Sidelines

[Retread]

Our night with Elton

ELTON John could be trading in his ivory keys at his next show to purse his lips on a didgeridoo.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND A REAL COWBOY . . . Sir Elton meets Cowboys player Matt Bowen and John Pene-Fonmosa

The Rocket Man took time out before last night's show to meet some local Aboriginal elders where he was presented with a one-off designed didgeridoo in his honour.
Renowned artist John Pene-Fonmosa took time out to meet one-on-one with the king of the piano moments before he took to the stage, to pass on the hand-crafted masterpiece.
Sir Elton was visible impressed with the work as he raved about his love of indigenous art to the artist.
Mr Pene-Fonmosa had spent the past four days rushing to finish the design which features a hand-painted tribal design connected to the Bundjalung people of Northern New South Wales where he is based.
"It took about four days all up for me to make it," said Mr Pene-Fonmosa backstage.
"The story in the artwork is from the indigenous people of Australia saying `welcome to our country'.
"It included a keyboard for Elton and a sea turtle which is a totem for long life, grace and beauty."
Mr Pene-Fonmosa has been in the spotlight in recent weeks for making a didgeridoo which will be permanently displayed in Queensland Parliament, marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Federal referendum on Aboriginal rights.
He spent a few minutes speaking to the music great who was thankful for the gift.
"Sir Elton commented that he has quite a big indigenous art collection, so that was really great to hear," he said.
"He was all ready to go on stage when we met and it was very generous of him to give us his time. I think he really appreciated it.
"It's all part of the reconciliation thing for us too. With such a high-profile, well-known person, this is just a chance to showcase that and to have a moment in time with him is very special."

And being in Cowboys territory, the flamboyant soccer supporter couldn't leave without being presented with his own piece of the North's favourite football code.
Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen gave the star his own Elton-embossed guernsey which left him looking a little puzzled.
"He asked if it was league or union," he laughed.
"We had to tell him it was league, which was funny. It was great to meet him. He was good to have a talk to us."
He joked he would be keeping his eyes close on future paparazzi shots to see if he would trade his flamboyant suit jackets for the yellow and blue.
"I hope he wears it," he laughed.

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High-class acts do us proud
ANTONY STEWART


MEDAL MAGNET ... the Cowboys' Johnathan Thurston capped a great season by taking out the coveted Dally M Medal for a second time

