The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys NYC team will take a reshuffled lineup into their round 17 clash against the Dragons at WIN Stadium this afternoon.
>>> Team activities – game day
>>> Cowboys v Dragons NYC preview
Winger Gideon Gela-Mosby, centre Conor Carey and back-rower Coen Hess were selected in the Queensland under-20s team for Wednesday night’s State of Origin curtain-raiser against New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium.
Consequently, Cowboys coach Todd Payten was forced to make several changes to his team to play the Dragons, including several positional switches ahead of kick-off.
Interchange forward Viliame Kikau will start in the second row.
Bill Cullen shifts to the bench to accommodate Kikau in the starting pack, while Trey Kemp drops out of the 17-man team.
Hooker Brandon Smith returns to the team after a long-term lower-leg injury, and will come off the bench after originally being named as 18th man.
The young Cowboys are in second place on the NYC ladder with 25 points (11 wins, three losses, one draw and a bye), one point adrift of the Penrith Panthers and equal with the Brisbane Broncos, but ahead on the table on points differential.
Today’s game kicks off at 3.10pm at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
COWBOYS NYC TEAM: 1.Ty Carucci 2. Jesse Pomare Anderson 3. Akeripa Tia Kilifi 4. Temone Power 5. Scott Schulte 6. Kyle Laybutt 7. Cooper Bambling 8. Braden Uele 9. Andrew Niemoeller 10. Ross Bella 11. Kieran Quabba (c) 17. Viliame Kikau 13. Jordan Kenworthy (c). Interchange: 12. Bill Cullen 15. Mitch Dunn 16. David Munro 18. Brandon Smith.
