Roosters v Cowboys preview: Lam and Tupouniua return; Cowboys unchanged
The ability of the Roosters to keep pulling themselves up off the canvas and continue throwing punches will be sorely tested after the Tricolours added to their already extensive injury list in the loss to Parramatta.
Playmaker Drew Hutchison suffered fractured ribs and a punctured lung to add to the Roosters' bulging casualty ward and they will take their battered and bruised squad to Brisbane to take on the hot-and-cold Cowboys.
The Roosters, who have been battling to find 21 fit players in recent weeks, slipped one spot to sixth on the ladder and are in danger of losing contact with the top four.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, enter the clash having won four of their past five and buoyed by a one-point comeback win in their Queensland derby triumph over the Broncos.
Match: Roosters v Cowboys
Round 10 -
home Team
Roosters
5th Position
away Team
Cowboys
12th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
The rundown
Team news
Roosters: The Roosters are 1-17 with Egan Butcher the last man cut an hour before kick-off and Joseph Suaalii the 18th man.
Lachlan Lam returns at five-eighth for Drew Hutchison (ribs) and Sitili Tupouniua is back from suspension in the back row, pushing Nat Butcher to the interchange and Tuku Hau Tapuha to reserves.
Victor Radley (HIA) and Sam Walker (shoulder) will both play.
Hau Tapuha and Naufahu Whyte were the first two players cut from the squad on Friday.
The Roosters have won only two of their past nine games at Suncorp Stadium.
Cowboys: A late change with Tom Gilbert joining the bench in jersey 20 and Ben Condon reverting to 18th man.
Kane Bradley and Corey Jensen were the first two players cut 24 hours before kick-off. Daejarn Asi was cut an hour before kick-off.
Jason Taumalolo will become the eighth player to appear in 200 NRL games for the Cowboys.
Match: Roosters v Cowboys
Round 10 -
home Team
Roosters
away Team
Cowboys
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Roosters is number 1 James TedescoFullback for Cowboys is number 1 Valentine Holmes
-
Winger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel TupouWinger for Cowboys is number 2 Kyle Feldt
-
Centre for Roosters is number 3 Josh MorrisCentre for Cowboys is number 3 Javid Bowen
-
Centre for Roosters is number 4 Joseph ManuCentre for Cowboys is number 4 Connelly Lemuelu
-
Winger for Roosters is number 5 Matt IkuvaluWinger for Cowboys is number 5 Murray Taulagi
-
Five-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Lachlan LamFive-Eighth for Cowboys is number 6 Scott Drinkwater
-
Halfback for Roosters is number 7 Sam WalkerHalfback for Cowboys is number 7 Jake Clifford
Forwards
-
Prop for Roosters is number 8 Jared Waerea-HargreavesProp for Cowboys is number 8 Coen Hess
-
Hooker for Roosters is number 9 Ben MarschkeHooker for Cowboys is number 9 Reece Robson
-
Prop for Roosters is number 10 Isaac LiuProp for Cowboys is number 10 Jordan McLean
-
2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Angus Crichton2nd Row for Cowboys is number 11 Shane Wright
-
2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Sitili Tupouniua2nd Row for Cowboys is number 12 Mitchell Dunn
-
Lock for Roosters is number 13 Victor RadleyLock for Cowboys is number 13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 14 Adam KeighranInterchange for Cowboys is number 14 Jake Granville
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 15 Daniel Suluka-FifitaInterchange for Cowboys is number 15 Lachlan Burr
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 16 Nat ButcherInterchange for Cowboys is number 16 Francis Molo
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Siosiua TaukeiahoInterchange for Cowboys is number 20 Tom Gilbert
Reserves
-
Reserve for Roosters is number 21 Joseph-Aukuso SuaaliiReserve for Cowboys is number 17 Ben Condon
Match Officials
- Referee: Ben Cummins
- Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Senior Review Official: Henry Perenara
Last updated:
Key match-up
Daniel Tupou v Kyle Feldt: The lanky Rooster has stood tall despite not having had the scoreboard impact of sidelined fellow winger Brett Morris (11 tries) or the veteran's replacement Matt Ikuvalu (hat-trick v Parramatta).
Tupou's 21 tackle busts and six line breaks tower over his Cowboys rival's stats (10, 1) but he will have to be on his toes because Feldt has a gift for finding the line - as he showed with his miraculous put-down against Brisbane.
Stat attack
North Queensland rank No.1 for missed tackles in the NRL and while the Roosters' attacking stocks have been denuded by their brutal injury toll they still have the weapons to make the Cowboys pay if they can't aim up in that area.
Head to NRL Pick'Em and get pickin’ to win a share of $100,000 cash every week!