NORTH Queensland teams and players covered themselves in glory in 2007. ANTONY STEWART takes a look back at the year that was.
What a 12 months it has been for North Queensland on the national and world sporting stage.
Other Australian centres may have more people to choose from, but the Townsville region continued to produce more than its fair share of high-class sports men, women and teams in 2007.
It all started in January when the Townsville Crocodiles welcomed the new year in with a victory over defending NBL champions Melbourne at The Swamp.
The club was given little chance of making an impact during the 2006/07 season, but happily rubbed their critics' noses in it by reaching the second round of the playoffs.
Townsville finished the season with a 19-14 win-loss record, their equal best win tally in history, to place fifth overall.
After a shaky start (5-7) a switch from Jelani Gardner to EJ Rowland at point guard reaped instant rewards, especially for sharpshooters John Rillie and Brad Newley.
The pair helped spearhead the Townsville machine, with Newley, in particular, giving people reason to sit up and take notice.
In front of an NBA scout at The Swamp he scored 40 points, which no doubt helped his cause as he was drafted, in the second round, into the world's best league in June.
However, as good as the Crocs' season was, it ultimately ended in disappointment after being bundled out of the playoffs on the back of a 33-point thrashing by Sydney.
Townsville's female equivalent, the Fire, could not reach the same highs, missing out on the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
However Rohanee Cox's selection in the Australian Opals team did help ease the pain, while the women restored some pride when the Townsville Flames took out the national ABA championship.
The Heat, the men's team, were eliminated in QABL championship quarter-finals.
There was barely any time to let the success and failures of the NBL and WNBL basketball seasons soak in, though, as the North went Cowboys crazy.
With Matt Bowen and Johnathan Thurston carving their opponents to shreds, the North Queensland NRL club fell just one game short of what would have been an incredibly gutsy grand final appearance.
Gutsy, because for more than three-quarters of the season the team was well below strength.
Injuries ravaged the Cowboys, particularly the forwards, but despite a few mid-season hiccups, which included a 58-12 thrashing at the hands of eventual premiers Melbourne, they defied their detractors time and time again.
North Queensland won a club-record eight consecutive games as they roared into the finals and an eventual third-place finish at season's end _ another team-best performance.
Bowen also entered himself in the club's record books by scoring 22 tries for the year, beating his own personal best of 21.
He also led the NRL tryscoring category and he and Thurston represented Queensland.
The pair were named as the best players in their positions at Dally M Awards night, while Thurston claimed his second Dally M Medal as the best player in the game.
Thurston's feats were made all the more stunning when it was revealed he had been carrying serious shoulder injuries for much of the year.
The 24-year-old had two shoulder reconstructions following the Cowboys' preliminary final loss to Manly, ruling him out of playing for Australia.
Bowen also missed out but it had nothing to do with injury.
The fleet-footed No. 1 was a stunning omission from the team to play New Zealand in October, with his 79kg frame again believed to be the reason he was over-looked by selectors.
But not all Townsville products were robbed of their chance to represent their country in 2007.
Former Wanderers cricketer Mitchell Johnson stamped himself as a fast bowler Australia will turn to for many years to come.
Although the 26-year-old missed out on playing at the one-day World Cup in the Caribbean, he is now a regular in the limited-overs team, while Test honours have also come his way.
In 31 games, with a best of 5-26, Johnson has taken 40 wickets at an exceptional average of 24.6 in the one-day arena.
A series of devastating bowling performances during Australia's tour of India in October helped him become the first Townsville cricketer to earn a Test call-up.
Johnson acquitted himself nicely in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, taking eight wickets at an average of 30, with a best of 3-101.
"Just being out there with the guys in a Test match was really exciting for me," Johnson said after playing in his first Test match in November.
"It is very tough but it's very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to playing more."
Townsville trio Michael Spargo, Kyle Dearness and Herbie Heuir also got a taste of international cricket success, helping Australia win the under-19 Indoor Cricket World Cup in England.
At the same time as Cowboys-mania hit the twin cities in March, the chance of a fourth national sporting team was looking good.
Tropical Football Australia, spearheaded by James Gage, was desperately pushing for Townsville to be included in Australian football's A-League after a licence came up for grabs.
But the month-long battle with New Zealand-based Wellington eventually failed despite having the financial backing, a coach and the right facilities.
The fight is not over, though, with the club, which will be known as the Northern Thunder, well in the race for admission to either the 2008 or 2009 competition.
Swimming was another sport where North Queensland athletes excelled.
Townsville open water swimmer Penny Palfrey was the fastest woman to cross the English Channel for 2007, completing the 34km crossing in nine hours and 34 minutes, making her the fourth fastest Australian female of all time.
The 45-year-old also claimed the 92nd annual Manhattan Island Marathon swim and took out her third Fremantle to Rottnest Island Open Water Swim.
However, the North's younger swimming brigade was not to be outdone.
Teenager Alexandra Bagley proved she was also more than capable of sticking it out in the often torturous long-distance events by winning two gold medals in the 1500m freestyle and 10km open water event at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in January.
Then, in her debut senior international race meet, the 18-year-old finished a respectable 18th in the 5km open swim at the FINA World Championships. Seven months later Bagley came third in the 10km event at the FINA Marathon World Cup in Singapore.
While the Gardens Club member missed out on her Beijing Olympic Games dream in December, she qualified for next year's FINA World Open Water Championships in Seville.
Brad Simmons and Jacinta Powell also stamped themselves as swim stars of the future with gold medal-winning performances at the National Age Championships.
In athletics, Colin Abbey represented Australia at the world championships for athletes with intellectual disabilities, claiming bronze in the long jump final with a leap of 6.07m.
Disabled athlete Paul Raison all but cemented his place in the Australian Paralympic team by becoming No. 2 in the world in both discus and shot put, while 17-year-old Josh Hall also made his mark.
Hall won the high jump at the Telstra Australia All School and Youth Athletics Championships and qualified for the World Junior Titles in Poland next year following a gold medal at the State Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships.
He also won a bronze medal at the World Youth Athletics Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
The future also looks bright on the tennis scene, with John Patrick Smith powering up the world junior rankings, at one stage breaking into the top 10.
Smith competed at three tennis majors, the French Open, Wimbeldon and the Australian Open, with the latter providing his greatest success to date, reaching the quarter finals.
The 18-year-old shot up to a world No. 6 ranking early in the year with tournament wins in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Other notable achievers for 2007 were Joshua Jenkins (under-18 Australian Schoolboys basketball), Rachel Bracken (State and national BMX champion) and Jordan Pyne (under-21 Australian fullbore target rifle team).
Lauchlan Paterson-Nielsen (gymnastics), Jillian Haughton (basketball) and Liz Mullen (water polo) also represented Australia.
Unbelievably, with North Queensland so chock-full of sporting talent, the aforementioned athletes are only a small portion of those who have achieved so much in the past 12 months.
In local sporting competitions, Brothers dominated, claiming the cricket, rugby league, and rugby union premierships.
Wulguru took out the Townsville Football Premier League, while North Queensland reached the semi-finals of the State Football League for the first time in 20 years.
Commercials hockey club made history when it took out both the men's and women's A-grade premiership titles and University won their fourth AFL Townsville premiership in five seasons.
Vixens also continued their recent dominance in netball winning their fourth consecutive crown.

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Pressure on Titans
RAY ANDERSEN
25Jan08

THE Gold Coast Titans will be under pressure to perform early next NRL season.
Their round-six clash against the Broncos was transferred from Brisbane to the Gold Coast after a request from Channel Nine.
Nine wanted to televise the match on a Friday night but Suncorp Stadium already was down to host the Queensland Reds-Western Force Super 14 match, forcing the shift to the Gold Coast.
The Titans will have to hit the ground running if they are to use their home ground to maximum advantage.
They open their home schedule against the Cowboys on March 14.

THERE is no doubting Johnathan Thurston's popularity is widespread.
Thurston was mobbed by youngsters in Darwin last week during a visit for a sevens rugby union tournament which featured a team representing the Cowboys.
Last Friday Thurston signed hundreds of autographs at a clinic for Top End youngsters.

THE Cowboys team was knocked out in the quarter-final stage of the tournament, which was a good effort.
Former Cowboys halfback Noel Goldthorpe showed he has lost none of his competitive spirit.
In the quarter-final he was sin-binned twice for a high tackle and back-chatting the ref.

THEIR place in the A-League is yet to be confirmed but that has not stopped players lining up for positions in the inaugural Northern Thunder squad.
A man representing a German player rang the Bulletin sports desk this week trying to get in contact with Thunder officials.
The player, who heard about the Thunder's bid while holidaying in Australia, wanted to send the club his CV.

SHOULDER charges have been banned in junior rugby league matches.
The shoulder charge was outlawed up to under-15s and this year it will be extended to under-18s.
Offending players will concede a penalty and repeat offenders may also be sent off.
Junior rugby league officials believe the shoulder charge is a lazy form of defence with high potential to go wrong and affect the tackler and ball-carrier.


