2007 North Queensland Cowboys season

The 2007 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 13th in the club's history. Coached by Graham Murray and captained by Johnathan Thurston, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2007 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 3rd (out of 16) place. The Cowboys were the most successful of the three Queensland-based NRL clubs and drew strong crowds during the season, winning 11 of their 14 matches at Dairy Farmers stadium.[1] Matt Bowen was named the club's player of the year,[2] and was also the premiership's leading try-scorer.

Also during the season News Limited sold the football club to the Cowboys Leagues Club, ending a six year period of ownership during which it helped the club through a difficult time.

Contents

Ladder

Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Melbourne 24 21 0 3 1 627 277 +350 44
2 Manly-Warringah 24 18 0 6 1 597 377 +220 38
3 North Queensland 24 15 0 9 1 547 618 -71 32
4 Warriors 24 13 1 10 1 593 434 +159 29
5 Parramatta 24 13 0 11 1 573 481 +92 28
6 Bulldogs 24 12 0 12 1 575 528 +47 26
7 South Sydney 24 12 0 12 1 408 399 +9 26
8 Brisbane 24 11 0 13 1 511 476 +35 24
9 Wests Tigers 24 11 0 13 1 541 561 -20 24
10 Sydney 24 10 1 13 1 445 610 -165 23
11 Cronulla-Sutherland 24 10 0 14 1 463 403 +60 22
12 Gold Coast 24 10 0 14 1 409 559 -150 22
13 St George Illawarra 24 9 0 15 1 431 509 -78 20
14 Canberra 24 9 0 15 1 522 650 -128 20
15 Newcastle 24 9 0 15 1 418 708 -290 20
16 Penrith 24 8 0 16 1 539 607 -68 18

Squad

Although other players may play for the North Queensland Cowboys during the year, all NRL clubs are required to select a top 25 First Grade squad at the beginning of the season. Below is a list of those 25 players listed alphabetically at the North Queensland Cowboys.

No. Position Player
SR Matthew Bartlett
SR Scott Bolton
WG Brenton Bowen
FB Matthew Bowen
CE Paul Bowman
PR Ray Cashmere
HK David Faiumu
CE Ben Farrar
LK Sione Faumuina
CE Ashley Graham
CE Mark Henry
SR Jacob Lillyman
CE Scott Minto
No. Position Player
FE Jackson Nicolau
SR Luke O'Donnell
HK Aaron Payne
PR Matthew Scott
FE Jason Smith
LK Justin Smith
SR Steve Southern
WG Neil Sweeney
HB Johnathan Thurston (c)
PR Shane Tronc
SR Carl Webb
WG Ty Williams

Player Movement

Squad changes from 2006 season.

Gains

Name From
Jason Smith Canberra Raiders
Scott Minto Brisbane Broncos
Ben Vaeau Brisbane Broncos
Joe Clarke Brisbane Broncos
Jackson Nicolau Melbourne Storm
Ben Farrar Parramatta Eels
Colin Wilkie Melbourne Storm
John Frith Parramatta Eels
Karl Johnson North Sydney Bears
Jared Lindley Camira Cougars

