After an NRL season to forget, North Queensland coach Paul Green is hoping his plans for a fast start in the post-Johnathan Thurston era haven’t been washed away in the floods that hit Townsville.
Green says his team are at least two weeks behind in preparations for their round-one clash with St George Illawarra due to the devastating floods, which left them without a field to train on.
The Cowboys’ 2018 season was effectively derailed when they won just one of their first six matches and a cloud, literally and figuratively, is hanging over 2019.
Add in the shock axing of star recruit Ben Barba for an alleged altercation with his partner in January, and it was hardly the new beginning they desired.
“We were tracking along nicely but the flood and Ben Barba have definitely thrown it out,” Green told AAP.
“I was happy with where we were at before the floods but that has put a fair bit of pressure on us, as to how we make up that ground.”
North Queensland have effectively replaced Barba with Brisbane utility back Jordan Kahu, but how they cover the loss of Thurston – possibly the game’s greatest ever halfback – is another question.
Green said he would look to Michael Morgan to wear the No.7 jersey, ahead of promising youngster Jake Clifford.
“Long-term playing in the halves is (Morgan’s) best position but also we’ve got to do what’s best for the team, given everything,” Green said.
He said he hadn’t ruled out giving the 21-year-old Clifford a run at some stage after he played six games in the 2018 season, but felt he needed more improvement before becoming a regular starter.
Morgan only managed 11 games last year as he battled numerous injuries while fellow stars Matt Scott, Jordan Maclean and Shaun Fenson were also crocked.
Green said he hoped to avoid a similar toll in 2019.
They have been helped in their search for continuity and depth by adding another forward in ex-Broncos ace Josh McGuire.
“After last year we probably don’t take anything for granted as there were a lot of things that happened that were out of our control,” Green said.
“We’d get injuries at crucial times and we’d drop close games.
“Towards the end of the season we got a few players back and got our form back together but we were out of the hunt by then.”
That finish to the year – winning four of the last six rounds – means North Queensland can take some optimism into the season.
“You can’t gloss over the season we had but you want to finish the year with a bit of confidence and I think we did that,” he said.
COWBOYS
Finishes over the past three seasons: 2018 – 13th, 2017 – 2nd, 2016 – 3rd
Coach: Paul Green
Captain: TBA
Key gains: Kurt Baptiste (Roosters), Nene Macdonald (Dragons), Josh McGuire (Broncos), Tom Opacic (Broncos), Dan Russell (South Logan Magpies), Jordan Kahu (Broncos)
Key losses: Josh Chudleigh (released), Lachlan Coote (St Helens), Shaun Fensom (Broncos), Sam Hoare (released), Shaun Hudson (released), Kyle Laybutt (released), Kane Linnett (Hull Kingston Rovers), Johnathan Thurston (retired), Antonio Winterstein (retired)
Best team: 1. Jordan Kahu 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Justin O’Neill 4. Tom Opacic 5. Gideon Gela-Mosby 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Michael Morgan 8. Matt Scott 9. Jake Granville 10. Jordan McLean 11. Josh McGuire, 12. Shaun Fensom 13. Jason Taumalolo Bench: 14. Ethan Lowe 15. Kurt Baptiste 16. Matt Scott 17. John Asiata
Predicted finish: 8th