PULLING STRINGS ... Russell Crowe – pictured here in a scene from his latest film American Gangster – has garned unprecedented US publicity for the Australia Day Challenge rugby league match between his beloved Souths and Leeds in Florida

RUSSELL Crowe has been busy pulling strings.
And he has pulled some very big ones in the US to get decent media coverage for the Australia Day Challenge match between Souths and Leeds Rhinos this weekend.
Obviously rugby league is an unknown sport in the United States.
If Americans claim to have heard of the game they are usually confusing it with rugby union.
Crowe used his influence to get former Souths player Mark Carroll on to the widely watched Jay Leno Show.
Wearing a Rabbitohs jersey, Carroll was `picked' out of the audience by Leno and had a brief chat about rugby league and the Souths-Leeds game.
The match also has attracted significant coverage in the Florida Times-Union newspaper and on its website.
For Souths to get even this amount of coverage in the US is a major achievement.
The two teams clash tomorrow at the 10,000-capacity University of North Florida and there is talk of it becoming a regular event.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
02Feb08

WHEN it comes to poker, Ray Cashmere reckons new Cowboys recruit Travis Burns is happy to talk the talk but a little more reluctant to walk the walk.
In fact, after last weekend, Cashmere believes Burns is running scared.
Since arriving in the North a few months back Burns has made a few friendly jibes at the big front-rower's ability when the cards are on the table.
Although Cashmere won a Townsville tournament late last year, qualifying him for an appearance in Sydney, the crafty five-eighth has made it clear he believes luck was what got the big fella there.
So last weekend Cashmere invited Burns to a poker game along with 50 other participants to put any questions over his ability to rest once and for all.
However, the hyped match-up was a major anti-climax, with Burns failing to show up.
After being on the end of a few jokes from the former Manly player, Cashmere refused to let the no-show slide, giving the Bulletin a call to make sure everyone knew.
We reckon the sledging could be about to hit a new level in the Cowboys' camp.

MURRAY Hurst will continue coaching rugby league in Mackay this year.
Hurst, a former Cowboys coach, has accepted a job with a construction company in Mackay.
Last season he coached Townsville Brothers' under-19 team to a premiership and this year he will take over the Mackay Brothers A-grade team.
Mackay Brothers are the defending premiers but their previous coach was unavailable to continue.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
09Feb08

Hunt on for QRL Northern team of century


Queensland Rugby League Northern Division manager Bob Newsome

NORTH Queensland rugby league fans have been invited to put their thinking caps on.
As part of the game's celebration of its centenary, the QRL Northern Division has begun the unenviable task of naming a 17-man North Queensland team of the century.
Northern Division Manager Bob Newsome admitted the team was sure to generate plenty of debate.
"Given the huge numbers of players from North Queensland who have gone on to achieve great heights in the game, coming up with one team is going to be a very difficult task," Newsome said.
The division has formed a committee to start short-listing candidates, however the public will also be given an opportunity to vote for their favourites during April and May.
Keep your eye on the Townsville Bulletin for more details.
Newsome said to be eligible players must have played for North Queensland at a junior or senior level.
He said apart from their feats on the playing field, the committee would also be considering the contribution the players made to the overall game.
The team will be announced at the Foley Shield final in Townsville on June 21.

THIRTY-TWO of the Cowboys' regional elite academy coaches will get some coaching themselves this weekend at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
Coaches from Townsville, Cairns, the Tableland, Innisfail, Emerald, Central Highlands, Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone will be given an update from the Cowboys' coaching staff.
Cowboys recruitment manager Clint Zammit and Cowboys Toyota Cup coach Grant Bell will run the program with assistance from (Cowboys assistant coach) Matt Parish and Cowboys development manager Kristian Woolf.
Guest lecturers include Kevin Marty, a member of the Toyota Cup coaching staff, and retired Cowboy Paul Bowman.
The academy programs caters for two age groups – under 13-14 and under-15 – and is seen as a vital part of the pathway for players wanting to make the under-20 Toyota Cup squad and, eventually, the Cowboys' NRL team.

GOOD news for the thousands of Cowboys fans who walk to games via Canterbury Road.
The days of stumbling through the drain at the back of Ryan school are soon to be over.
The owners of Dairy Farmers Stadium, the Major Sports Facility Authority, plans to build a bridge over the drain.
It is hoped the bridge will be completed before the Cowboys' season opener against the Wests Tigers on March 22, but the wet season will have the final say on its completion.
Anyone who has tried to negotiate the drain in the dark will be excited by the news.

BRONCOS captain Darren Lockyer raised some eyebrows with suggestions the NRL should expand to Mackay.
Nothing against the good folk of Mackay but it is hard to see them being capable of supporting an NRL team considering they have only just got a team into the Queensland Cup.
And the Cowboys would not be impressed with having one of their huge support areas taken away.
If and when the NRL does decide to expand there are plenty of better options.
They would include the central coast of New South Wales, Brisbane, and even Adelaide.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
16Feb08

Fans react to Murray axing – naturally


OUTGOING ... North Queensland Cowboys coach Graham Murray

TO say news of the Cowboys' decision to end their association with coach Graham Murray was a shock would be a major understatement.
And the ones who seem to have taken the news hardest are the team's fans.
It is a natural reaction.
Murray will go down in club history as the coach who built the Cowboys up to the premiership force they are now.
On paper it is hard to understand why he would be no longer wanted by the club.
His record is among the best of any coach in the NRL.
The official reason was the club wanted to go in another direction.
Cowboys officials understand the discontent among fans but believe they should put their faith in the board.
They argue the board has been a big part of the club's turnaround by making the right moves and they should again be trusted with this latest decision.

