New Zealand international Kalifa Faifai Loa will play his fifth NRL game of the season after being drafted into North Queensland’s side to play the Wests Tigers this weekend in place of injured winger Ashley Graham.

Scans on Tuesday confirmed the club’s leading try scorer Graham had suffered a small ankle fracture in the Cowboys’ upset win over Melbourne on Saturday night.

Faifai Loa has struggled to consolidate a first grade spot this season despite playing 26 games last year and making his debut for New Zealand.

Understandably coach Neil Henry has avoided making too many changes to the side which inflicted Melbourne’s third straight loss although he has added forwards Scott Bolton and Cory Paterson to a five-man interchange bench.

Young giant Jason Taumalolo will return to the Intrust Super Cup with the Mackay Cutters this weekend to get some much needed minutes.

The Cowboys moved into sixth place on a compact NRL ladder last weekend while the Tigers climbed back into the top eight with a much needed win against the lowly placed Panthers.