Knights and Cowboys go on the attack to set pace
By Greg Prichard
March 27, 2006
ANALYSIS
ANYTHING the Knights can do, the Cowboys can do, well, maybe not better, but North Queensland are certainly at least in the same bracket as Newcastle when it comes to early-season form.
These two teams aren't the only unbeaten ones after three rounds of the competition. Penrith, who had the bye this weekend, are also yet to taste defeat. But the dominating nature of the attack of both the Knights and the Cowboys sets them apart.
North Queensland - almost as if they were challenged by Newcastle's big win over the Bulldogs on Friday night - dismantled Melbourne in superb fashion at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
I don't want to be too hard on the Storm, because they were, after all, playing on the road for the third time in as many rounds and that schedule had included another particularly long haul, to Auckland, but they weren't remotely in the same class as the Cowboys.
North Queensland put the bustle on Melbourne very early and the visitors couldn't cope. The game was over when the Cowboys led 22-4 at half-time, but, to the home side's credit, rather than let the Storm in for cheap points in the second half they kept going right to the wire to win 40-8.
Five-eighth Johnathan Thurston was again tremendous for North Queensland. He has matured enormously as a player in the past 12 months, to the extent that he looks like he believes he can do something every time he gets the ball, but still doesn't over-play his hand.
Thurston is making great choices and his outstanding form means Cowboys halfback Brett Firman can play a solid, structured game without being under pressure to make a lot of big plays. The Storm didn't give in, but they weren't able to match the Cowboys anywhere - particularly in the halves.
You are extremely hard to please if you don't get revved up by the way the Cowboys and the Knights play and the great thing is that we have to wait only three weeks before they get a crack at each other. They will meet in a Knights home game on Sunday, April 16 - EnergyAustralia Stadium will be rocking and rolling that day.
Manly aren't quite in tune at this early stage of the season and they were flat to the boards to beat Cronulla at Brookvale Oval. Halfback Matt Orford was paid huge money to tempt him away from Melbourne to join the Sea Eagles, but he still hasn't taken control of the side yet.
There were times when he should have demanded the ball but appeared to sit back a bit against the Sharks. Orford isn't playing badly, but he needs to have more influence and presumably that will come soon. The Sharks are feeling early-season heat after giving up a 10-0 lead to lose 20-18. The previous week, against Brisbane, they led 12-0 only to lose 16-12. Injuries during the game again hurt them, but they need to start hanging tough - and soon.
Wests Tigers once again struggled without the injured Benji Marshall and weren't creative enough in attack in their 26-10 loss to New Zealand Warriors in Christchurch. No wonder they are desperate for the Kiwi five-eighth to make an early comeback from a fractured cheekbone.
From:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/k...ack-to-set-pace/2006/03/26/1143330932454.html