SPECULATION will continue over who is likely to replace Murray right up until an appointment is announced.
The two leading contenders appear to be Wayne Bennett and Ian Millward.
Millward has attracted a lot of support with many thinking Bennett would not fit in with North Queensland.
He polarises fans and many do not like his style.
While that will be taken into account, the Cowboys board will want to hire the best-credentialled man for the job.
And no one has better credentials than Bennett.

FORMER Newcastle Knights player Daniel Abraham will turn out for the Cowboys-aligned Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup this season.
The 26-year-old utility player, who has played more than 100 NRL games, will be watched closely by the Cowboys coaching staff.

COWBOYS captain Johnathan Thurston has been named among the top 30 players of the past 30 years by Rugby League Week magazine.
Thurston comes in at No. 23 and the only current players ranked above him are Danny Buderus (22) and Darren Lockyer (four).
The top three, in order, are Andrew Johns, Wally Lewis and Brad Fittler.

THE Cowboys will host the New Zealand Warriors at Dairy Farmers Stadium on April 19 (Saturday).
The `heritage round' schedule was released by the NRL this week.
The Warriors and Cowboys both entered the national competition in 1995.

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Airport lounge double-team
JOSH ALSTON


GOOD LUCK ... Cowboys CEO Peter Parr wished Crocodiles captain John Rillie all the best when their paths crossed yesterday

AS one Townsville sporting team's journey reaches an end, another's is just beginning.
Both the Townsville Crocodiles and North Queensland Cowboys were at Townsville Airport yesterday morning, ready to jet out and do battle.
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr took the time to have a chat with Crocs skipper John Rillie and wish him luck as the NBL club prepares for its do-or-die battle with the Perth Wildcats tonight.
And Rillie was also able to wish the Cowboys all the best as they prepare for their trial against the Gold Coast in Cairns tomorrow night.
The Cowboys season-opener is also against the Gold Coast on March 14 while the Crocs will take on the Sydney Kings on Monday night in the first of a best-of-three preliminary final series if they are successful in their clash with Perth.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
23Feb08

FORMER Cowboys fullback Damian Gibson is continuing his career in the English Super League.
Gibson, 31, was named at fullback in the Halifax team to take on the Melbourne Storm in a trial game this weekend. The Storm are preparing for their World Club Challenge match against Leeds next weekend.
Gibson will always be remembered as the scorer of the Cowboys' first try.

THE Cowboys forward pack will have a beefier look about it in 2008.
Most of the forward pack now tip the scales at 100kg or more.
Second-rowers Steve Southern and Jacob Lillyman were listed as weighing 97kg last season but have packed on the muscle in the off-season and come in at 101kg and 100kg respectively this year.

IT probably did not need it but new Broncos prop Joel Clinton has added even more spice to the round-one match between Brisbane and his former club Penrith.
Talking about his move to the Broncos, Clinton said this week: "You are just surrounded by quality players up here, as well as a quality coach."
This is certain to get back to his former Panthers teammates and coach Matt Elliott.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
01Mar08


FAUST-TRACK ... Cowboys forward Sam Faust

COWBOYS forward Sam Faust had a small reason to celebrate after the trial against Gold Coast in Cairns last weekend.
Faust crashed over for a try – his first at NRL level – during the loss to the Titans.
The Proserpine product has played 13 NRL games without bothering the scorers and even though last week's four-pointer was only in a trial, it was still a moment to remember for the rising second-rower.

[Maroon_Faithful]

He is on the cusp of my SOO squad. He should be a starter for the Cows IMO...They don't really need brilliant runners in the back row. Just solid defenders.

[Retread]

Originally Posted by Maroon_Faithful

He is on the cusp of my SOO squad. He should be a starter for the Cows IMO...They don't really need brilliant runners in the back row. Just solid defenders.

Yes he is one of the big improvers at the club and I would have him in my 17.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
08Mar08

Dogs sniffing around Webb

IT was reported in southern media this week that the Bulldogs would be putting a formal offer on the table for Cowboys prop Carl Webb by Thursday.
However, this came as news to Webb's manager Sam Ayoub.
Both Ayoub and Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr have indicated there is no rush by either party to start negotiations with Webb's contract expiring at the end of this season.
The Cowboys want to see how Webb performs in the early part of the season before getting serious with contract negotiations.
Webb and his manager seem happy with that despite the continued speculation about him being chased hard by the cashed-up Dogs.

THE small crowd at last weekend's North Queensland-Canberra trial left impressed with the performance put on by the Cowboys.
They played a no-frills style but the forward pack was particularly strong.
Also impressive was the defence which looked solid throughout.
The addition of Travis Burns looks like being a good one.
In the absence of Johnathan Thurston he showed good organisational skills at halfback and some of his defensive work was eye-catching.
He is tipped to become a crowd favourite in a short space of time.

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Cowboy's partner steps it up
EMILY MACDONALD


