BREAKINGNEWS: CLARK HUNT, OWNER OF KENSAS CITY HAS ANNOUNCED TO LEAVE THE CLUB AFTER…see..more
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.
