North Queensland could not have returned home soon enough after slumping to their third successive loss, in Auckland last Monday. The Cowboys managed to do what no other team had been able to since last July: play the Warriors back into form. Making the 20-18 loss even harder to stomach was the fact that the Warriors played the last eight minutes with only 12 men, having used all their interchanges when a concussed Ben Henry was replaced.
The Panthers share the Cowboys' pain, having also been winless since round one. Coach Ivan Cleary has lost patience with enigmatic halfback Luke Walsh, dropping him to NSW Cup after the Panthers' 28-10 loss to the Titans last Sunday.
Cleary has called up Blake Austin to play five-eighth and shifted Tom Humble from No.6 to halfback. Humble has impressed since shifting from the Tigers this season but most Panthers supporters would be surprised to see the Queenslander preferred to Walsh at No.7.
Somehow Penrith enter this game higher on the ladder than their highly fancied rivals. Despite an opening round win over Canterbury, the Cowboys have been the greatest disappointment of the season. Their most recent offering, a miserable loss across the Tasman to the out-of-sorts Warriors, can not be excused. By contrast the Panthers have shown determination in every contest.
Despite this coach Ivan Cleary wielded the axe and demoted halfback Luke Walsh - putting his faith in the untried combination of Tom Humble and Blake Austin. Cowboys mentor Neil Henry has resisted the urge to give his team a shake-up - although he hasn't ruled out recalling troubled halfback Robert Lui to steady the ship.
Key: After becoming the first big name to ink a $1 million deal, Johnathan Thurston has failed to lead his side to a win. JT needs to stand up and steer his side out of this slump or their premiership hopes will quickly tumble.
COWBOYS: Matthew Bowen, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston (capt), Michael Morgan, Matthew Scott (capt), Scott Moore, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Rory Kostjasyn, Tariq Sims, Scott Bolton, Jason Taumalolo.
PANTHERS: Dean Whare, Josh Mansour, Wes Naiqama, Brad Tighe, David Simmons, Tom Humble, Blake Austin, Sam McKendry, Kevin Kingston (capt), Nigel Plum, Sika Manu, Lewis Brown, Cameron Ciraldo. Interchange: Adam Docker, Tim Grant, James Segeyaro, Clint Newton.
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