FANCY FEET ... Stefano Olivieri and Temepara George perform on TV
Photo: TVNZ

SIONE Faumuina might be able to dance around the opposition on the footy field but when it comes to the real thing his girlfriend's the star.
Temepara George was famous in her own right as a New Zealand netballer but it's her new role on the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars which has cemented her as a household name in her homeland.
Faumuinais currently training with the Cowboys in preparation for the start of NRL season so opportunities to visit his long term girlfriend will be limited.
"Temepara's been doing really well and she's there (in New Zealand) until she's eliminated so I might not get to see her for quite a while," Faumuina said.
"I miss her a lot but I don't want to get in the way of her career. We've talked about this at length and we think it's too good an opportunity for her to pass up."
But Faumuina said there was one thing which helped console him during the recent lonely nights.
"Her dance partner Stefano is gay so I'm pretty pleased about that one."
Ms George and her partner Stefano Olivieri have so far outdanced the competition by not only surviving the first elimination round but getting the highest score from the judges for their rendition of the quickstep.
This week the couple will perform the jive to the song Mambo No. 5.
Ms George said she has had to juggle five hours of dance practice a day with her ongoing netball training.
"It's been a lot of hard work but so much fun," Ms George said.
"I'm so in love with getting dressed up – all the hair and makeup and sexy costumes really make you feel the part and I think that helps you perform better too.
"My Nan has taped the first two shows and she loves the dances – she's my biggest fan. I think she has watched them so many times the tape is going to wear out soon."
Ms George will be in Sydney this weekend for netball training but she won't be seeing Faumuina.
"If I stay all the way to the end I might not get to see Sione for six weeks and then the netball season starts so it could be even longer.
"I'm lonely without him but it's been good to catch up with my family and friends because I'm from New Zealand. Please tell Sione that I really wish he could come over for just one show."

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Thursto comeback shortens Dally M price
RAY ANDERSEN
15Mar08


Johnathan Thurston

JOHNATHAN Thurston's quicker-than-expected recovery from shoulder surgery has seen his price shorten to win a third Dally M award.
Punters have backed him into $5.50 favourite to win the NRL's most prestigious individual award.
Leading bookmaker Lasseter's Sportsbook said Thurston had drifted to a price of $8 before news of his rapid improvement began circulating this week.
"Now Thurston's going to be on deck for the early rounds it means he'll be able to gain more points and smart punters were definitely awake to that," said Lasseter's boss Gerard Daffy.
The second favourite is Melbourne and Queensland State of Origin hooker Cam Smith at $8.50.
On the back of Thurston's availability Graham Murray's price to win the Coach of the Year award also was slashed dramatically from $15 into $8 in what will be his final season at the Cowboys.
Melbourne's Craig Bellamy is the favourite to win the award at $3.50 ahead of Brad Fittler ($6) and Michael Hagan who shares the third line of betting with Murray.

THE future for Jackson Nicolau looks to be in the centres.
The Innisfail product was signed by the Cowboys as a five-eighth but has had a position shift.
He was used at centre in a pre-season trial against the Mackay Cutters and will play in the same position for the Northern Pride in their Queensland Cup opener tonight.
It may be a good move for the 20-year-old.
He has good speed and footwork and still has some size to add to his 187cm, 90kg frame.
The Cowboys have a lack of depth in the outside backs and Nicolau could be a future contender.

NICOLAU will be joined in the Northern Pride team by fellow Cowboys players Ben Vaeau and Matthew Bartlett.
Their first match at Barlow Park tonight will be against fellow competition newcomers and Cowboys affiliates Mackay.
The Mackay team has been boosted by Cowboys Dayne Weston, Anthony Perkins, Anthony Watts, Kieran Lander, John Frith and Daniel Backo.
Backo, who played in the back row for the Young Guns last season, has been named in the centres for tonight's game.
At 194cm and 111kg he will be a handful for whoever marks him – either Nicolau or another former Cowboys player Brett Anderson.
Tonight's match has created a buzz in the far North and if the weather is good a crowd of about 5000 is expected.

TOWNSVILLE will be visited later this year by a National Museum of Australia exhibition – League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia.
The exhibition celebrates 100 years of rugby league through a collection of artefacts and memorabilia that has never been assembled before.
It includes personal items of league greats Dally Messenger, Clive Churchill, Arthur Beetson and legendary broadcaster Frank Hyde.
The exhibition, now in Canberra, will travel to Brisbane in July to coincide with the second State of Origin clash, then to Sydney's Powerhouse Museum in September, during the NRL finals series, before heading to Townsville and Melbourne.

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Bennett on Cowboys outer
RAY ANDERSEN
22Mar08

BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett is reportedly out of favour with the Cowboys as they continue their search for a new coach.
Recent media reports suggest Bennett is not on any Cowboys shortlist with assistant coach Ian Millward firming as the favourite to replace Graham Murray next season.
The Cowboys initially had Bennett pencilled in as a contender but he had plenty of names above him.
And nothing has changed.
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said he would not be commenting on the coaching situation until announcing an appointment.
One of the Cowboys' preferred options, former Cowboys assistant coach Neil Henry, is believed to be out of contention after pledging his allegiance to the Raiders.
Henry is not off contact until 2010 and the Cowboys are not interested in an interim coach while they wait for him to become available.
On credentials alone, Bennett remains the best candidate for the Cowboys job.
He showed last weekend he has lost nothing.
Despite the loss of some key personnel from last season and the potential distraction to players after he announced he would be leaving the club after this season, the Broncos still produced an outstanding first-up performance to smash the Panthers.
Keeping champion five-eighth Darren Lockyer on the bench for the first 20 minutes was a masterstroke.
Returning from knee surgery last year, Lockyer was outstanding when he took the field and his appearance dealt a psychological blow to the Panthers.
Not only has Bennett won six premierships in his 20 years at the Broncos, he has a knack of always having his teams well-prepared for all games.
Bennett is a big chance to continue his coaching career south of the Tweed.
And of all the current coaches, St George Illawarra's Nathan Brown must be feeling the most nervous about his future.

THE lights will always be on at home games for the North Queensland Cowboys after signing a two-year sponsorship deal with Australian Industrial Rental.
AIR will exclusively supply rental equipment to the Cowboys including generators to ensure the game will go on even in the event of a power failure.
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said the partnership was a valuable step forward for the club.

