NRL Round 13 will come to a close on Saturday with the match between North Queensland Cowboys and Canterbury Bulldogs with the opening kick to commence at 7:30pm local time. The game is to be played at 1300SMILES Stadium with the away team Canterbury Bulldogs hold favouritism in the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Nth Queensland Cowboys and Canterbury Bulldogs.

1300SMILES Stadium

Featured Bookmakers:

Nth Queensland Cowboys  $2.35 vs Canterbury Bulldogs $1.60 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Nth Queensland Cowboys  $2.55 vs Canterbury Bulldogs $1.53 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Nth Queensland Cowboys	2.35	2.50	2.55	2.50	2.35	2.32
Canterbury Bulldogs	1.60	1.56	1.53	1.56	1.60	1.57

Preview:

Included among the better chances for winning this year’s competition with neither the Cowboys or Bulldogs are living up to early expectations and are thirteenth and eighth on the ladder respectively.

The home-side’s season reached a new low last week with a heavy 31-12 loss to the Titans. Even though some of the key players were missing, the Cowboys offered little in terms of resistance in registering their fifth straight loss and eighth of the season.

They return home this week where they have exhibited their best form and have won 2 from 4 with the two losses coming at the hands of Melbourne and Roosters but this fact, and the possible return of some Origin players, may not be enough to address their form of the past month.

Canterbury accounted for St. George last week, making it five wins from their past six matches, albeit just.

Several times during the game, it looked like Canterbury, who established a 12-0 lead early, were going to run away with it but weren’t able to quite hit their straps as they would have done in the past.

They are clearly travelling better than the Cowboys but would like to see them, now that they have a few wins and momentum behind them, pick up a level again if they are going to be serious contenders in the back half of the season.

The Bulldogs were beaten by the Cowboys in the opening round this season but the Bulldogs are in a better place now, then they were back then with off-field drama, injury and suspensions taking their toll.

They had won the previous five encounters and would expect them to win well here.

Teams:

Nth Queensland Cowboys:
Cowboys: Clint Greenshields, Ashley Graham, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston (c), Robert Lui, Matthew Scott (c), Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Tariq Sims, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Ray Thompson, Jason Taumalolo, Ashton Sims, Scott Bolton, Ethan Lowe, Michael Morgan, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Ricky Thorby

Canterbury Bulldogs:
Ben Barba, Mitch Brown, Tim Lafai, Krisnan Inu, Sam Perrett, Joel Romelo, Trent Hodkinson, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis (capt), Sam Kasiano, Frank Pritchard, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood. Interchange: Dene Halatau, Tim Browne, James Graham, Dale Finucane

Bowen waits as Cowboys re-sign NRL forward

Another North Queensland player has re-signed with the NRL club but veteran fullback Matt Bowen’s future with the Cowboys is still unclear.

Expected to play a key role for Italy at this year’s World Cup, hard-working back-rower Joel Riethmuller on Wednesday signed on until the end of the 2015 season.

He joins the likes of co-captains Johnathan Thurston, Test props Matt Scott and James Tamou, centres Brent Tate and Kane Linnett and halfback Michael Morgan in re-committing to the Cowboys.

North Queensland were in a “holding pattern” as they monitored Bowen on a modified training program before deciding whether to offer him a contract for a 14th NRL season.

However, the Cowboys’ games record-holder hit a hurdle when he underwent knee surgery last week.

The 31-year-old was ruled out this week for “at least another month” after successful arthroscopic surgery that repaired torn cartilage in his left knee.

The former Queensland Origin No.1 had already missed one game this season, sitting out the round-four derby with Brisbane due to knee swelling.

Bowen has had an injury-ravaged career despite registering 261 games with North Queensland, undergoing two knee cartilage replacements and off-season shoulder surgery.

But Cowboys football manager Peter Parr had remained hopeful Bowen would re-sign with the club despite the veteran’s recent knee surgery.

However, Bowen’s future is up in the air after Riethmuller put pen to paper.

Riethmuller, 28, has played 17 NRL matches including three this season.

“Joel is one of the hardest workers we have at this club and sets a standard, both in training and during matches, that his teammates are always keen to follow,” Parr said.