• In 2015 the Cowboys will celebrate 20 years in the NRL and the club will mark the milestone year with a schedule of festivities, including the naming of a 20-year team. “We’re a relatively young club but have built a strong history since that first game on 11 March 1995,” CEO Peter Jourdain said. “There have been many people involved in creating these foundations and we’re looking forward to reflecting on the past two decades and looking ahead to a long, bright future.” Details of the celebrations will be released later this year.
• Lachlan Coote says he’s loving life in Townsville even though he’s had his first season with the Cowboys ruined by a serious knee injury. “It’s been unreal, I thought I’d struggle, but the club has made me feel like family,” Coote told Rugby League Week. “Everyone loves their footy up here and there’s no traffic. It’s a really laid back atmosphere and that’s what I love about it. My girlfriend’s got a good job, we’ve got a good house and everything has worked out smoothly. I wouldn’t change anything.” Cootey will celebrate his 24th birthday on Sunday.
• Look out for the “Beefy Burger” on the tuckshop menu at Currajong State School real soon. It’s named after the school’s adopted Cowboy Joel Riethmuller, who picked up the nickname “Beefy” from his former teammate Blake Leary a couple of years ago because it almost rhymes with “Riethy”.
• Gavin Cooper added a new skill to his repertoire on Thursday night. He was the master of ceremonies for the North Queensland Games opening dinner in Townsville and from all reports, did a first-class job. His teammate Brent Tate was guest speaker.
• Our Team Cowboys have made it into the top 10 team fundraisers in Queensland for this year’s World’s Greatest Shave. The final tally raised by Ant Mitchell, Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Ashton Sims, Joel Riethmuller and Tropic Petroleum CEO Jamie Regan was $22,772. Thanks to everyone who donated!
• With three tries already in 2014, Johnathan Thurston has already surpassed his NRL total from 2013. Maybe he’s on track for a season like 2011 when he crossed the try line 10 times in 19 appearances for the Cowboys.
• Our stats leaders from Monday night’s match against the Gold Coast Titans – most metres: Brent Tate (165m); most tackles: Gavin Cooper (45); most tackle breaks: Jason Taumalolo (5); most offloads: Kane Linnett (3).
• James Tamou and Gavin Cooper feature in this week’s Rugby League Week magazine. Coops is under the microscope in the RLW Grill section where he reveals, amongst other things, the worst nickname he’s been given. Jimmy talks about life with his young son Brooklyn in a two-page story by journalist Joel Gould.
• With his knee injury now behind him, Ricky Thorby is set to be a late inclusion in the Northern Pride forward pack for the top-of-the-table Intrust Super Cup clash with Norths at Innisfail on Saturday night.
• Tune in to ABC Grandstand’s The Ice Bath program on Sunday evening to hear what Cowboys coach Paul Green has to say about the Monday Night Football clash with the Newcastle Knights. He’ll be on air around 5.45pm.
• The snake that almost made it on the playing field during the NRL match at Robina on Monday night turned out not to be a venomous brown snake after all. It was a harmless keelback and its time in the limelight ended when it was captured in the toilets at Cbus Super Stadium a couple of days later and returned to the wild.
• Happy birthday to NYC squad member Conor Carey who turns 19 on Monday and a belated happy birthday to club doctor Chris Ball who had his big day on Monday.
• Even though there’s no Cowboys action until Monday, you can still see some of our best young players in action in Townsville on Saturday afternoon. The unbeaten Townsville Stingers under-18 Mal Meninga Cup team that includes a number of North Queensland NYC squad members play the CQ Capras at Kern Brothers Drive at 3.30pm. There’s an under-16 Cyril Connell Cup clash beforehand at 2pm.
• Don’t forget the Cowboys post-match awards will be held at the Cowboys Leagues Club at around 10pm on Monday night.
Main image: Zac Santo & students at Townsville Central State School for Adopt-a-School