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Thurston shoulders issue

Shoulder charges continue to divide the rugby league community with North Queensland skipper Johnathan Thurston claiming fans will turn away in droves if the controversial tackle is banned.
While Newcastle coach Brian Smith yesterday said he "actively encouraged" his players to avoid the tactic, Australian and Queensland halfback Thurston claimed officials risked turning the sport into "touch footy" by getting rid of the charge.
"If the NRL bans shoulder charges then I may as well escort fans from games myself, because that is exactly what will happen – our great game will lose supporters," wrote Thurston in yesterday’s Townsville Bulletin.
"Rugby union has outlawed the tackle, but I truly believe following that move would be a mistake by the NRL’s people in power.
"Taking that weapon from Bulldog Sonny Bill Williams’ arsenal would be like telling me I can no longer throw cut-out passes.
"In the stands, the atmosphere in the stadium lifts considerably when the teams are throwing themselves at one another, so it’s clear the fans love it too.
"If we ban everything that could lead to an injury then we may as well just start playing touch footy."
Newcastle Knights coach Brian Smith said he believed banning the tackle would not be any great loss to the game, adding he considered it a low percentage play.
"I actively encourage our players not to do it because it’s got miss tackle and offload written all over it," Smith said on Sydney radio.
"Our game is so tough and our players are subjected to enormous physical demands that I don’t think losing it out of our game would be any sort of great loss to that aspect."

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Lowe brothers in arms against Panthers
RAY ANDERSEN
29Mar08

BROTHERS Jaiman and Ben Lowe will achieve a long-held dream tomorrow when they play alongside each other for the first time in the Rabbitohs' clash with the Panthers at CUA Stadium.
Both were previously at the Cowboys where Jaiman played NRL and Ben was a member of the Young Guns team.
Jaiman moved to Souths in 2006 and Ben joined him midway through last season.
Ben made his NRL debut last weekend against the Bulldogs and had a solid outing – playing 80 minutes, making 26 tackles, 10 runs for 55m and scoring a try.
He has been retained at lock for tomorrow's game and Jaiman returns to the team on the interchange bench.

VIEWERS of the Townsville Bulletin website's video interview with Matt Bowen would have noticed distinct marks on the fullback's forehead.
Bowen picked up the large grazes after doing a face-plant during the Cowboys-Tigers game last weekend.
The interview, in which Bowen talks about how he bulked up in the off-season and his form, can still be seenHERE

THE Melbourne Storm seem to have finally sorted out their players' names.
The season started with the club revealing that hooker and captain Cameron Smith would now be known as Cam Smith.
This week the club issued another release pointing out that Michael Crocker wanted to be known as Michael and not Mick.
Hope that clears up any confusion.

QUEENSLAND Rugby League and Queensland Rail have special packages for regional Queenslanders wanting to attend the second State of Origin match in Brisbane on June 11.
North Queenslanders can travel on the Traveltrain network to and from Brisbane for a nominated period before and after the game.
A limited number of State of Origin tickets will be available when bought in conjunction with rail travel. Discounts of up to 30 per cent apply on the normal adult rail fare.
Packages went on sale through Traveltrain Holidays on Thursday.

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Cliches 'til the cows come home
RAY ANDERSEN
05Apr08

THANK goodness it is April. Now we can stop hearing media commentators, coaches, players, fans etc trotting out the old `premierships are not won in March' line.
It has to be one of sport's biggest cliches.
THE NRL table had an interesting look about it after three rounds.
Few would have anticipated the Cowboys would be winless and on the bottom of the ladder at this stage.
And the odds of last year's grand finalists Melbourne and Manly having only two wins between them heading into round four would have been juicy at the start of the season.
The table is likely to have a totally different look midway through the season and again after the 26 rounds.
All teams go through peaks and troughs over the course of what is a long and gruelling season.
And remember, premierships are not won in April.

THE Cowboys will be hoping confirmation of their coach for 2009 will have a settling effect on the team.
Now that it is all sorted everyone can take a deep breath and get on with winning football games.
The speculation over who will replace Graham Murray and whether or not he would see out his term must have been having an effect.
Players and those on the coaching staff have certainly been a little more testy than usual.
What makes the Cowboys' poor start to the season even more baffling is the number of players they have coming off-contract.
Normally this results in those players lifting to try to clinch a new deal.
This has not been the case so far this season for Cowboys players.

THE loss of Matt Bowen for tonight's clash may not be the disaster many are thinking it is.
Bowen has obviously been short of full fitness in the opening three rounds after off-season knee surgery.
He has lacked his usual zip and even his passing game has not been what it normally is.
A fully fit replacement – Ashley Graham was named in the position by coach Graham Murray yesterday – should be better value than an unfit Bowen.

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Sharks get huge jump-start
RAY ANDERSEN
19Apr08

SLICK SHARKS ... Cronulla fullback Brett Kearney tries to evade Dragons big man Jason Ryles




THE Cronulla Sharks have set themselves up for a successful season thanks to their tremendous start.
Because of work being done on their home ground Toyota Park, Cronulla played their first five matches of the year away from home.
The fact they managed to win four of those gives them a tremendous advantage for the rest of the season.
They now play 12 of their remaining 19 games at Toyota Park, regarded as one of the most difficult venues in the competition for visiting teams.
The Sharks and their fans get to experience their new facilities for the first time against the Panthers tonight.


