Injured Cowboys Antonio Winterstein and Scott Bolton have been named on an extended bench for Friday night’s showdown with the Titans in Townsville.
Winterstein, a high profile off-season signing from the Broncos, has not played since breaking his jaw against his old club in the trials.
The winger was a regular in his two seasons at Brisbane and was expected to be one of North Queensland’s first-choice outside backs.
Bolton, a back-rower many expected to push for Queensland selection this year, tore his calf in Round One ironically also against the Broncos.
Both have been added to the 17 man squad who narrowly lost to Parramatta in Sydney last weekend, just days after trouncing the Storm.
North Queensland returns to Dairy Farmers Stadium for what has traditionally been an entertaining match with fellow Queensland-based team Gold Coast.
The Cowboys have a poor record against the Titans having lost four of the last six meetings between the clubs but a Willie Tonga hat-trick helped North Queensland win the corresponding match last year.
Matt Bowen will run on to Dairy Farmers Stadium for the first time as the Cowboys most capped player after breaking Paul Bowman’s 203 game record last weekend.
Friday night’s all-Queensland affair will be broadcast live into the state on Channel Nine from 7:30pm.
Friend, Prince return
After helping the side secure one of the all-time great escapes last weekend against Canberra, five-eighth Greg Bird will miss the Titans trip to Townsville after accepting a one match suspension for striking.
After kicking the match-winning field goal against the Raiders in extra time, Bird received a low level charge by the match review committee which had him missing a game even with the early guilty plea.
However Bird’s absence has been offset by the returns of critical players Nathan Friend and Scott Prince.
Hooker Friend will play his first of the season following shoulder surgery and his absence has been highlighted as a key factor behind the Titans slow start to the year.
The Titans have missed Friend’s guidance, defence and creativity from dummy-half and will hope his return can help kick-start their 2011 season.
His replacement Riley Brown has been named on the bench in place of the injured Preston Campbell (knee).
Captain Prince also returns to the side after a hamstring problem forced him out of the Raiders game.
Prince will be reunited in the halves by Luke Capewell – who played five-eighth for the opening two weeks before dropping back to the Queensland Cup.
Capewell replaces the suspended Bird while utility forward Luke O’Dwyer has been named 18th man for what could be his first game of the season.
Fullback William Zillman and prop Matt White should both register their 50th games for the club when they play the Cowboys on the weekend.
Veteran Carlaw named
Dane Carlaw is in line to return to the NRL after three years with Broncos coach Anthony Griffin including him in an extended squad for Monday night’s game with Newcastle at Suncorp Stadium.
Carlaw, with over 260 NRL and English Super League games, 13 Origins for Queensland and six Test matches to his name, could return to the Broncos for the first time since 2007.
He spent three years with French club Catalans in the Super League before lacing up for Wynnum Seagulls in the Queensland Cup to start this season.
He is one of four new faces in the 20-man squad with forwards Mitchell Dodds and Nick Kenny included alongside the exciting Corey Norman on a seven man bench.
Dodds and Kenny have both been in the Queensland Cup after injuries restricted their pre-seasons while Norman has been impressing at five-eighth in the Under 20’s competition.
Injured fullback Josh Hoffman was again not considered after suffering a corked shin against the Titans two weeks ago.
Replacement hooker Ben Hunt twisted his knee in Friday’s 18-10 win over Penrith and is expected to miss no more than two games.
The Panthers win was the Broncos third in a row and they top the table heading into Round 5.
Brisbane also has the best defence in the competition and after four matches, are yet to concede a second half try.
However they face a Newcastle side on Monday who they have not beaten since 2008.
The Knights have won the last three matches between the clubs including a 44-12 thumping at Suncorp Stadium late last season.
Brisbane’s rare Monday night game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports from 7pm.
North Queensland Cowboys vs. Titans, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live.)
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Will Tupou, Willie Tonga, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Ray Thompson, Johnathan Thurston (c), Matt Scott (c), Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: James Segeyaro, Leeson Ah Mau, Ashton Sims, Tariq Sims, Antonio Winterstein, Scott Bolton (two to be omitted).
Gold Coast Titans vs. Cowboys, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live) William Zillman, Steve Michaels, Esi Tonga, Bodene Thompson, David Mead, Luke Capewell, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Matthew White, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ben Ridge. Interchange: Michael Henderson, Sam Tagataese, Ryan James, Riley Brown, Luke O’Dwyer (one to be omitted).
Brisbane Broncos vs. Knights, Monday 7pm, (Fox Sports, live) Gerard Beale, Dale Copley, Jack Reed, Justin Hodges, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Ben Hannant, Andrew McCullough, Sam Thaiday, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Corey Parker. Interchange: Mitchell Dodds, Ben Te’o, Josh McGuire, Shane Tronc, Dane Carlaw, Nick Kenny, Corey Norman (three to be omitted).
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