The 2017 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 23rd in the club's history. This rugby league 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 2017 Telstra Premiership. The club became just the second 8th-placed side to make the Grand Final, ultimately losing to the Melbourne Storm.
Season summary
Milestones Round 1: Ben Hampton made his debut for the club. Round 2: Johnathan Thurston scored his 2,000th point. Round 3: Shaun Fensom made his debut for the club. Round 3: Kane Linnett played his 150th NRL game. Round 4: Kyle Feldt played his 50th game for the club. Round 4: Gideon Gela-Mosby made his NRL debut. Round 4: Gideon Gela-Mosby and Kalyn Ponga scored their first NRL tries. Round 5: Shaun Fensom scored his first try for the club. Round 7: Corey Jensen made his NRL debut. Round 11: Ben Hampton scored his first try for the club. Round 15: Kyle Laybutt made his NRL debut. Round 16: Gavin Cooper played his 250th NRL game. Round 17: Te Maire Martin made his debut for the club. Round 17: Te Maire Martin scored his first try for the club. Round 17: Shaun Fensom played his 150th NRL game. Round 21: Braden Uele made his NRL debut. Round 21: Paul Green coached his 100th NRL game. Round 22: Lachlan Coote played his 150th NRL game. Round 23: Patrick Mago made his NRL debut. Round 23: Michael Morgan scored his 50th try for the club. Round 24: Scott Bolton played his 200th game for the club. Round 24: Enari Tuala and Shane Wright made their NRL debuts. Finals Week 2: Kane Linnett played his 150th game for the club. Finals Week 2: John Asiata scored his first NRL try. Finals Week 3: Antonio Winterstein played his 150th game for the club. Finals Week 3: The club qualified for their third Grand Final.
Squad
Squad movement
Gains Player Signed From Until end of NotesBen Hampton Melbourne StormShaun Fensom Canberra RaidersCorey Jensen Townsville BlackhawksBlake Leary Manly Sea EaglesTe Maire Martin Penrith Panthers (mid-season)Shane Wright Gold Coast Titans
Losses Player Signed To Until end of NotesBen HannantRetiredJahrome Hughes Melbourne StormRory Kostjasyn Newcastle KnightsNick Lui-Toso Penrith PanthersTautau Moga Brisbane BroncosBrandon Smith Melbourne StormJames Tamou Penrith Panthers
Re-signings Player Club Until end of Notes John Asiata North Queensland CowboysScott Bolton North Queensland CowboysJake Clifford North Queensland CowboysGavin Cooper North Queensland CowboysKyle Feldt North Queensland CowboysGideon Gela-Mosby North Queensland CowboysShaun Hudson North Queensland CowboysCorey Jensen North Queensland CowboysKyle Laybutt North Queensland CowboysEmry Pere North Queensland CowboysMatthew Scott North Queensland CowboysMurray Taulagi North Queensland CowboysJason Taumalolo North Queensland CowboysJohnathan Thurston North Queensland CowboysEnari Tuala 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.
Pool Play Date Time (Local) Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday, 4 February2:40pmRound 1 Sydney RoostersEden Park27 – 15Gela-Mosby (3), Morgan, O'Neill, Ponga Thurston (1)Saturday, 4 February4:35pmRound 2 Canberra RaidersEden Park35 – 6Gela-Mosby (2), Ponga (2), Bowen, Feldt Bowen (1), Morgan (1), Ponga (1), Thurston (1)Sunday, 5 February11:05amRound 3 South Sydney RabbitohsEden Park19 – 8 Bowen (2), Hudson, Ponga Ponga (1)Sunday, 7 February2:30pmQuarter-final Melbourne StormEden Park12 – 25 Bowen, Gela-Mosby, Ponga Legend:
Pre-season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 11 FebruaryTrial 1 Sydney RoostersBB Print Stadium11 – 10 Leary, Tuala Laybutt (1/2, 1 FG) Friday, 17 FebruaryTrial 2 Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium18 – 16 Hampton, Linnett, Morgan Thurston (3/3) Friday, 17 FebruaryTrial 3 Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski Oval44 – 8 Ponga (3), Traill (2), Gahan, Slade-Roycroft, Pere - Legend:
Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 4 MarchRound 1 Canberra Raiders1300SMILES Stadium20 – 16Bowen, Cooper, Coote, HessThurston (2/4)17,548Friday, 10 MarchRound 2 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium21 – 20Granville, Hess, Morgan Thurston (4/4, 1 FG) 47,703Saturday, 18 MarchRound 3 Manly Sea Eagles1300SMILES Stadium8 – 30GranvilleThurston (2/2)14,763Saturday, 25 MarchRound 4 Gold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium32 – 26Hess (2), Gela-Mosby, Ponga, ThurstonThurston (6/7)17,647Friday, 31 MarchRound 5 South Sydney Rabbitohs1300SMILES Stadium20 – 6Fensom, Gela-Mosby, MorganThurston (4/4)13,671Saturday, 8 AprilRound 6 Wests Tigers1300SMILES Stadium16 – 26Hess (2), Taumalolo Thurston (2/3) 15,424Saturday, 15 AprilRound 7 St George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium22 – 28Bolton, Gela-Mosby, Morgan, SpinaFeldt (3/4) 13,886Saturday, 22 AprilRound 8 Newcastle Knights1300SMILES Stadium24 – 12Ponga (2), Cooper, Linnett Lowe (2/2), Feldt (2/4) 13,678Friday, 28 AprilRound 9 Parramatta Eels1300SMILES Stadium6 – 26WintersteinFeldt (1/1)14,247Thursday, 11 MayRound 10 Canterbury BulldogsANZ Stadium30 –14Hess (2), Feldt, Morgan, Spina Lowe (4/5), Feldt (1/1) 8,122Thursday, 18 MayRound 11 Cronulla SharksSouthern Cross Group Stadium14 – 18Feldt, Hampton, WintersteinFeldt (1/2), Lowe (0/2)8,557Round 12ByeSaturday, 3 JuneRound 13 Gold Coast Titans1300SMILES Stadium20 – 8Feldt, Hess, MorganFeldt (4/6) 14,612Saturday, 10 JuneRound 14 Parramatta EelsTIO Stadium32 – 6Feldt (2), Hess, Thurston, Winterstein Thurston (6/7) 11,968Saturday, 17 JuneRound 15 Melbourne StormAAMI Park22 – 23Coote, Feldt, Linnett Feldt (5/6) 17,124Saturday, 24 JuneRound 16 Penrith Panthers1300SMILES Stadium14 – 12Feldt, JensenLowe (3/3)17,876Saturday, 1 JulyRound 17 Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium31 – 18Martin (2), Morgan (2), Winterstein Lowe (5/6), Coote (1 FG) 10,266Round 18ByeSunday, 16 JulyRound 19 South Sydney RabbitohsBarlow Park23 – 10Feldt, Granville, Hess, TaumaloloLowe (3/4), Coote (1 FG)11,217Saturday, 22 JulyRound 20 Warriors1300SMILES Stadium24 – 12Bowen (2), Lowe, O'NeillLowe (4/5)16,080Saturday, 29 JulyRound 21 Sydney RoostersAllianz Stadium16 – 22Feldt, Hess, LinnettLowe (2/3)9,476Friday, 4 AugustRound 22 Melbourne Storm1300SMILES Stadium8 – 26Granville Lowe (2/2) 21,380Saturday, 12 AugustRound 23 Penrith PanthersPepper Stadium16 – 24Linnett, Morgan, Taumalolo Lowe (2/3) 12,357Saturday, 19 AugustRound 24 Cronulla Sharks1300SMILES Stadium16 – 26 Lowe, Martin, Morgan Lowe (2/3) 15,539Friday, 25 AugustRound 25 Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium22 – 14Feldt (2), Martin, Morgan Lowe (3/4) 9,436Thursday, 31 AugustRound 26 Brisbane Broncos1300SMILES Stadium10 – 20Cooper, Feldt Lowe (1/2) 23,321 Legend:
Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSunday, 10 SeptemberElimination Final Cronulla SharksAllianz Stadium15 – 14Feldt, Taumalolo Lowe (3/4), Morgan (1 FG) 16,115Saturday, 16 SeptemberSemi Final Parramatta EelsANZ Stadium24 – 16Asiata, Feldt, Hess, Morgan Lowe (4/4) 41,287Saturday, 23 SeptemberPreliminary Final Sydney RoostersAllianz Stadium29 – 16Bolton, Feldt, Linnett, Martin Lowe (6/6), Morgan (1 FG) 28,108 Sunday, 1 OctoberGrand Final Melbourne StormANZ Stadium6 – 34Martin Lowe (1/1) 79,722 Legend:
Statistics NameAppTGFGPts281--4282--8133--12253--12212-210281517-94211--443--12244--16261--42713--524----181--49----2----3----285--2028247-1022----126--242711-246201--473--122----82--8264--166----72261611----1----194--161---- Totals 89 90 3 541
Representatives The following players have played a representative match in 2017.
All Stars match ANZAC Test Pacific Tests Residents match State of Origin 1 State Of Origin 2 State of Origin 3 World CupJohn Asiata Gavin Cooper Coen Hess Patrick Kaufusi Kyle Laybutt Blake Leary Te Maire Martin Michael Morgan Justin O'Neill Jason Taumalolo Johnathan Thurston Antonio Winterstein
Honours
League Dally M Halfback of the Year: Michael Morgan Dally M Try of the Year: Kyle Feldt Dally M NYC Player of the Year: Jake Clifford NYC Team of the Year: Jake Clifford, Kalyn Ponga
Club Paul Bowman Medal: Jason Taumalolo Players' Player: Michael Morgan and Jason Taumalolo Coach's Award: Michael Morgan Member's Player of the Year: Michael Morgan Club Person of the Year: Scott Bolton and Ray Thompson Rookie of the Year: Corey Jensen NYC Player of the Year: Kurt Wiltshire Townsville Bulletins' Fan Choice Award: Michael Morgan
Feeder clubs
National Youth Competition North Queensland Cowboys - 5th, lost elimination final
Queensland Cup Mackay Cutters - 8th, missed finals Northern Pride - 12th, missed finals Townsville Blackhawks - 6th, lost elimination final
References