CRONULLA have established a strange statistic on their way to winning those matches.
They have the worst missed tackles number in the NRL, averaging a massive 42.2 per game.
Yet they sit equal third on the list of points conceded with just 14, alongside the Roosters.
They also have the fourth best record of tries conceded with 2.6 per game.
The Sharks do even better when it comes to conceding line breaks.
They are equal first alongside the Bulldogs and Titans with 2.8 per game.
So even though they miss a lot of tackles their defence is sound. NORTHERN Pride coach Andrew Dunemann is making an impressive start to his career with the clipboard.
The former Cowboys player has managed to meld the Northern Pride – widely tipped to struggle in their first season in the Queensland Cup – into a genuine competition force.
The Pride are undefeated after four rounds and are playing an impressive style of rugby league.
Dunemann, who has been a great spokesman for the club whenever contacted by the media, is always quick to heap praise on his players.
He rates a large chunk of them as potential NRL players.
The Storm must have been listening as they wasted little time snapping up another former Cowboy Brett Anderson.
He will play for their feeder team Central Coast in the New South Wales Cup this afternoon, against Newcastle, after transferring from Cairns this week.
Another player Dunemann rates highly is second-rower Joel Reithmuller.
Anyone who saw his performance against Souths Logan last week would agree with the coach's high opinion.
Dunemann also may be headed back to the NRL in the near future, this time as an assitant coach.


THE choice of locations for the ARL centenary of rugby league plaques is interesting.
The Cowboys unveiled one this week at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
The ground was one of about 180 sites around Australia chosen as `venues of historical significance' as part of celebrations for the game's 100th anniversary.
The plaques carry the centenary of rugby league logo, the venue's name and why it was selected.
Dairy Farmers Stadium is deserving but surely the Sports Reserve also should get one.
Its significance to the game in North Queensland should be recognised.
Meanwhile, the Titans also unveiled a plaque this week at their new ground Skilled Park.
Given the stadium has only hosted four NRL games it is hard to understand what its historical significance is to rugby league on the Gold Coast.

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Looking forward, looking back
RAY ANDERSEN
26Apr08

Arthur Beetson


RUGBY league may be taking time out to reflect on its past as it celebrates its 100th anniversary but there are still plenty of people looking at the game's future.
An article in this week's edition of Big League magazine should spark plenty of debate.
The article examines where rugby league needs to change and gets the opinion of some of the game's greats.
It was sparked by the legendary Arthur Beetson's decision not to attend the announcement of the Team of the Century.
This must have been the cause of significant embarrassment for organisers.
Beetson was named in the team but before it was announced was adamant he would not attend, citing a disappointment with the modern game's administrators and where the sport was headed.
Beetson's protest caused many to wonder where the game needs to change.
Among those to suggest changes in the Big League article were Tom Raudonikis, Steve Mortimer, Johnny Raper and Terry Randall.
All their suggestions have merit and are designed to improve the game as a spectacle, however most would miss the mark.
In particular, Raudonikis' call for unlimited tackles once an attacking team gets inside the oppostition's 40m zone would not work.
He thinks it would bring attrition back and rid the game of tries scored from kicks.
Teams would quickly abuse such a rule, however, and we would have teams holding on to the ball with boring play until the defending team simply runs out of steam and a try is scored.
Motimer suggested dropping the 10m rule and coming back to 7m.
He said this would encourage teams to spread the ball more often in an attempt to break the defensive line.
This might also take some of the emphasis away from the wrestling which goes on in tackles now.
With defensive lines not having to get back as far there would be less need to slow down the play-the-ball.
Winning the battle on the ground has become one of the biggest components of the game.
The team that wins this battle inevitably wins the game.
At lower levels the 7m idea has more merit.
You only have to look at the Townsville and Districts Rugby League scores each weekend to see how at that level teams struggle to cope with defending from 10m back.
However, policing a 7m line would be difficult given the reference lines on a field are marked at 10m intervals.


THE jerseys worn by the Cowboys last weekend as part of the NRL's heritage round were a big hit.
The were plenty of positive comments from fans with many suggesting it should be worn again.
The jersey commemorated North Queensland's win over the touring Great Britain side in 1966.
The club itself has no plans to use the jerseys again this season but has not completely ruled it out.
"We were really happy with the way they came up," said club chief executive Peter Parr yesterday.
"There is a possibility we could wear them again but we would have to get permission off the NRL."
Parr said he was in favour of the the NRL continuing with its successful heritage round in future seasons.
"If we had a heritage round again, whether we wore that jersey would be open to discussion," Parr said.
"We might look at another famous North Queensland jersey."

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THERE is a cloud hanging over the future of Ben Harris at the Cowboys beyond this season.
The former Bulldogs premiership player moved to Townsville from English Super League club Bradford on a one-year deal.
Talks between his manager Steve Gillis and the Cowboys are expected to start soon but keeping him in Townsville may be difficult.
Harris is one of 12 Cowboys off contract after this season.



TODAY'S `Super Saturday' of NRL action has a different format.
Fox will cover games at 5.30pm (Knights-Titans) and 7.30pm (Panthers-Eels) but will not have live coverage of the third game between the Tigers and Broncos kicking off at 8.30pm.
That game will be telecast on delay by WIN at 9.30pm, after the Panthers-Eels match, and by Fox at 1.30am tomorrow.

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Cowboys managing media
RAY ANDERSEN

