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 outside back Joseph Sua’ali’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.
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.
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Team News
Roosters: Junior Pauga joins the backline to fill the void left by Joseph Sua’ali’i, who makes his Origin debut for the Blues. Terrell May starts at prop and Nat Butcher comes into the back row with Lindsay Collins and Angus Crichton away on Origin duty. With Spencer Leniu in Blues camp and Egan Butcher out for the season with a knee injury, a new-look bench includes Siua Wong, Sitili Tupouniua and Michael Jennings, who has recovered from a triceps injury. Luke Keary has been named at five-eighth and is expected to be released from NSW camp where he is on standby for Nicho Hynes.
Cowboys: Mass changes for Todd Payten with Val Holmes, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter all on Maroons Origin duty. Tom Chester returns from a hamstring injury in the centres while Braidon Burns gets another shot on the wing after an impressive club debut in Round 11. Jake Clifford comes in at five-eighth for his second game of the season, Jake Granville is the new hooker and Thomas Mikaele and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki move into the starting side. Harrison Edwards and Gehamat Shibasaki have been added to the bench.
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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, author of the official annual of the NRL.