By Tania Phillips
Warwick Cowboys kept their unbeaten Toowoomba Rugby League A Grade winning streak alive at the weekend despite an early shock against Southern Suburbs in their Round 14 match at Father Ranger Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The Cowboys, the only undefeated side and competition leaders with four rounds to go before the finals and competition favourites, were trailing by two tries to nil early in the game before recovering to win 40 -12.
It was an early shock that spurred the side, who face third-placed Valleys, fourth-placed Wattles and second-Gatton in the next three weeks, on.
Coach Col Speed though was pleased with how his team performed despite the early deficit and has said he is happy to have a hard road home to the finals. The team has been off the paddock as much it has been on over the past month, playing every second week thanks to a bye caused with the A grade withdrawal of Newtown and then the representative game last week.
“It was good to get back to the job at hand, they’re (the Cowboys) a bit like family it felt like an eternity away,” he said.
“But we had really good prep last week, Tuesday and Thursday and we went into the game with a bit of a game plan that we needed to change a few things, especially in our attack. Initially we probably didn’t stick to that and to Souths credit they exposed us in a few areas and got out to an eight-nil lead which wasn’t part of the script. But it was good because on the flip side of that it showed some character and we were missing Tui Oloapu our front rower, Hayden Ensbey our hooker and Josh Robinson didn’t play either – they bring a lot of leadership value to the team but their absence opened the door for other people to bring out some of their communication and leadership qualities. That was evident at half time when a few people spoke up and we came home with a wet sail in the second half.”
Speed said Joseph Vite, who was the player of the series at last week’s 47th Battalion representative carnival, was once again in the accolades being named players player for the Souths game with Nick Chapman getting three points, Morgan Byrne got two and Nick Carey.
He said it was good to have Rugby Union convert Chapman back from his representative stint with the Queensland Fire Fighters team.
“It was also good to have Drew Timms from Queensland Cup team Western Clydesdales make his debut for us too,” Speed said.
“Timms was hooker, we picked him up in the player draft very early on in the year. I really didn’t think he’d get a chance to play for us. It was an added bonus that he could, he brought a great attitude and ability.”
He said the team had Valley’s next, who are coming off a good win over Wattles at the weekend.
“They’ll be dangerous, they’re a good side,” Speed said.
“They’ll be trying to stay in the top three.”
The Cowboys are two points clear of Gatton, who they play in three weeks.
Cowboys 40: Seven tries: Jake Speed 28, Joseph Vite 41, Harry Sullivan 55, Jone Rarabalavu 59, Thomas Bell 62, Jone Rarabalavu 70, Nicholas Chapman 73. Conversions: 6/7 Caleb Murphy four, Mathew Marshall two.
Southern Suburbs: Three tries: Ben Howard 9, Cooper Howlett 24m, Not available 65.
Cowboys reserves 40 defeated Southern Suburbs Nil.
