The 2016 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 22nd in the club's history and their first as defending premiers. THe team is based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Coached by Paul Green and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership. In the pre-season the Cowboys competed in the 2016 Auckland Nines tournament, reaching the quarter-finals. The team finished the regular season in 4th, losing in the preliminary final to the eventual premiers, the Cronulla Sharks.
Season summary
Milestones Round 1: Johnathan Thurston scored his 1,800th point in the NRL. Round 3: Lachlan Coote scored his 50th try in the NRL. Round 5: Javid Bowen made his NRL debut. Round 5: James Tamou played his 150th game for the club. Round 5: Javid Bowen scored his first NRL try. Round 7: Justin O'Neill played his 100th NRL game. Round 7: Johnathan Thurston scored his 1,000th point at 1300SMILES Stadium. Round 9: Kane Linnett scored his 50th NRL try. Round 10: Ethan Lowe played his 50th game for the club. Round 11: Johnathan Thurston played his 250th game for the club. Round 12: Jahrome Hughes made his debut for the club. Round 12: Jahrome Hughes scored his first NRL try. Round 13: Ray Thompson played his 100th game for the club. Round 13: Gavin Cooper scored his 50th try for the club. Round 14: Jason Taumalolo played his 100th game for the club. Round 17: Gavin Cooper played his 150th game for the club. Round 18: Josh Chudleigh made his NRL debut. Round 18: Josh Chudleigh scored his first NRL try. Round 26: Lachlan Coote and Jake Granville played their 50th games for the club. Finals Week 1: Ben Hannant played his 50th game for the club. Finals Week 2: Justin O'Neill played his 50th game for the club. Finals Week 2: Kalyn Ponga made his NRL debut. Finals Week 2: Michael Morgan played his 100th game for the club. Finals Week 3: John Asiata played his 50th game for the club.
Squad List
Squad Movement
Gains Player Signed from Until end of NotesShaun Hudson Gold Coast TitansJahrome Hughes Townsville BlackhawksPatrick Mago Canberra Raiders
Losses Player Signed To Until end of NotesGlenn Hall Townsville BlackhawksViliame Kikau Penrith PanthersCameron King Parramatta EelsRobert Lui Salford Red DevilsHezron Murgha Townsville BlackhawksZac Santo Canberra RaidersScott Schulte Parramatta EelsKelepi Tanginoa Parramatta EelsMatthew Wright Manly Sea Eagles (mid-season)
Re-signings Player Club Until end of Notes Javid Bowen North Queensland CowboysJosh Chudleigh North Queensland CowboysLachlan Coote North Queensland CowboysJake Granville North Queensland CowboysSam Hoare North Queensland CowboysPatrick Kaufusi North Queensland CowboysKane Linnett North Queensland CowboysEthan Lowe North Queensland CowboysJustin O'Neill North Queensland CowboysAntonio Winterstein North Queensland Cowboys
Ladder
Fixtures NRL Auckland Nines
The NRL Auckland Nines is a pre-season rugby league nines competition featuring all 16 NRL clubs. The Cowboys, whose side featured a returning Matthew Bowen, finished first in their pool before being eliminated by the Melbourne Storm in the quarter-finals.
Pool Play
Date Time (Local) Round Opponent Venue Score Tries GoalsSaturday, 6 February1:20pmRound 1 Newcastle KnightsEden Park28 – 12 Cooper (3), Gela-Mosby (2), O'Neill M. Bowen (1), Morgan (1)Saturday, 6 February5:40pmRound 2 Wests TigersEden Park12 – 13 Gela-Mosby (2), Winterstein -Sunday, 7 February11:50amRound 3 Penrith PanthersEden Park15 – 11Cooper, Hess, Lowe Coote (1)Sunday, 7 February2:30pmQuarter-final Melbourne StormEden Park6 – 14 Kostjasyn Coote (1) Legend:
Pre-season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 6 FebruaryTrial 1 Brisbane BroncosSalter Oval26 – 48Chudleigh, Creith, Hughes, Mago, Ponga Laybutt (3/5) 8,122Thursday, 11 FebruaryTrial 2 Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski Oval18 – 16Cooper, Morgan, O'Neill Thurston (3/3) -Sunday, 21 FebruaryTrial 3 Leeds RhinosHeadingley Stadium38 – 4 O'Neill (2), Coote, Feldt, Linnett, Morgan, Thurston Thurston (5/7) 19,778 Legend:
Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 5 MarchRound 1 Cronulla Sharks1300SMILES Stadium20 – 14 Linnett, Lowe, O'Neill Thurston (4/4) 15,519Saturday, 12 MarchRound 2 Parramatta EelsPirtek Stadium16 – 20 Lowe, O'Neill, Taumalolo Thurston (2/3) 12,194Thursday, 17 MarchRound 3 Sydney Roosters1300SMILES Stadium40 – 0 Bolton, Coote, Feldt, Linnett, Morgan, Taumalolo, Winterstein Thurston (6/7) 8,099Friday, 25 MarchRound 4 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium20 – 21Granville, Morgan, Lowe Thurston (4/4) 46,176Saturday, 2 AprilRound 5 St George Illawarra Dragons1300SMILES Stadium36 – 0Feldt (2), Bolton, Bowen, Cooper, O'NeillThurston (6/6) 17,444Saturday, 9 AprilRound 6 Penrith PanthersPepper Stadium23 – 18Bowen, Cooper, Feldt, O'NeillThurston (3/4), Coote (1 FG)13,725Friday, 15 AprilRound 7 South Sydney Rabbitohs1300SMILES Stadium44 – 18O'Neill (2), Cooper, Feldt, Lowe, Morgan, Thurston, WintersteinThurston (6/8)15,487Saturday, 23 AprilRound 8 Parramatta Eels1300SMILES Stadium32 – 16 Morgan (2), Cooper, Coote, Winterstein Thurston (6/7) 19,308Saturday, 30 AprilRound 9 Manly Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval34 – 18Feldt (2), Cooper, Linnett, Morgan, WintersteinThurston (5/6)11,734Saturday, 14 MayRound 10 Melbourne StormSuncorp Stadium14 – 15Cooper, MorganThurston (3/3) 52,347Friday, 20 MayRound 11 Brisbane Broncos1300SMILES Stadium19 – 18Coote, O'Neill, Scott Thurston (3/3, 1 FG) 25,163Saturday, 28 MayRound 12 St George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium10 – 14Feldt, HughesLowe (1/2)10,032Saturday, 4 JuneRound 13 Newcastle Knights1300SMILES Stadium46 – 16Feldt (2), Ray Thompson (2), Cooper, Granville, Kostjasyn, WintersteinThurston (7/8)14,651Monday, 13 JuneRound 14 Cronulla SharksSouthern Cross Group Stadium10 – 13WintersteinThurston (3/3) 13,119Round 15ByeMonday, 27 JuneRound 16 Manly Sea Eagles1300SMILES Stadium30 – 26 Taumalolo (2), Coote, Tamou, Winterstein Thurston (5/5) 15,584Sunday, 3 JulyRound 17 South Sydney RabbitohsBarlow Park20 – 0 Bowen, Scott, Thurston Thurston (4/5) 14,923Monday, 11 JulyRound 18 Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium12 – 26Chudleigh, HessLowe (2/2) 8,328Round 19ByeThursday, 21 JulyRound 20 Canterbury Bulldogs1300SMILES Stadium36 – 0Winterstein (3), O'Neill (2), Bowen, LoweLowe (2/3), Thurston (2/4)11,260Saturday, 30 JulyRound 21 Melbourne Storm1300SMILES Stadium8 – 16 Winterstein Lowe (2/2) 20,256Sunday, 7 AugustRound 22 Wests TigersLeichhardt Oval14 – 26Linnett, Lowe Thurston (3/3) 14,246Sunday, 14 AugustRound 23 Sydney RoostersAllianz Stadium10 – 22Linnett, Lowe Thurston (1/2) 8,760Saturday, 20 AugustRound 24 New Zealand Warriors1300SMILES Stadium34 – 6Feldt (2), Morgan, O'Neill, Taumalolo, Ray Thompson Thurston (5/6) 15,676Thursday, 25 AugustRound 25 Canterbury BulldogsBelmore Sports Ground24 – 16Lowe (2), Hess, Taumalolo Thurston (4/5) 10,144Saturday, 3 SeptemberRound 26 Gold Coast Titans1300SMILES Stadium32 – 16Cooper (2), O'Neill, Tamou, Winterstein Thurston (6/6) 21,495 Legend:
Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 10 SeptemberQualifying Final Melbourne StormAAMI Park 16 – 10 Feldt, Winterstein Thurston (1/2) 21,233Friday, 16 SeptemberSemi-final Brisbane Broncos1300SMILES Stadium26 – 20 O'Neill (2), Hess, Morgan Thurston (5/6)23,804Friday, 23 SeptemberPreliminary Final Cronulla SharksAllianz Stadium32 –20Feldt (2), Coote, Hess Thurston (2/4) 36,717 Legend:
Statistics NameAppTGFGPts19----272--8104--1611--4269--36275-1212415--60252--824----84--1611--412----261--4225--202597-501----229--362513--522----232--82----252--8276--2473--122429612012413--52 Totals 108 103 2 640
Representatives The following players have played a representative match in 2016.
All Stars match ANZAC Test Polynesian Cup City vs Country Residents match State of Origin 1 State Of Origin 2 State of Origin 3 Four NationsJohn Asiata Gavin Cooper Jahrome Hughes Patrick Kaufusi Rory Kostjasyn Kane Linnett Michael Morgan Justin O'Neill Matthew Scott James Tamou Jason Taumalolo Johnathan Thurston Antonio Winterstein Matthew Wright
Honours League Dally M Medal: Jason Taumalolo Dally M Lock of the Year: Jason Taumalolo Rugby League Players Association Player of the Year: Jason Taumalolo NYC Team of the Year: Gideon Gela-Mosby, Kalyn Ponga, Brandon Smith
Club Paul Bowman Medal: Jason Taumalolo Players' Player: Jason Taumalolo Member's Player of the Year: Jason Taumalolo Club Person of the Year: John Asiata Most Improved: Ethan Lowe Rookie of the Year: Javid Bowen NYC Player of the Year: Brandon Smith Townsville Bulletins' Fan Choice Award: Michael Morgan
Feeder Clubs National Youth Competition North Queensland Cowboys - 2nd, lost preliminary final
Queensland Cup Mackay Cutters - 14th, missed finals Northern Pride - 8th, missed finals Townsville Blackhawks - 3rd, lost semi final
References