How did the Cowboys shape up in Round 1?

The new-look Cowboys opened season 2020 with a loss to the Broncos on Friday. And unlike most of 2019, their attack wasn’t responsible.

A number of Cowboys impressed in attack. Scott Drinkwater looked quick across the ground all night and had a couple of nice touches, nice hands and nice timing. But his defence needs a lot of work. And he wasn’t the only one.

When a team concedes 28 points, it can be for a variety of reasons. And certainly, the Broncos’ attack was strong without being fluid. But Friday’s game in Townsville saw the Cowboys’ defence expose its own weaknesses.

When Jake Turpin scored in the 12th minute, the Cowboys had had time to organise their defence and were prepared to move off the line. Yet Valentine Holmes at fullback was defending at the play-the-ball and several poor decisions let the Broncos in.

Holmes took position at marker (or A defender, depending on how square you like your markers). Outside him stood Jason Taumalolo and Gavin Cooper, both of whom had eyes for the two rather large Broncos forwards lining up wide. Drinkwater’s run out of the line at Broncos halfback Brodie Croft was made moot by the dummy half, but was probably noted by the Broncos attackers for use later.

When Jake Granville raced out to the openside, Jordan McLean was left to defend the middle on his own (with only Holmes nearby) and the Cowboys vice-captain made no serious attempt to tackle the dummy half before he crashed through virtually untouched.

There’s a reason fullbacks once refrained from defending in the line. They usually have other things on their mind other than defending against a dummy and barge over at the goal-line.

There’s also a reason you like to have numbers in front of the play-the-ball. I don’t know whose fault that is within the Cowboys’ system. Holmes’ organisation? The middle forwards? But it was someone’s. So at least the team can learn from it and fix it.

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

By the 20th minute and 20 metres out, the Broncos engineered seven against five on the Cowboys’ left. Drinkwater came out fast to Croft, missed the one-on-one tackle, and Mitchell Dunn had come in on the Broncos’ edge back-rower. The Broncos scored through Kotoni Staggs. Ben Hampton had little chance against him, but his attempted tackle on the try-scorer didn’t even slow Staggs’ progress.

Cowboys defences of years past wouldn’t have seen a tackler race out on the halfback too often. Johnathan Thurston rarely did. I wonder if North Queensland need everyone singing from the same sheet, and fast.

The Broncos blew the game open on their first set of the second half when kicking to the inexperienced Dunn/Hampton combination out wide. Holmes seemed to be struggling with match fitness only two minutes into the second half, jogging across field slowly while a Brisbane bat-back saw them score again.

The Broncos were gifted an attacking kick inside the Cowboys’ 20 after Drinkwater came out of the line early, then missed a tackle on Jamayne Isaako. The Broncos made 45 metres on the play to set up the last-tackle option.

By the 61st minute, Drinkwater seemed unsure in defence. He thought twice about coming out of the line, possibly spooked by misses in the first half, and backed away, letting Isaako run. When Dunn missed the tackle, Drinkwater and Holmes missed in cover defence and Isaako scored, the game was over.

One-on-one tackling from the Cowboys was poor.

David Fifita is a strong bugger, but he shouldn’t be able to run straight through Coen Hess and Esan Marsters because he feels like it. It was a standing start from a glacial play-the-ball, too.

The Cowboys once revelled in their ball-handling prowess. The team needs to do better next week or they’ll get plenty of practice inside their own 20. And they need to tackle better. Simple as that.

Yes, there were some mitigating circumstances. Sure.

The loss of Justin O’Neill to concussion was significant. With Mitch Dunn in the centres and Ben Hampton outside him, the Cowboys’ left-side defence was at a disadvantage almost from the get-go. So too the left-side attack. But there were moments of joy.

In a significant moment for the Cowboys’ 2020 attacking hopes, Val Holmes scored on the left after running onto the end of a nice double block play (with three inside potential ball-runners too), drawing defenders’ eyes.

With Michael Morgan playing through the middle third and briefly straightening, Drinkwater took the ball to the line fast and found Holmes. With a two-on-two and a bit of space, the former Shark took the ball between defenders to score the Cowboys’ first points at QCB Stadium and the season.

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Personally, I always loved Lachlan Coote and loved what he brought to the Cowboys in 2015, ’16 and ’17. But that 15th-minute try to Holmes was one Coote wouldn’t have scored. I look forward to much more of that once Holmes gets rolling.

The Cowboys’ second try started with a beautiful long pass from Granville with Drinkwater straightening as first receiver. Morgan and Holmes combined sharply to put Kyle Feldt over.

Drinkwater had another nice touch putting Gavin Cooper over late. The defence had eyes for Holmes out the back.

But the problem on Friday wasn’t individual skill.

The Cowboys didn’t look like they wanted to score off every play. But they looked like they wanted to score off every set. There were limited opportunities to force restarts, retain possession and build pressure. And if you’re letting pressure-building opportunities go, you’d better be scoring. The Cowboys didn’t do that.

Their attack hasn’t found the timing and combinations yet.

Still, there were other good signs.

Cowboys fans should be excited for the season ahead. Granville ran. Morgan ran. Hess ran.

The collective kicking game needs work but wasn’t as bad as I’ve seen. Marsters’ work rate was notable.

Holmes looked good, if limping around, according to some fans. There were two dropped balls in the first half – one on his own ten, which led to a Broncos try. But if that’s the worst-case scenario for his reintroduction to the NRL, Cowboys fans will take it. He scored a try and had a try assist to his name.

Then there’s Taumalolo. He’s only getting stronger. He literally carried Broncos defenders on his back. That was my highlight of the night. That and the stunning new stadium.

I’m tipping the Cowboys to respond this Thursday. But if they don’t address the defensive flaws by then, the Bulldogs might just run through them again.