You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
Ty Carucci | Photo: Scott Davis © NRL Photos

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS NYC v NORTH QUEENSLAND TOYOTA COWBOYS NYC
3.15pm, Saturday 28 May, WIN Stadium      

Referees: Chris Butler, Adam Cassidy
Touch judges: Adam Reid, Liam Nichols
Broadcast: Fox Sports (live)
Match updates: twitter.com/nthqldcowboys

TEAMS

Cowboys: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Gideon Gela-Mosby 3. Bacho Salam 4. Nathan Traill 5. Marcus Jensen 6. Ty Carucci 7. Cooper Bambling (c) 8. Darryn Schonig 9. Brandon Smith 10. Taha Tutavake 11. Ross Bella 12. Hiale Roycroft 13. Jordan Kenworthy. Interchange: 14. Trey Kemp 15. Corey Horsburgh 16. Emry Pere 17. Nick Lui-Toso.

Dragons: 1. Matt Dufty 2. Reuben Garrick 3. Patrick Herbert 4. Donte Efaraimo 5. Paora Kemp 6. Jai Field 7. Jack Payne 8. Jacob Esau 9. Reece Robson 10. Matt Jurd 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Topiese Taufa
13. Nathan Leatigaga 14. Ali Allouche 15. Keelyn Tuuta-Edwards 16. TJ Uele 17. Stuart Mason 18. Joe Lovodua 20. Vaughan Thistlewaite

MATCH FACTS

  • Both sides come into this match in good form, having won their past four matches.

  • The Cowboys are third on the NYC ladder with eight wins from 11 games, while the resurgent Dragons are eighth with six wins and five losses.

  • The round five match between the sides in Townsville resulted in a 38-18 win to the Cowboys.

  • The teams are coached by former stalwarts at their respective clubs: Mat Head for the Dragons and Aaron Payne for the Cowboys.

  • The match will be broadcast live on Fox Sports.

  • In-form Cowboys lock Jordan Kenworthy amassed 159m from 18 runs and effected 30 tackles in his side’s 38-18 win over the Broncos last round.

  • Livewire halfback Cooper Bambling will captain the side for the first time this year with the promotion to the NRL of hulking back-rower Coen Hess.

  • Hooker Brandon Smith is the comp’s second busiest dummy-half runner with 57 runs.

  • Fullback Kalyn Ponga makes the second-most kick receipts of anyone in the comp, with 75.

COACH AARON PAYNE: “Hessy (Coen Hess) has been great for us this year and we won’t have him. It’s time for our forwards to collectively lift”.

Acknowledgement of Country

North Queensland Cowboys respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.