• The Cowboys have adopted a new venue for their post-match recovery sessions on the day after games in Sydney. After beating both the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs, the boys have turned up at Bondi Beach the following morning for a walk and stretch and quick dip in the ocean.
• Congrats to the crew of the Cowboys Call Team on 4TO and affiliated stations. Their coverage of Matthew Bowen’s last home game for North Queensland last year has earned them a position as finalists for best sports coverage (non-metropolitan) at the Australian commercial radio awards (ACRAs). They’re up against four Victorian stations that covered Aussie rules grand finals with the winner to be announced next month.
• Call Team commentator Wayne Nicholson came up with a funny blooper on Saturday night. Reading out the Cowboys team lineup, he mistakenly came up with Adrian Thomson as our No.14 instead of Ray Thompson. Adrian, or “Happy” as he’s better known, is one of the Cowboys assistant coaches who reckons he would “last two minutes”.
• The Cowboys shared their Sydney Olympic Park hotel at the weekend with the Collingwood Magpies, who also had a Saturday game – against the GWS Giants at the Sydney Showgrounds. It was a very happy hotel when both the Magpies and Cowboys made the short trip back to celebrate two important victories.
• Staying at Homebush on Thursday night gave the Cowboys coaching staff the rare, and welcome, chance to go to the footy and not worry too much about the result. They watched on from the stands as the Bulldogs beat Wests Tigers.
• Last Saturday night’s Cowboys v Rabbitohs match cracked the 300,000 viewers mark for Fox Sports. With a total audience of 300,717, it had 40,000 more viewers than any other round 24 clash.
• Ashton Sims will showcase his trickshot in Thursday night’s WIN News Locker Room segment. Tune in at 7pm. Next week, it’s the one we’ve all been waiting for – Johnathan Thurston. We wonder what he will come up with.
• A story on the Sims family is one of the special features in Big League magazine this week. It goes on sale on Thursday and will be available at 1300SMILES Stadium on Monday evening.
• With this week’s NYC game shifted to Brothers Leagues Club on Saturday night (6pm kick off), the TDJRL under-16 major semi-final between Herbert River and Brothers will be our curtain-raiser match on Monday. It will start at 5pm after gates open at 4.45pm.
• Last week’s NRL stats leaders were: most metres – Matt Scott (222m); most tackles – Tariq Sims (38); most try assists – Johnathan Thurston (2); most tackle breaks – Kyle Feldt (5); most linebreaks – Kyle Feldt (3).
• Stay tuned for some exclusive Cowboys content on Fox Sports. Reporter Lara Pitt filmed segments with Tariq Sims, Michael Morgan, Johnathan Thurston and Gavin Cooper while the boys were in Cronulla last week.
• North Queensland are now fifth favourite to win this year’s NRL grand final, according to bet365.com. We’re an $11 chance, behind the Roosters ($3.75), Manly ($4), Souths ($4.25) and Melbourne. Interestingly, the Cowboys have a 4-1 win-loss record against those four clubs this season. The one defeat was the heartbreaking round seven loss to Manly at Gosford. We’re a $6 chance to make the grand final.
• Three Cowboys made it into the Team of the Week on NRL.com in round 24. Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott were in the starting lineup, with Jason Taumalolo on the bench.
• If you want to catch up with the Cowboys for a photo, autograph or just a chat, come along to the post-match awards at the Cowboys Leagues Club on Monday night. One lucky fan will win a jersey signed by that night’s player of the match.
• Paul Green will be a special guest on the Big Sports Breakfast show on Friday morning, around 7.50am. As well as being on radio in Sydney, the program airs on Sky Racing on Foxtel (channel 519).
