The North Queensland Cowboys are riding high with eight straight victories, and they’ll be a big chance to make it nine when the struggling Manly Sea Eagles come to town on Saturday Night. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:30pm.
The Cowboys are the form side of the competition, and they’ve looked close to unbeatable for eight weeks now. Despite a couple of close calls along the way, the Cowboys are looking like Premiership favourites after 11 rounds, and it’ll take a good side to stop them.
The Sea Eagles will celebrate their 1,500th NRL match this weekend, but they couldn’t have picked a tougher matchup to mark the occasion.
It’s been a dramatic fall from the top for the Sea Eagles, who only have three wins to their names so far in 2015. They have been improved in recent weeks though, and they took a tough loss to the Panthers in Round 10.
They’ll need the Cowboys to show a little complacency if they want a chance this weekend.
The Cowboys have all their Origin stars returning, with Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott, Michael Morgan and James Tamou all returning to the side. John Asiata, Rory Kostjasyn and Patrick Kaufusi have all been named on an extended bench.
The Sea Eagles lost Daly Cherry-Evans to injury in their loss to the Panthers, but they get Kieran Foran back this weekend in the No.7 jersey. Tom Symonds will play five-eighth for the third straight game.
The Sea Eagles have had the longest injury list in the league this season, but they haven’t been playing good enough football to get the results regardless. A win in Townsville would have them full of confidence, and this is still a side that has enough talent to make a run at the finals.
Prediction
Although a win would help the Sea Eagles, I just can’t see it happening. The Cowboys have been red-hot to say the least, and they should romp to another victory on Saturday Night.
Cowboys by 20
Bails
Guest
I was at the game, as usual the ref was trying to find every reason to get the pigeons home. There was a no try from the pigeons where everyone immediately in the stadium knew it was not a try and the refs took 5 min to try and find something, literally 5 min????? what the!, they gave up in the end though and said no try, lol!! gotta hand it too them the refs got boooed for 5 min...
up in the north
Roar Rookie
A win is a win I guess. Hopefully they got all their errors out of their system now.
Concerned Observer
Guest
I had an equally inflammatory response to this, but here's a better one, I was at the game, I got to see the look of utter defeat and heartbreak in so many of Manly's players as they had a game taken from them that they should've won, my god, it was sweet, so nice to see the smug look of Mason when he saw that scrum get recalled utterly fade, as tears welled in Lyon's eyes and as Brett Stewart looked like a sad musical chord away from adopting the foetal position Enjoy the spoon
Joe
Roar Rookie
Just thankful the last pass went to Cooper and not Linnett or he would have dropped it. He was terrible tonight especially the last 20.
Jason Hosken
Guest
Chopping Tooves will mean another year of turmoil with the replacement under the gun from play one. I'd like to think the club has learned from the Gifty fallout.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Will heap more pressure on Tooves. Which just isn't right.
Jason Hosken
Guest
Tough year just got tougher. Two in a row at the death, good sides close out the the tight ones. Lets hope they keep backing up, can't complain about the effort.
Haradasun
Roar Rookie
He could have kicked it to linnett.
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
No worries Jason. I'm going to go cry myself to sleep now.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Maybe. But I didn't mind the play. 6 tackles to run 90m. You've gotta think you can hold out the opposition in a situation like that. Granville run to the blind was quality. Tough loss for the club. As I said it's just one of those seasons
Jason Hosken
Guest
Thanks Joel, good call.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
They got Coote last year Zedman, he just spent the entire year out with a torn ACL he sustained in the Nines.
Parrafan
Guest
Unlucky Eagle. Should Foran have tried for a repeat set there?
Parrafan
Guest
Austin is certainly up there, but agree, Granville is becoming a very good hooker.
Zedman
Roar Rookie
I'd put Coote in there as well
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
FULL TIME Well folks, you've seen a match where the better side lost. The Cowboys use a miracle at the end of regulation for the third time in their nine-game winning streak to break the Sea Eagles' hearts. It's nine in a row for the Cowboys now, while the Sea Eagles slump to a 3-8 record. Very tough loss for the Sea Eagles, as they were probably the deserved winners on the night. Thanks for joining me for Saturday Night football, and make sure to stay with the Roar for all your football needs tomorrow afternoon.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Granville has to be a contender for the best buy of the offseason.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Well that's just horrible. One of those seasons I guess
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
TRY COWBOYS 79' Jake Granville goes straight through, and the Sea Eagles are on the ropes. Now Lachlan Coote is away, but he's pulled down at the line. They come to the left side, and Gavin Cooper has scored!!! Cowboys 16 Sea Eagles 14
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
77' Hiku with a long sideways run, and he almost steps through. Foran now takes the tackle on the last, and the Cowboys will need to go 95 metres to win. Cowboys 12 Sea Eagles 14