Round 3: Dragons v Cowboys preview
Rob runs the rule over this weekend's battle between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the North Queensland Cowboys at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Carlton / Bidjigal.
Kogarah sets the scene for one side, battered and beaten. Another, unbeaten
The St George Illawarra Dragons will be aiming to atone in their first home match of the season when they host the unbeaten North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday evening.
Going from high-flying to battered and beaten in the space of a week, the St George Illawarra Dragons will be looking for improvement with and without the ball following a shocking performance on the road.
Suffering the double indignity of their equal fourth heaviest loss and being held scoreless for only the 12th time as a joint venture during last Sunday's 38-0 thrashing at the hands of the Dolphins, coach Shane Flanagan has responded by naming Jesse Marschke to debut at hooker and recalling Viliami Fifita at the expense of suspended prop Francis Molo.
Winning three of their five matches at Kogarah in 2023, the Dragons last defeated their weekend opponents at the spiritual home of the Red V in an Origin-impacted fixture a decade ago.
In contrast, the North Queensland Cowboys will be eyeing off three straight wins to start a season for the first time since 2007 and only the fourth time in the club's history.
Making minimal changes to the team that downed the Knights 21-20 in golden point last Saturday, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki will start in place of injured second-rower Heilum Luki with journeyman Jack Gosiewski coming onto the bench.
Holding a disappointing record in Sydney with two wins from seven appearances last season, the Cowboys have underperformed at Kogarah historically with two wins from six clashes against the joint venture.
Veteran winger Kyle Feldt requires one try to surpass Matt Bowen as the all-time leading try scorer for North Queensland; the 32-year-old has scored nine tries from ten matches against the Dragons.
Last meeting: Round 11 2023 - Cowboys 42 Dragons 22
Who to watch: Up until a month ago, Luciano Leilua was toiling away in the Townsville heat as a Cowboy - now he's plotting their demise as a Dragon. Securing an early release to return to the club where he debuted in first grade, the 27-year-old second-rower produced 20 tackles, three tackle breaks and an offload in limited opportunities during last week's loss to the Dolphins. Elevated to the starting side after coming off the bench in his return from suspension last week, look for Leilua to offer a point of difference in attack as the Red V look to respond on home soil.
Coming off an afternoon to forget in last week's error-riddled win over the Knights, expect Valentine Holmes to bounce back with a showing more befitting his stature as an elite-tier player. Missing three conversions last Saturday, including a late kick for goal that would have given the Cowboys victory in regular time, the 28-year-old has grown in confidence as a centre after spending the early part of his career with North Queensland across the backline. Scoring at least ten points in all six of the games he has played for the Cowboys against the Dragons, Holmes requires eight points to bring up 1,000 career points in first grade.
Favourite: Cowboys have been heavily backed to inflict further misery upon a Dragons side coming off their heaviest defeat in six years.
My tip: Boasting plenty of confidence and the incentive of multiple individual milestones, the men from the north should have too much strike power in their first visit south of the border this season. Cowboys by 14.
