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.

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
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)

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 50,416
Referee/s: Steven Clark

Round 2
24 March 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	43 - 6	Sydney Roosters
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 21,396
Referee/s: Gavin Badger

Round 3
31 March 2007

St. George Illawarra Dragons	18 - 22	North Queensland Cowboys
Tries: Williams (2) MacDougall (1)	Report	Tries: Graham (1) B. Bowen (1) Bowman (1) Thurston (1) Goals: Thurston (3/3)

WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 4
7 April 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	25 - 24	Wests Tigers
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 21, 879
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 5
15 April 2007

New Zealand Warriors	34 - 14	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Attendance: 11,260
Referee/s: Tony Archer

Round 6
23 April 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	6 - 10	South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tries: Bowman (1) Goals: Thurston (1/1)	Report	Tries: Hegarty (1) Merritt (1) Goals: Williams

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 17,678
Referee/s: Ben Cummins

Round 7
28 April 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	30 - 26	Manly Sea Eagles
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 18,682
Referee/s: Steven Clark

Round 8
7 May 2007

Gold Coast Titans	10 - 24	North Queensland Cowboys
Tries: Rogers (2) Goals: Rogers (1/1) Delaney (0/1)	Report	Tries: M. Bowen (1) Bowman (1) Jensen (1) Goals: Thurston (6/6)

Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast
Attendance: 17,806
Referee/s: Ben Cummins

Round 9
12 May 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	12 - 22	Penrith Panthers
Tries: Bolton (1) Anderson (1) Goals: Thurston (2/2)	Report	Tries: Clinton (1) Lewis (1) Pritchard (1) Worth (1) Goals: Gordon (3/5)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 17,393
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 10
19 May 2007

Parramatta Eels	44 - 14	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne

Round 11
25 May 2007

Canterbury Bulldogs	16 - 26	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 15,412
Referee/s: Tony Archer

Round 12
2 June 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	26 - 16	Cronulla Sharks
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Jason Robinson

Round 13
9 June 2007

Sydney Roosters	64 - 30	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Aussie Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 4,186
Referee/s: Gavin Badger

Round 14
16 June 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	12 - 58	Melbourne Storm
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 15
2 June 2007

Canberra Raiders	24 - 28	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee/s: Tony De Las Heras

Round 16
BYE

	v

Round 17
7 July 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	18 - 12	New Zealand Warriors
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Tony Archer

Round 18
13 June 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	16 - 24	Brisbane Broncos
Tries: Graham (2) Bowen (1) Goals: Graham (2/3)	Report	Tries: Carlaw (1) Hunt (1) Michaels (1) Parker (1) Goals: Parker (4/4)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Sean Hampstead

Round 19
22 July 2007

South Sydney Rabbitohs	20 - 14	North Queensland Cowboys
Tries: Luke (1) Rogers (1) Paea (1) Goals: Merritt (4/5)	Report	Tries: M. Bowen (1) Graham (1) Minto (1) Goals: Thurston (1/3)

Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 10,002
Referee/s: Steven Clark

Round 20
30 July 2007

Wests Tigers	54 - 10	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Attendance: 17,101
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne

Round 21
4 August 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	28 - 22	Canberra Raiders
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 15,791
Referee/s: Tony Archer

Round 22
13 August 2007

Penrith Panthers	26 - 30	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Penrith Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 23
18 August 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	24 - 14	St. George Illawarra Dragons
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)

Penrith Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 18,721
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 24
24 August 2007

Newcastle Knights	18 - 34	North Queensland Cowboys
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)

Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle
Referee/s: Jarred Maxwell

Round 25
31 August 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	38 - 32	Canterbury Bulldogs
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)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 24,050
Referee/s: Shayne Hayne

Finals Series

Qualifying Final
8 September 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	20 - 18	Canterbury Bulldogs
Tries: Thurston (2) Bowman (1) Goals: Thurston (4/4)	Report	Tries: Millard (1) Patten (1) Tonga (1) Goals: El Masri (3/4)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 24,004
Referee/s: Paul Simpkins

Semi Final
16 September 2007

North Queensland Cowboys	49 - 12	New Zealand Warriors
	Report

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Referee/s: Tony Archer

Preliminary Final
22 September 2007

Manly Sea Eagles	28 - 6	North Queensland Cowboys
Tries: Bell (1) Lyon (1) Stewart (1) Watmough (1) Williamson (1) Goals: Orford (4/7)	Report	Tries: Lillyman (1) Goals: Thurston (1/1)

Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee/s: Paul Simpkins

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

Appearances in brackets denote games off interchange/repl bench
Key: P = Played, T = Tries, G = Goals, FG = Field Goals, Pts = Points

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

↑ Ross, Livermore (2007). "Australian Rugby Football League Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Australian Rugby League Limited. p. 11. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
↑ Honours at cowboys.com.au

External links

Official North Queensland Cowboys Website

North Queensland Cowboys

Est. 1995 in Townsville, Queensland

The Club	History Records Players Coaches Honours Representatives

Home Grounds	1300SMILES Stadium

Important Figures	Paul Bowman Matt Bowen Johnathan Thurston

League	ARL SL NRL

Seasons (18)	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Other Competitions	Present Holden Cup Past New South Wales Cup

Affiliations	Mackay Cutters Northern Pride North Queensland Young Guns

2007 in rugby league

« 2006

2008 »

International Rugby League

British Rugby League

Competitions	Super League Results Grand Final National League 1 National League 2 Challenge Cup Final Northern Rail Cup

SL Teams	Bradford Bulls Catalans Dragons Harlequins Huddersfield Giants Hull FC Hull KR Leeds Rhinos Salford City Reds St Helens Wakefield Wildcats Warrington Wolves Wigan Warriors

Other clubs	Castleford Tigers Celtic Crusaders Featherstone Rovers Whitehaven RLFC Widnes Vikings

Australian Rugby League

Competitions	State of Origin NRL season Results Grand Final Queensland Cup NSWRL Premier League

By club	Brisbane Broncos Bulldogs Canberra Raiders Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Gold Coast Titans Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Melbourne Storm Newcastle Knights New Zealand Warriors North Queensland Cowboys Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Roosters St. George Illawarra Dragons Wests Tigers

Related articles	Dally M Awards Darwin Rugby League

Other Domestic competitions

Coordinates: 19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194 (Willow Sports Complex)