No-fuss North Queensland Toyota Cowboys forward Ben Spina reckons recent weeks spent banding together holds the team in good stead heading into the weekend’s Round 15 match against the Melbourne Storm, minus their Queensland State of Origin quartet.
Shooting for a third straight win, the Cowboys will be minus co-captain Johnathan Thurston, five-eighth Michael Morgan, and forwards Coen Hess and Gavin Cooper for the Storm match in Melbourne, while the hosts will be without five of their first-team regulars.
And while having four top players out would affect any side, Spina said the team has proven over recent weeks that they could perform at a high level while having depth tested.
"Before this Origin period, we’ve had to cope with a number of significant injuries to key players, including Johnathan,” Spina said.
“We’ve managed that well I think, so this match is not different … each one of us just needs to keep doing our job at that high level.”
Spina is enjoying career-best form and revelling in an uninterrupted run of games in the top squad.
Saturday’s game will mark his eighth straight NRL appearance this year, which will equal the total number of top-flight games he played in his first three seasons at the club.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 5.30pm.
