Qld Teams - Cowboys set for Friday showing

The North Queensland Cowboys are preparing for a rare Friday night match against a spluttering Panthers team.

In a poor season to date, the Cowboys golden point win over the Knights last week provided one of the few highlights and they will hope to finish the year off positively.

They travel to Penrith this weekend to take on a second-placed Panthers side that have lost their last three games.

Coach Neil Henry has stuck solid with the 17 Cowboys who did the job last week with Arana Taumata retained in the troubled five-eighth position.

Taumata played his first three games for his new club at centre but is viewed as a potential halves partner for Johnathan Thurston.

The five-eighth position has been a huge headache for North Queensland all season with injury and form not allowing Thurston to find a regular cohort.

They have used Grant Rovelli without success, rookies Ray Thompson and Michael Morgan, fullback Matt Bowen and winger Ash Graham at various stages.

Ty Williams has been retained and will play right centre, likely opposite Michael Jennings, Friday night.

With no chance of playing in the finals, the Cowboys will hope to play spoiler as Penrith look to re-boot their season and chase down top spot on the ladder.

The match will be live on Channel Nine from 7:30pm Friday.

Titans unchanged, for now

Gold Coast travel to New Zealand for Sunday’s match with the Warriors but could be boosted by the early returns of Greg Bird and Ashley Harrison.

According to a report in Tuesday’s Courier Mail, the duo could be a shock inclusion for the Auckland match.

Bird (hamstring) and Harrison (knee) both missed the Titans thrilling 11-10 golden point win over the Dragons last week and were expected to be sidelined for another week at least.

Coach John Cartwright today named an unchanged side with Luke O’Dwyer listed as 18th man.

The travel factor may see the Titans urge on the side of caution with Bird and Harrison however both should be back for the Gold Coast to push towards the finals.

Last week’s last minute extra time win prevented the Titans from slipping out of the top eight and could prove to be the turning point they needed after some poor form.

Exciting backline talent Shannon Walker has been retained on the bench despite a mixed night in slippery conditions against the Dragons.

The winner of the match could see themselves in the top eight while, such is the closeness of the competition, the loser could slip as low as 10th on the ladder.

Fox Sports Two has the match live from midday Sunday.

Te’o gone for a month

Ben Te’o is in career best form however his season will be stalled due to a foot injury.

The powerful back-rower, who has scored 10 tries this year, suffered the injury midway through the first half of last night’s exciting 34-30 loss to the Roosters.

There were fears of a small break, which could have been season ending, but the Broncos say scans reveal a sprain and he could be back after four weeks.

Te’o has forged a lethal right-side combination with Israel Folau and Jharal Yow Yeh and was on the cusp of Queensland Origin selection.

His position for Sunday’s huge match with the league leading Dragons at Suncorp Stadium has been taken by Matt Gillett.

Coach Ivan Henjak has recalled Lagi Setu, Ashton Sims and Scott Anderson to a six man interchange bench as the Broncos try and force their way back into the top eight.

The trio have spent the last few weeks in the Queensland Cup with youngsters Mitchell Dodds and Josh McGuire preferred in the four prop rotation with leaders Nick Kenny and Shane Tronc.

The Broncos are precariously placed in ninth position and can ill-afford back-to-back losses heading into the last six weeks of the regular season.

Brisbane will wear a special navy blue jersey on Sunday as a dedication to late club servant Cyril Connell.

Connell served the club for nearly 20 years mainly as a recruitment officer and was credited with discovering the likes of Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Wendell Sailor.

It will be the first time the Broncos have honoured an individual in such a way and a bumper crowd is expected on Sunday.

The match kicks off at 3pm and will be broadcast delayed on Channel Nine from 4pm.

North Queensland Cowboys vs. Penrith, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live).
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Ty Williams, Willie Tonga, Will Tupou, Arana Taumata, Johnathan Thurston (c), Matt Scott, Aaron Payne, Willie Mason, Scott Bolton, Leeson Ah Mau, Luke O’Donnell. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Dane Hogan, Carl Webb, James Tamou.

Gold Coast Titans vs. Warriors, Sunday 12pm AEST, (Fox Sports Two, live)
Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Clinton Toopi, William Zillman, Mat Rogers, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Michael Henderson, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Bodene Thompson. Interchange: Matthew White, Brad Meyers, Ben Ridge, Shannon Walker, Luke O’Dwyer (one to be omitted).

Brisbane Broncos vs. Dragons, Sunday 3pm, (Channel Nine delayed, 4pm)
Josh Hoffman, Antonio Winterstein, Alex Glenn, Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Shane Tronc, Andrew McCullough, Nick Kenny, Matt Gillett, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire, Mitchell Dodds, Scott Anderson, Lagi Setu, Ashton Sims (two to be omitted).