Draw & Results

Round 1
16 March 2007		 Brisbane Broncos 16 - 23 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 50,416
Referee/s: Steven Clark
Tries:
Carlaw (1)
Hunt (1)
Moon (1)
Goals:
Lockyer (2/4)		 Report Tries:
Graham (2)
Henry (1)
M. Bowen (1)
Goals:
Thurston (3/5)
Field Goals:
M. Bowen (1)
Round 2
24 March 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 43 - 6 Sydney Roosters Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 21,396
Referee/s: Gavin Badger
Tries:
Thurston (2)
B. Bowen (2)
M. Bowen (2)
O'Donnell (1)
Goals:
Thurston (6/6)
Graham (1/1)
Field Goals:
Payne (1)		 Report Tries:
Paea (1)
Goals:
Fitzgibbon (1/1)
Round 3
31 March 2007		 St. George Illawarra Dragons 18 - 22 North Queensland Cowboys WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
Williams (2)
MacDougall (1)		 Report Tries:
Graham (1)
B. Bowen (1)
Bowman (1)
Thurston (1)
Goals:
Thurston (3/3)
Round 4
7 April 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 25 - 24 Wests Tigers Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 21, 879
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
Graham (2)
Sweeney (1)
M. Bowen (1)
Goals:
Thurston (4/4)
Field Goals:
M. Bowen (1)		 Report Tries:
Farah (1)
Collis (1)
Fitzhenry (1)
Whatuira (1)
Goals:
Marshall (4/5)
Round 5
15 April 2007		 New Zealand Warriors 34 - 14 North Queensland Cowboys Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Attendance: 11,260
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Tries:
Bryne (1)
Price (1)
Witt (1)
Rovelli (1)
Fien (1)
Vatuvei (1)
Goals:
Martin (5/6)		 Report Tries:
B. Bowen (1)
Thurston (1)
M. Bowen (1)
Goals:
Thurston (1/3)
Round 6
23 April 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 6 - 10 South Sydney Rabbitohs Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 17,678
Referee/s: Ben Cummins
Tries:
Bowman (1)
Goals:
Thurston (1/1)		 Report Tries:
Hegarty (1)
Merritt (1)
Goals:
Williams
Round 7
28 April 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 30 - 26 Manly Sea Eagles Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 18,682
Referee/s: Steven Clark
Tries:
M. Bowen (2)
Farrar (1)
B. Bowen (1)
Jason Smith (1)
Goals:
Thurston (5/6)		 Report Tries:
Hicks (2)
Lyon (1)
Halden (1)
Bryant (1)
Goals:
Lyon (3/5)
Round 8
7 May 2007		 Gold Coast Titans 10 - 24 North Queensland Cowboys Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast
Attendance: 17,806
Referee/s: Ben Cummins
Tries:
Rogers (2)
Goals:
Rogers (1/1)
Delaney (0/1)		 Report Tries:
M. Bowen (1)
Bowman (1)
Jensen (1)
Goals:
Thurston (6/6)
Round 9
12 May 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 12 - 22 Penrith Panthers Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 17,393
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
Bolton (1)
Anderson (1)
Goals:
Thurston (2/2)		 Report Tries:
Clinton (1)
Lewis (1)
Pritchard (1)
Worth (1)
Goals:
Gordon (3/5)
Round 10
19 May 2007		 Parramatta Eels 44 - 14 North Queensland Cowboys Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne
Tries:
Burt (2)
Cannings (1)
Mateo (1)
Riddell (1)
Robinsion (1)
Smith
Goals:
Burt (8/9)		 Report Tries:
Faumuina (1)
Graham (1)
Minto (1)
Goals:
Graham (1/3)
Round 11
25 May 2007		 Canterbury Bulldogs 16 - 26 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 15,412
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Tries:
El Masri (1)
Emelion (1)
Ryan (1)
Goals:
El Masri (2/3)		 Report Tries:
M. Bowen (2)
Faumuina (1)
Tronc (1)
Goals:
Thurston (5/5)
Round 12
2 June 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 26 - 16 Cronulla Sharks Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Jason Robinson
Tries:
Williams (2)
Minto (1)
Scott (1)
Sweeney (1)
Goals:
Thurston (3/5)		 Report Tries:
Bird (2)
de Gois (1)
Pomeroy (1)
Goals:
Covell (4/4)
Round 13
9 June 2007		 Sydney Roosters 64 - 30 North Queensland Cowboys Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 4,186
Referee/s: Gavin Badger
Tries:
Kenny-Dowall (3)
Monaghan (2)
Perrett (1)
Shackleton (1)
Tupou(1)
Williams (1)
Wing (1)
Goals:
Fitzgibbon (9/10)
Roberts (1/1)		 Report Tries:
M. Bowen (2)
Southern (1)
Tronc (1)
Bartlett (1)
Goals:
Graham (5/5)
Round 14
16 June 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 12 - 58 Melbourne Storm Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
B. Bowen (1)
M. Bowen (1)
Williams (1)
Goals:
Thurston (0/3)		 Report Tries:
Inglis (2)
King (2)
Cronk (1)
Geyer (1)
Newton (1)
J. Smith (1)
Tagataese (1)
Turner (1)
Goals:
C. Smith (9/10)
Round 15
2 June 2007		 Canberra Raiders 24 - 28 North Queensland Cowboys Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee/s: Tony De Las Heras
Tries:
Campese (2)
Chalk (2)
Milne (1)
Goals:
Dobson (2/5)		 Report Tries:
B. Bowen (2)
M. Bowen (2)
Thurston (1)
Goals:
Thurston (4/5)
Round 16
BYE		 ' ' '
Round 17
7 July 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 18 - 12 New Zealand Warriors Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Tries:
Faumuina (1)
Graham (1)
Webb (1)
Goals:
Thurston (2/2)
Graham (1/1)		 Report Tries:
Ah Van (1)
Vatuvei (1)
Goals:
Witt (2/2)
Round 18
13 June 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 16 - 24 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Sean Hampstead
Tries:
Graham (2)
Bowen (1)
Goals:
Graham (2/3)		 Report Tries:
Carlaw (1)
Hunt (1)
Michaels (1)
Parker (1)
Goals:
Parker (4/4)
Round 19
22 July 2007		 South Sydney Rabbitohs 20 - 14 North Queensland Cowboys Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 10,002
Referee/s: Steven Clark
Tries:
Luke (1)
Rogers (1)
Paea (1)
Goals:
Merritt (4/5)		 Report Tries:
M. Bowen (1)
Graham (1)
Minto (1)
Goals:
Thurston (1/3)
Round 20
30 July 2007		 Wests Tigers 54 - 10 North Queensland Cowboys Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Attendance: 17,101
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne
Tries:
Harrison (2)
Farah (1)
Fitzhenry (1)
Galea (1)
Halatau (1)
Heighington (1)
Hodgson (1)
Morris (1)
Tuiaki (1)
Goals:
Marshall (4/7)
Hodgson (2/3)
Farah (1/1)		 Report Tries:
Bartlett (1)
Smith (1)
Goals:
Thurston (1/2)
Round 21
4 August 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 28 - 22 Canberra Raiders Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 15,791
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Tries:
Farrar (2)
Graham (2)
M. Bowen (1)
Thurston (1)
Goals:
Graham (2/5)
Thurston (0/1)		 Report Tries:
Picker (2)
Carney (1)
Bickerstaff (1)
Goals:
Dobson (3/4)
Round 22
13 August 2007		 Penrith Panthers 26 - 30 North Queensland Cowboys Penrith Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
Jennings (2)
Clinton (1)
Daniela (1)
Pritchard (1)
Goals:
Gordon (3/5)		 Report Tries:
Graham (3)
B. Bowen (1)
M. Bowen (1)
Justin Smith (1)
Goals:
Thurston (3/5)
Round 23
18 August 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 24 - 14 St. George Illawarra Dragons Penrith Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 18,721
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
M. Bowen (1)
Bowman (1)
Cashmere (1)
Jason Smith (1)
Goals:
Thurston (4/4)		 Report Tries:
Cooper (2)
Hornby (1)
Goals:
Soward (1/3)
Round 24
24 August 2007		 Newcastle Knights 18 - 34 North Queensland Cowboys Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell
Tries:
Bailey (1)
Paterson (1)
Vuna (1)
Goals:
Gidley (3/3)		 Report Tries:
Graham (2)
M. Bowen (1)
Sweeney (1)
Thurston (1)
Williams (1)
Goals:
Thurston (5/6)
Round 25
31 August 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 38 - 32 Canterbury Bulldogs Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 24,050
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne
Tries:
Farrar (2)
Williams (2)
Justin Smith (1)
Thurston (1)
Goals:
Thurston (7/7)		 Report Tries:
Patten (2)
Millard (1)
Ryan (1)
Tonga (1)
Williams (1)
Goals:
El Masri (4/6)

