Toyota Cowboys coach Paul Green has opted for a new halves pairing and Anthony Mitchell as his back-up hooker for Saturday night’s round eight NRL clash against Parramatta at 1300SMILES Stadium.
Ray Thompson will return to the No.7 jersey, replacing Robert Lui, while Mitchell is on a six-man interchange bench that will be reduced to four later in the week.
Joel Riethmuller and Ethan Lowe are the other additions to the bench that played against Manly on Good Friday, while Kane Linnett is set to return at left centre after overcoming his back injury.
Kyle Feldt drops out of the 17 and will play in the Intrust Super Cup for the Northern Pride, along with Lui, this weekend.
Man of the match for the Mackay Cutters in last year’s Intrust Super Cup grand final, Mitchell last played an NRL match for North Queensland in round 20 last season.
Thompson last wore the No.7 for the Cowboys in round 10 in 2013 after being Johnathan Thurston’s regular halves partner in 2011 and 2012.
The Cowboys will come up against an Eels squad still sitting in the top eight despite losing to Wests Tigers on Monday afternoon.
Saturday night’s clash will kick off at 5.35pm.
NORTH QUEENSLAND TOYOTA COWBOYS v PARRAMATTA EELS
Round 8, 2014 Telstra Premiership
5.30pm, Saturday 26 April, 1300SMILES Stadium
1 Michael Morgan
2 Matthew Wright
3 Brent Tate
4 Kane Linnett
5 Curtis Rona
6 Johnathan Thurston (c)
7 Ray Thompson
8 Matt Scott (c)
9 Rory Kostjasyn
10 James Tamou
11 Gavin Cooper
12 Jason Taumalolo
13 Tariq Sims
Interchange:
14 Anthony Mitchell
15 Joel Riethmuller
16 Ashton Sims
17 Scott Bolton
18 Glenn Hall
20 Ethan Lowe
Coach: Paul Green.
