearce will be collecting his second.
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
Don't know that we "prefer" Origin exactly, just want to see both trophies on this side of the border
The eye
Guest
I'm glad you lot don't care about the premiership,it's been 8 long years since you've won one and your sides seem to be getting further away,not closer..if you prefer origin,it's all yours lock,stock and barrel,can't even begin to understand that line of thinking..
The King
Guest
Does Darren Smith or David Stagg ring a bell? It's not just Griffin
Muzz
Guest
I left, what i thought was a reasonably well presented bait for my good friend and target species V.O.R and not even a nibble. Disappointed.
Matt
Guest
Was only two years ago, 2012, when they first used this AFL-style top 8, when Cowboys 5th hosted Broncos 8th. De ja vu or what? Theres still 11 Cowboys and 12 Broncos returning from that night. Cowboys won it 33 - 16 but I have a feeling that the 12 Broncos + the newer five, are looking at not leaving Townsville with the same feeling this time.
Matthew Edwards
Guest
I'd rather win Origin then have my team win a premiership. Any day of the week. You clearly don't get us Qlders. We are brought up in a climate where origin is everything. Atleast when it comes to RL
PNG Bronco fan#88
Guest
Cowboys up against not only the nagging weight of premiership expectation, but also facing a team touted mid year by so called league experts to miss the finals. Come 10:30pm Saturday, JT and co will be even more thirstier for 2015 and that elusive fairytale!
djcooper
Roar Guru
It may be weird EJ but I'm also in the same boat. I just hope there are no injuries or suspensions coming as a result of this game.
Felix
Guest
That's the Maroon spirit you're seeing eagle!
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
Picture this. Broncos v Cowboys in the GF. Both teams come out and line up for the anthem. After that, when the ref is walking out to the middle, both teams come together, shake hands, grab the trophy and set off for a joint lap of honour, then take off back across the border with the trophy leaving 80,000 southerners scratching their heads and shaking their fists
dayer
Guest
why is a second rower picked in the centres for the Boncos, haven't they got any centres at ALL. This has been the biggest PROBLEM with GRIFFIIN in the last 3 years always playing second rowers in the centres and the wing. Thank god he is gone ... lost win or draw. good luck to him. i am a Broncos supporter but we are G O N E.. Go the Broncs.
mushi
Guest
As a kid reading the RLW surveys and one question was "what's most important to you" and the choices were play origin, play for Australia or win a grand final. I just couldn't fathom as a little tike that anyone would put down anything other play origin. It could have probably been reworded to do you come from nsw or qld!
eagleJack
Guest
Classic, yeah you guys sound like my colleagues. Fearful that the Broncs may get up this w/end but not have the ability to go all the way. Not knocking you guys, it's just a foreign concept to me. I just want Manly to win. Couldn't careless about another team whether they are from same state, city or start with the letter "M".
Jay C
Roar Guru
That is my fear as well. I think the Cowboys have a better chance of going deep.
HarryT
Guest
While it is great that JT is Thursty for glory, all of us, and particularly Billy Slater, hope that James Graham is not hungry for success.
Roarsome
Guest
I agree also. I just hope the Broncs don't get them and fall over next week,
MAX
Guest
JT seemed very edgy early and wanting to rush things. This game will be' tight as' for the first 60mins. How the Brothers Sims perform in their last game(s) with the club will determine the result. Can the Cowboys do a Finals 4 in a row against wave after wave of the best opposition? 2 Yes! 3 Possibly 4 Doubtful but RL fans would not begrudge them going all the way.
Julian King
Roar Guru
A Cowboys premiership will be a win for the game. It will break the Broncos' stranglehold on the Queensland market. Expansion talk can then ride the wave of title success. Not that another Queensland team needs much justification, but it will only confirm the need.
Mitchy
Guest
North Qlds awesome pack will win them the big one. Im going out on a limb here I know; there is alot of footy to be played....but what ive seen in the last month from the Cowboys has been brutal, slick and efficient. JT has grown anothet leg, and Robert Lui has gone up 2 gears. I think it will boil down to JT and Lui v Pierce Maloney when the Roosters meet them in the big one. I love my Broncos but they are outclassed here. Theyll give a good account for themselves but i cant see them overcoming the Cows the way theyve been playing.
Kowalski
Roar Rookie
Agreed. To further prove the point I (being a born and bred Bronco's supporter) am really hoping the Brissy boys take the win. But on the flip-side, if the North Queenslanders get it I will more that happy! They certainly deserve a crack at the GF. Going to be a great game.