Finals Series

Qualifying Final
8 September 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 20 - 18 Canterbury Bulldogs Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 24,004
Referee/s: Paul Simpkins
Tries:
Thurston (2)
Bowman (1)
Goals:
Thurston (4/4)		 Report Tries:
Millard (1)
Patten (1)
Tonga (1)
Goals:
El Masri (3/4)
Semi Final
16 September 2007		 North Queensland Cowboys 49 - 12 New Zealand Warriors Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Report
Preliminary Final
22 September 2007		 Manly Sea Eagles 28 - 6 North Queensland Cowboys Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Paul Simpkins
Tries:
Bell (1)
Lyon (1)
Stewart (1)
Watmough (1)
Williamson (1)
Goals:
Orford (4/7)		 Report Tries:
Lillyman (1)
Goals:
Thurston (1/1)

Statistics

Name P T G FG Pts
Brett Anderson 1 1 0 0 4
Matthew Bartlett 11 (5) 2 0 0 8
Scott Bolton 6 (6) 1 0 0 4
Brenton Bowen 16 9 0 0 36
Matthew Bowen 25 21 0 2 86
Paul Bowman 19 5 0 0 20
Ray Cashmere 22 (12) 1 0 0 4
David Faiumu 18 (15) 0 0 0 0
Ben Farrar 9 (2) 5 0 0 20
Sione Faumuina 18 (7) 3 0 0 12
Sam Faust 11 (2) 0 0 0 0
John Frith 1 (1) 0 0 0 0
Ashley Graham 20 17 12/18 0 92
Mark Henry 8 1 0 0 4
Rod Jensen 6 (6) 1 0 0 4
Jacob Lillyman 19 (9) 1 0 0 4
Scott Minto 14 3 0 0 12
Shane Muspratt 3 (1) 0 0 0 0
Jackson Nicolau 1 (1) 0 0 0 0
Luke O'Donnell 4 1 0 0 4
Aaron Payne 25 (3) 0 0 1 1
Matthew Scott 21 (10) 1 0 0 4
Jason Smith 18 (6) 2 0 0 8
Justin Smith 22 (2) 3 0 0 12
Steve Southern 19 1 0 0 4
Neil Sweeney 11 3 0 0 12
Johnathan Thurston 23 10 71/89 0 182
Shane Tronc 17 (7) 2 0 0 8
Ben Vaeau 7 (5) 0 0 0 0
Carl Webb 17 1 0 0 4
Ty Williams 13 6 0 0 24
101 83/107 3 573

Injuries

Injuries hampered the Cowboy's season. Luke O'Donnell was lost early to injury, that kept him out for the rest of the season. Shane Tronc also succumbed to a season-ending injury.

Also, injuries to key men in Jason Smith, Ashley Graham, Matt Scott, Jacob Lillyman, Ben Farrar, Brenton Bowen, Paul Bowman, Carl Webb and Steve Southern, occurred during the course of the season.

References

  1. ^ Ross, Livermore (2007). "Australian Rugby Football League Annual Report 2007" (pdf). Australian Rugby League Limited. pp. 11. http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/files/ARL_2007_Annrep_1.pdf. Retrieved 15 July 2009. 
  2. ^ Honours at cowboys.com.au

External links