The Newcastle Knights lead the North Queensland Cowboys 12-0 after at the half time break at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
Knights lock Adam Elliott has scored two tries for the day, breaking a pitiful Scott Drinkwater tackle attempt with ease before galloping 20 metres for the first, before running onto a smart short ball from Jack Hetherington near the line for the second.
The difference in play from this week to last week couldn’t be any different for the Cowboys, who have made 12 errors. Valentine Holmes has been responsible for three of those.
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MATCH CENTRE: Cowboys v Knights, teams, video, stats, highlights
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MATCH PREVIEW
The North Queensland Cowboys will feature at home for the first time this season, with Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium playing host to the Newcastle Knights.
The Cowboys ended Round 1 at the top of the NRL ladder after thrashing the Dolphins last week by 25 points, being able to do what they wanted in attack.
It was an extremely pleasing result for the club and their fans after regressing in 2023 and missing the top eight.
While their task will be a little tougher this weekend against last year’s 5th-placed Knights, the Cowboys will fancy their chances to put on points again given Newcastle allowed 28 to the Raiders in Round 1.
Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga was mostly kept in check by the Green Machine, but last year’s Dally M winner will be keen to impress against the team he debuted with in 2016.
The Cowboys will trot out an unchanged line-up from Round 1, but their opponents will blood two club debutants.
Winger Tom Jenkins will make his club debut, replacing Enari Tuala on the right flank while another new recruit in Kai Pearce-Paul will start in the back row because of an injury to rising star Dylan Lucas.
Pearce-Paul played well off the bench last week. His spot on the pine will be taken by former Rabbitoh and Panther Jed Cartwright.
TEAMS
Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Zac Laybutt 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Sam McIntyre 17. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 18. Tomas Chester 19. Thomas Mikaele
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jack Cogger 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Jed Cartwright 18. Brodie Jones 19. Will Pryce