It's up in Townsville and I liked the look of the Cowboys in Brisbane on Friday. Thurston started stronger than I have seen before and everything will come off him. I cant help feeling Newcastle will come into the game under cooked after what was in reality, just a training run last week.

Cowboys 24-20

cowboys, im going with their form of last week whilst penrith offered no real opposition for the knights

too much travel for the knights in two weeks, down to penrith then up to newcastle

as long as JT and bowen play like last week cowboys in a canter

knights will shine

I think the Knights will surprise alot of teams this year aslong as they dont get injuries but it looks like they've already started. Neville Costigan is out for about 3 months which is a massive blow as he was a big signing for them. Gidley went off injured and might be in some doubt while De Gois is also out.
The Cowboys have got Scott Bolton missing for a few weeks which is a big blow because he's been one of their best players over the last couple of years but it's a good chance for young Tariq Sims to show how good he is after being named NYC player of the year last year.
I think it will be a tight game, both got a young 6 playing in Thompson and Henry. Cowboys need Thurston and Bowen to fire for them to win but if they can defend how they did last week against the Broncos they wont be far off. Knights had some great results last year but then got hammered the week after and need to find that consistency they lack. Should be a good game though, Cowboys by 8.

Yeeeeee haw pardner! Cowboys

nth queensland strong favs at 1.55 newcastle 2.45 or +2.5 to knights

cowboys dont have winterstein, tate or bolton whilst newcastle are without de gois and costigan

played twice last year, cowboys winning at their home ground 28 - 24, whilst newcastle won at home 36 - 18

newcastle havent won at DFS since 2008

cowboys by 12 +

Gidley also ruled out for the Knights which is a massive blow for them. Should still be a good game, hopefully JT and Matty Bowen can produce some of their old tricks as it's a joy to watch when there both playing well and are full of confidence.

Tough one to call this. Gidley and Costigan out for the Knights probably sways it to the Cowboys for me.


NQ by a score

Knights lead 16-6 at HT. They've been pretty good but the Cowboys have turned the clock back to last season, they are appauling.
How does Mick Bani play for an NRL team? The guy is shocking, there's gotta be some young kids in the NYC that are better than him, he cant defend against anyone so to put him up against Uate is asking for trouble. He got bundled into touch when he should of scored, he cant catch bombs, Tonga needs to help him out more because he's struggling and he did all last season. James Tamou was pathetic in defence for one of the tries aswell. Cowboys struggle in defence at the best of times and it hasn't improved from last years shocking efforts.
Jarrod Mullen looks in good form, he's kicked two 40/20's already and his kicking game is good all round. Uate should get a bag ful of tries here, he's got 1 already and he's good in defence aswell as under the high ball, he's nailed on for the NSW side this year. Is there a better winger than him?

The Cowboys have got to be the worst side i've seen along with the Sharks, they never improve. They got rid of about 12 players and brought new players in and there still the same.
Thurston has been really poor, his kicking is none excistent and the young kid Thompson doesn't get involved in anything. Neil Henry has got to get sacked, he's in his 3rd year and there getting worse year on year. Last week they were lucky against the Broncos, they scrambled well but the Broncos were poor. The Knights are winning 34-6 and there's 15 mins to go. All the players they've bought are average clubmen, Tate and Johnson are the two good ones but Tate is never fit and Johnson is just a tackling machine. Glenn Hall couldn't get a game for Bradford last year, Gavin Cooper is average, Ashton Sims is poor, Payne has been poor for a couple of years now, Ben Jones is a reserve utility, the wingers Bani and Graham cant defend and hardly ever score, their both full of errors aswell and Henry has stuck with them over Fai Fai Loa who he brought in. They really have got a poor side apart from the odd few players and the errors they make is unreal. Tamou has dropped the ball dead about 7 times, they all have. Everytime they get a penalty they spill it on the first tackle, from a kick return Bowen always throws it to his wingers and they knock on in the first tackle 20m out. What a shocking team they are.