North Queensland Toyota Cowboys v Cronulla Sharks NYC
1pm, Saturday 27 June, 1300SMILES Stadium
Referee: Jarrod Cole
Touch judges: Jack Ebert, Giulian Fichera
Updates: twitter.com/nthqldcowboys
TEAMS
Cowboys: 1 Yamba Bowie 2 Gideon Mosby 3 Akeripa Tia Kilifi 4 Conor Carey 5 Scott Schulte 6 Ty Carucci 7 Cooper Bambling 8 Braden Uele 9 Andrew Niemoeller 10 Ross Bella 11 Bill Cullen 12 Temone Power 13. Kieran Quabba (c). Interchange: 14. Kyle Laybutt 15. Jordan Kenworthy 16. David Munro 17. Viliame Kikau 18. Mitchell Dunn.
Sharks: 1 Ryan Cummins 2 Levy Sopi 3 Josh Addo-Carr 4 Jamayne Isaako 5 Semisi Vea 6 Jaden Clarke 7 Bradley Deitz 8 Harrison Muller 9 Jayden Brailey 10 Alec Susino 11 Anthony Moraitis 12 Ashleigh Nisbet 13 Billy Magoulias. Interchange: 14 Jack Williams 15 Jayden McDonogh 16 Franci Lalouatui 17 Leon Tupuola 18 Daniel Liddicoat 19 John Leger.
KEY FACTS
The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys under-20s continue to impress at home and away following a solid National Youth Competition round 15 win over the Raiders in trying conditions in Canberra last Saturday.
After trailing 16-12 at half time following an error-riddled opening 40, a second-half five-try scoring blitz ensured the young Cowboys climbed to second on the ladder, equal with the Broncos on 23 points but ahead of their Queensland cousins on for-and-against.
The front-row trio of Ross Bella, Braden Uele and Viliame Kikau off the bench were particularly impressive in the second stanza, with Kikau scoring what is fast becoming his trademark powerful try.
The Sharks team includes impressive lock forward Billy Magoulias, who Cowboys NYC coach Todd Payten mentored in the New South Wales under-18 side, which last week lost to Queensland in a State of Origin curtain-raiser in Melbourne.
The Cowboys welcome fullback Yamba Bowie to the side for the match against the Sharks, with the young custodian a late withdrawal from the Raiders due to a low-grade hamstring injury.
Gideon Mosby returns to his customary wing position.
The young Cowboys have 10 wins, three losses and a draw from 14 matches, while the 10th-placed Sharks have six wins and seven losses.
NYC COACH TODD PAYTEN: “We’re maturing as a footy side and that’s the most pleasing thing to me.”
