Cowboys All Stars voting update

Three North Queensland Cowboys are in the top 15 of NRL All Stars voting heading into the final days of the opening phase to select the squad to meet the Indigenous All Stars at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 9 February.

The first stage of voting, which includes fans picking two forwards and two backs from each club, finishes on 26 November.

The second phase will begin on 10 December and will require fans to trim down the list of 64 players to just 16, with coach Wayne Bennett to handpick two players to go along with Australian captain Cam Smith and New Zealand captain Benji Marshall who are automatic selections in the squad.

The Cowboys are the only club to have three players in the top 15 with Test and Origin front-rower James Tamou the club’s leading vote accumulator in fourth place overall.

Centre Brent Tate is in 12th place, but unlikely to be available for the All Stars following off-season shoulder injury, while co-captain Matthew Scott is in 15th.

Winger Ashley Graham has the second highest vote count amongst the Cowboys’ backs.

Melbourne Storm, Parramatta, Cronulla, Canberra and Gold Coast are the only other clubs with more than one player in the top 20.

The Indigenous All Stars side voting will also start on 10 December, with coach Laurie Daley able to select three players to add to the squad picked by the fans.

North Queensland’s contenders will include Johnathan Thurston, Matthew Bowen, Anthony Mitchell, Robert Lui and Ray Thompson.

Voting closes on 14 January, with the teams to both be named on 16 January.

To vote for your favourite Cowboy, go to www.nrl.com .

Top 20 Overall: NRL All Stars

1 Jarryd Hayne (Eels)
2 Akuila Uate (Knights)
3 Brett Morris (Dragons)
4 James Tamou (Cowboys)
5 Billy Slater (Storm)
6 Fuifui Moimoi Eels)
7 Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
8 Josh Morris (Bulldogs)
9 Cooper Cronk (Storm)
10 Michael Jennings (Panthers)
11 Paul Gallen (Sharks)
12 Brent Tate (Cowboys)
13 Josh Dugan (Raiders)
14 David Taylor (Titans)
15 Matthew Scott (Cowboys)
16 Nate Myles (Titans)
17 David Shillington (Raiders)
18 Jack Reed (Broncos)
19 Luke Lewis (Sharks)
20 Ryan Hoffman (Storm)