The 1996 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 2nd in the club's history. Coached by Graham Lowe and captained by Adrian Vowles, they competed in the Optus Cup.

Season summary After finishing their debut season in last place, there was nowhere to go but up for the Cowboys in 1996. Under new head coach, former New Zealand, Queensland, Manly and Wigan boss Graham Lowe, the club recruited fairly strongly bringing in first grade regulars Jason Death (from Canberra) and Andrew Dunemann (from Gold Coast), former All Black Shane Howarth and New Zealand representatives Se'e Solomona and Whetu Taewa. Dunemann's signing would see him reunite with his brother Ian, the pair becoming the first siblings to play for the club.

Due to the ongoing Super League war, the clubs affiliated with the breakaway competition refused to participate in their Round 1 games, with the Cowboys' opening fixture, against fellow Super League-aligned club the Canterbury Bulldogs, cancelled. After losing their first game of the year against the Sydney City Roosters, the Cowboys picked up their first win of the season a week later against the Sydney Tigers. Seven straight losses followed until a Round 11 victory over the Newcastle Knights was followed by a win over the Cronulla Sharks, the club's first ever back-to-back wins. After four straight losses, the Cowboys ended the season in their strongest form to date, with three wins from their final six games. That included a win over the St George Dragons at Kogarah Oval in Round 21, the club's first win in Sydney. The club would end their second season in 17th place, with six wins from 21 games, tripling their win total from the year before. Steve Edmed, a long time Balmain Tiger who joined the Cowboys for the 1996 season, was named Player of the Year after playing in all 21 games in his lone season with the club.

The club made headlines during the season when Moranbah junior Josh Hannay was named to make his first grade debut at just 16-years old. The selection was later vetoed by the Australian Rugby League as Hannay was not 16 when the year began. Had he played, he would have been the second youngest player to make his senior debut in Australian rugby league history. Hannay would make his debut two years later and go onto play 150 games for the club over nine seasons.

Milestones Round 2: Jason Death, Steve Edmed, Martin Locke, Whetu Taewa and Kris Tassell made their debuts for the club. Round 2: Shane Howarth made his first grade debut. Round 3: Willie Poching made his debut for the club. Round 3: Scott Brown made his debut for the club. Round 6: Se'e Solomona made his debut for the club. Round 7: Andrew Dunemann made his debut for the club. Round 9: Andrew Bulmer made his first grade debut. Round 11: Michael Coorey made his first grade debut. Round 12: The club won back-to-back games for the first time. Round 13: John Buttigieg made his first grade debut. Round 15: Marshall Miller and Graham White made their first grade debuts. Round 17: Liam Johnson made his first grade debut.

Squad list

Squad movement

1996 Gains Player Signed from Scott Brown Cronulla Sharks Jason Death Canberra Raiders Andrew Dunemann Gold Coast Chargers Steve Edmed Sydney Tigers Shane Howarth Auckland RU Martin Locke South Queensland Crushers Willie Poching Auckland Warriors Se'e Solomona Auckland Warriors Whetu Taewa Auckland Warriors Kris Tassell Canterbury Bulldogs

1996 Losses Player Signed To Martin Bella Gold Coast Chargers Jonathan Davies Cardiff RFC Kevin Ellis Gold Coast Chargers Jason Erba Sheffield Eagles Michael Hogue Paris Saint-Germain David Maiden Cairns Cyclones Andrew Meads Sydney Tigers Craig Menkins Paris Saint-Germain Ian Russell Paris Saint-Germain (mid-season) Laurie Spina Retired

Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (P)22 1804549191+358362 Brisbane Broncos211704607263+344343 North Sydney Bears221525598325+273324 Sydney City Roosters221516521321+200315 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks211425399268+131306 Canberra Raiders211317538384+154277 St. George Dragons211218443360+83278 Western Suburbs Magpies221219394434−40259 Newcastle Knights2110110416388+282310 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs2111010375378−32211 Auckland Warriors2110011412427−152212 Sydney Tigers2211011319459−1402213 Parramatta Eels219111404415−112114 Illawarra Steelers228014403444−411615 Penrith Panthers217113363464−1011516 Western Reds216114313420−1071317 North Queensland Cowboys216015288643−3551218 Gold Coast Chargers225116359521−1621119 South Sydney Rabbitohs225116314634−3201120 South Queensland Crushers213018220496−2768

