CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
With an NRL finals line up that includes the Storm, Panthers, Sharks, Manly and Roosters – it will be a lonely weekend for the only Queenslanders left in the competition, who will need to be more than better if they want to stay in contention.
But still North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten has named an unchanged 17 for Friday night’s Semi-Final clash against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Allianz Stadium.
The Cowboys’ inconvenient appearance in a final 8 full of southern darlings has once again got North Queenslanders fearing that the NRL will take it upon themselves to show them the door. As was quite often the case ten years ago.
It all started in 2012 with the ‘Hands of Foran’ – when two controversial Manly tries, including a blatant knock-on, were awarded in a sudden death match that ended the Cowboys semi-finals dash. At Allianz stadium.
It happened again in 2013, when Cronulla player-turned-TV-personality Beau Ryan was awarded a 7th tackle try – in what the NRL dismissed as a “human error” – that allowed the Sharks to notch a 20-18 win over North Queensland in their elimination final. At Allianz stadium.
Or in 2014, when Johnathan Thurston was denied a match-winning try with 54 seconds remaining on the clock, assuring a semi final 31-30 victory to the reigning premiers Then Sydney Roosters, a match that was surprisingly played at Allianz.
It took a Queensland derby grand final in 2015 to end the curse of dodgy calls that plagued them for three years previous. Cowboys captain Jonathan Thurston and coach Paul Green only found peace in the fact that it didn’t look like they’d be up against a Sydney club the final weeks of the comp.
It was only when they were headed to a grand final match against a Broncos side, coached by Wayne Bennett and captained by Justin Hodges, that the NRL referees couldn’t possibly get in the way of Queensland Supremacy.
But in 2024 they are back here again, alone and with their backs against the wall. All they’ll have with them is two commercial flights full of fans from Townsville.
Can they outplay a competition that is mesmerised by the mythology of Sydney rugby league? Or will Allianz once again host a couple more human errors that the NRL simply apologises for and says better luck next year.