THE North Queensland Cowboys seem intent on taking media management to new levels.
The latest attempts started last Friday when coach Graham Murray ruled star fullback Matt Bowen out of that weekend's match against Souths because of his ongoing knee problem.
However, Bowen was at the airport on Saturday for the trip to Sydney and was obviously likely to play.
The Cowboys coaching staff were not keen on this information getting out.
They asked that television footage shot of Bowen preparing to leave Townsville not be used.
They even told a television reporter there would be a backlash if it was used on news bulletins that night.
Of course the reporter ignored the threat and the footage was used.
By the time Sunday's newspapers hit the streets Bowen's participation in the match was confirmed and the attempt to catch the Bunnies off guard was foiled.
Anyone who saw the match would agree Bowen should not have been on the field anyway.
Either he was not fully fit or simply did not have the confidence in his knee to have any influence on the game.
The former is most likely true given this week the club announced he would be sidelined for at least the next three weeks in an attempt to let the injury heal.
Earlier this week the Townsville Bulletin organised a picture story with a couple of obliging players looking ahead to tonight's game.
Later that afternoon one of the players rang to say the coaching staff had told him he should not be talking to the media as there was no guarantee he would be playing tonight.
The player had been named in the 17 announced on Tuesday and normally the story would be used, given it was early in the week and the final make-up of the team would not be known until just before kick-off.
But to avoid causing the player any grief it was spiked.
Yesterday a senior Cowboys player rang the Bulletin, angered that he had been `misquoted' in a story.
The fact all his quotes were on tape did not seem to have any significance.
The player was concerned the story could fire up the visiting Sharks.
I am not sure but I'm guessing he received a rocket from the coaching staff.
It would not be the first time players who have spoken to the Bulletin were later grilled for their comments.
This makes some players hesitant about talking with the media which, ultimately, is talking to their fans.
Murray has tried to exert more and more control over the local media during his time at the Cowboys.
Since last year, television footage and photography is limited to about the first 15 minutes at training sessions.
This basically covers the players' warm-up.
While it is no huge deal it does make it harder for cameramen and photographers to get a good selection of shots to choose from.
In contrast the Brisbane Broncos allow unrestricted access to their field sessions for both cameramen and photographers.
It is similar with the Gold Coast Titans although they sometimes restrict video footage when running through set plays.
With Murray told he would not be required after this year it was always going to be a difficult season for the Cowboys.
The fact they are sitting second last on the ladder after eight rounds with the dreaded Origin period just around the corner can only be adding to the tension at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

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Sidelines
RAY ANDERSEN
17May08

THE Cowboys' season is not over but it is certainly teetering on the brink.
A loss against Manly today would see the team slump to three wins and seven losses from their opening 10 matches.
But not all hope is lost.
Last season the Broncos only won three of their first 10 but still managed to qualify for the play-offs.
That was on the back of a golden run which saw them win seven of their next nine games.
In 2004 the Cowboys qualified for their first finals series after registering three wins and a draw in their first 10 matches.
Interestingly, the Cowboys had their best start to a season in 2006 when they won seven of their first 10 matches.
However, they failed to make the play-offs that year after making the grand final the season before.
The Cowboys' season will hang on how well they cope with the Origin period.
In recent seasons this has not been a fruitful time for the club.

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Tonga may do rehab in Townsville
RAY ANDERSEN
24May08

Willie Tonga


COWBOYS signing Willie Tonga may relocate to Townsville early after having his stint with the Bulldogs ended by injury.
Tonga has undergone a shoulder reconstruction and has been ruled out for the 2008 NRL season, ending his five-year association with the Bulldogs from where he played for Queensland and Australia.
Tonga hurt his shoulder in round seven and after being scheduled for a cleanout operation underwent a full reconstruction when surgeons discovered more serious damage.
Tonga will join the Cowboys on a four-season deal next year and Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr would like to see him carry out his rehabilitation from the surgery in Townsville.
"I have asked his manager if he would look at coming up here to do his rehab because that would make sense in lots of ways," Parr said yesterday.
"He was going to approach the Bulldogs about it and with everything that has been going on this week I have not touched base with him.
"I have left it with him to talk with the Bulldogs and it is a possibility."
The injury was a blow for Tonga who was regaining confidence after a knee problem.
"(The injury) was a real shame," Parr said.
"He was really getting back to his best footy after overcoming a knee injury.
"Looking at the positives, it is an advantage for us because he will be coming up here feeling fresh and injury-free.
"He won't miss any of the pre-season with us."


THE Cowboys are expected to announce a new addition to their coaching staff next week.
With Graham Murray leaving and Ian Millward moving up from an assistant role to replace him, there is a vacancy on the staff.
It is likely the person chosen will be offered a position beyond this season, becoming part of incoming coach Neil Henry's staff when he joins the club next year. FORMER Young Guns centre Jamie Frizzo will make his return to the Queensland Cup for the Northern Pride today.
Frizzo was named at centre for the top-of-the-table clash with Ipswich, to be televised by ABC.
Frizzo lost his passion for the game after last season and took some time off after relocating from Townsville to Cairns.
He recently returned to club footy in Cairns and was quickly noticed by Pride coach Andrew Dunemann who was looking to fill a gap left by the departure of Brett Anderson to the Storm.

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WHAT do they feed them up north? Kirwan High's Jason Taumalolo was named player of the recent Queensland under 15 league carnival. We hear the Cowboys scholarship holder is only 14 but already a whopping 96kgs.


THERE have been constant stories Johnathan Thurston was part of a player group which led the charge to dump Cowboys coach Graham Murray. But we are assured that is wrong with Thurston being one of the first people Murray rang to tell about his decision. And Thurston publicly thanked Murray for his efforts.


THE rugby league World Cup already looks a one-horse race but the University version, to be played in Brisbane, will be much closer. New Zealand is the current titleholder. The draw for the tournament was released last week with the opening ceremony at Parliament House on July 4 and the finals at Langlands Park on July 19.


HIS popularity never seems to wane. A signed and framed Darren Lockyer jersey sold for $5000 at a charity function on Saturday night. Organisers had hoped to fetch $1000 for it.


IT wasn't a great Origin for Queensland's Carl Webb but he has certainly been busy signing a new two-year deal with the Cowboys and representing the club at the launch of the NRL's Indigenous Health Program in Darwin. Cowboys board member Gorden Tallis and Eels forward Daniel Wagon were also on hand. Incidentally, we hear there could be some news about Webb's fledgling boxing career soon.
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