Fixtures

Regular season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance23 MarchRound 1 Canterbury BulldogsStockland Stadium Cancelled due to Super League clubs refusing to play 30 MarchRound 2 Sydney City RoostersStockland Stadium2 – 40 Howarth (1/1) 16,1866 AprilRound 3 Sydney TigersStockland Stadium17 – 2 Tassell (2), Peter Jones Cressbrook (2/4), Howarth (1 FG) 15,91214 AprilRound 4 Canberra RaidersBruce Stadium10 – 66 Bartlett, Taewa Howarth (1/2) 9,11521 AprilRound 5 Brisbane BroncosANZ Stadium14 – 58 Skardon, Tassell, Vowles Howarth (1/3) 18,60927 AprilRound 6 North Sydney BearsStockland Stadium6 – 50 Skardon Howarth (1/2) 20,8645 MayRound 7 Manly Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval4 – 46 Edmed Cressbrook (0/1) 5,22711 MayRound 8 Illawarra SteelersStockland Stadium8 – 24 Tassell (2) Cressbrook (0/2) 15,28925 MayRound 9 Parramatta EelsStockland Stadium12 – 26 Loomans, Tassell Cressbrook (1/2), Poching (1/1) 12,0889 JuneRound 10 Sydney City RoostersSFS14 – 38 I. Dunemann, Tassell, Vowles Poching (1/3) 9,28715 JuneRound 11 Newcastle KnightsStockland Stadium26 – 10 Loomans (2), Death, Murphy, Tassell Cressbrook (3/3), I. Dunemann (0/1), Poching (0/2) 14,15322 JuneRound 12 Cronulla SharksStockland Stadium16 – 10 Bouveng, Cressbrook, Gibson Cressbrook (2/3) 22,01429 JuneRound 13 Sydney TigersParramatta Stadium16 – 18 Coorey, A. Dunemann, Gibson Cressbrook (2/2), Poching (0/1) 4,2576 JulyRound 14 Penrith PanthersStockland Stadium0 – 21 25,06814 JulyRound 15 Western Suburbs MagpiesCampbelltown Stadium32 – 40 Miller (2), Cressbrook, A. Dunemann, Loomans, Morganson Cressbrook (2/3), Vowles (2/2), Poching (0/1) 5,28120 JulyRound 16 South Sydney RabbitohsStockland Stadium20 – 22 Bowman, I. Dunemann, Loomans Howarth (3/3), Vowles (1/1) 27,09626 JulyRound 17 Gold Coast ChargersCarrara Stadium24 – 14 Bowman, Howarth, Loomans Howarth (6/6) 5,7773 AugustRound 18 Auckland WarriorsEricsson Stadium6 – 52 Death Howarth (1/1) 14,6009 AugustRound 19 South Queensland CrushersStockland Stadium11 – 6 Miller (2) Howarth (1/3, 1 FG) 24,98917 AugustRound 20 Western RedsWACA4 – 30 Taewa Howarth (0/1) 5,88925 AugustRound 21 St George DragonsKogarah Oval24 – 20 Gibson (2), Johnson, Loomans Howarth (3/4, 1 FG), A. Dunemann (1 FG) 9,0621 SeptemberRound 22 Canterbury BulldogsBelmore Oval22 – 50 Death, Locke, Loomans, Morganson Howarth (3/4) 6,595 Legend:

Statistics NameAppTGFGPts1----61--451--462--86----1----9----111--415212-32203--12162-19132--8211--45----114--162----1212134961--4191--46----111--4218--3212----4----64--1642--8151--416-2-41----10----15----32--84----122--898--322123-141---- Totals 52 38 4 288 Source:

Honours

Club Player of the Year: Steve Edmed Players' Player: Steve Edmed Club Person of the Year: Martin Locke

References