With both clubs hit hard by Origin selections, Sunday’s clash between the Roosters and Cowboys will be a battle of squad depth as much as anything else as they each look to extend current winning runs.
North Queensland will be minus their two co-captains Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter, who are joined by Murray Taulagi, Valentine Holmes and Jeremiah Nanai in Maroons camp, while hooker Reece Robson is with the Blues.
The Roosters are heaviest hit in the pack, with key big men Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton and Spencer Leniu all called away for state duty, while versatile centre/winger Joseph Suaali’i is out too.
The Tricolours bounced back from a Magic Round loss to the Sharks in convincing fashion last week with a 44-16 trouncing of the Raiders and are boosted by the presence of captain James Tedesco, who is missing from Game One of an Origin series for the first time since 2016 after being overlooked this year.
Todd Payten’s Cowboys meanwhile can make it three in a row with a victory at Allianz Stadium, where in its previous life as the Sydney Football Stadium, they won just eight times in 23 trips.
North Queensland’s 20-6 win over the Roosters last year snapped a prior five-game winless run against them.
Match: Roosters v Cowboys
Round 13 -
home Team
Roosters
5th Position
away Team
Cowboys
11th Position
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Stat Attack
- The Cowboys have lost three of their past four games at Sydney venues.
- Roosters centre Joseph Manu has scored six tries in his past five games.
- The Cowboys have scored 70 points in their past two games.
- Roosters halfback Sam Walker has scored 58 points in his past four games at Allianz Stadium.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services,
