Despite defensive lapses, North Queensland co-captain Johnathan Thurston has backed Michael Morgan as his long-term Cowboys halves partner.
Thurston did not name names when slamming the Cowboys’ “turnstile” defence after their 44-22 NRL third-round loss to Brisbane, which has left the pre-season title favourites 0-3 this season.
However, the playmaker said the “guys on the edges” needed to put in defensively to help stop the rot – and Morgan was quick to put his hand up on Thursday.
Morgan missed six tackles in his return to five-eighth against the Broncos after starring at fullback last year.
And the man who replaced him in the No.1 jersey, Lachlan Coote, missed five on his Cowboys debut.
Last-placed North Queensland have the dubious honour of conceding the most points (29.3), tries (5.3) and line breaks (6.7) per game, and average 30.7 missed tackles a match, making them the NRL’s third-worst offenders.
Thurston does not believe positional changes have anything to do with the Cowboys’ defensive lapses.
He even backs Morgan as their answer at pivot.
“It was his first game. He’s got a bit to work on but he’s a good talker, defends well and a good runner,” Thurston said.
“The more time he spends there the better – he should be there a while.”
But Thurston added: “The guys on the edges need to help our middle third in defence. That’s what they didn’t do last Friday night.
“It comes down to individually not doing your job there.
“We have struggled the first three rounds defending back-to-back sets – we have been soft in that area.
“If we improve that, the next part of our game will flow.”
Cowboys coach Paul Green largely kept the faith with his team for Monday night’s home clash with Melbourne, naming only new wingers Matthew Wright and Antonio Winterstein.
Morgan believes Green would have been a hard marker if he had made wholesale backline changes, but the pivot admits he has to raise his defensive game in his new role.
“The key is defence. I have a big responsibility on the right edge,” Morgan said.
“(But) it would have been hard to (change the team).
“It was Cootey’s first game back (from knee injury), my first game back in the halves and the first time we had played together with JT (Thurston).
“It might take a little time to get everything right.”
