2007 North Queensland Cowboys season
Rugby league team season
The 2007 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 13th in the club 's history. Coached by Graham Murray and captained by Johnathan Thurston , they competed in the NRL 's Telstra Premiership . They finished the regular season in 3rd place, falling one game short of the Grand Final after losing to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles .
Season summary
The Cowboys started the 2007 NRL season strongly, winning their first four games. By the halfway point of the season, they were placed inside the top four, despite losing key forward Luke O'Donnell for the season in Round 4.
In August, News Limited sold its majority stake in the club to the Cowboys Leagues Club for just over $2 million. News Limited took over the club in late 2001, helping it through a turbulent and difficult era.
Following five losses from seven games, the Cowboys dropped to 8th place in Round 20. A strong finish to the regular season, in which they won their final five games, saw them finish in 3rd, their highest ever placing at the time. Their first two finals games were played at home, defeating the Canterbury Bulldogs (20–18) and the New Zealand Warriors (49–12), to move within one game of the Grand Final . The Cowboys' season ended the following week, losing to Manly in the preliminary final.
Club legend Paul Bowman retired at the end of the 2007 season. The last foundation player from the club's inaugural season, Bowman played 203 games for the Cowboys over 13 seasons. The club's Player of the Year medal was named in his honour following his retirement. He became an assistant coach with the club in 2008. 2007 also saw the debut of 19-year-old Scott Bolton , who would go on to play over 150 games for the Cowboys and be a member of their 2015 NRL Grand Final and 2016 World Club Challenge winning sides.
Milestones
Squad List
North Queensland Cowboys NRL Squad 2007
First team squad
Coaching staff
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Ian Millward (assistant coach)
Grant Bell (assistant coach)
Kelly Egan (football manager)
Glen Murphy (strength & conditioning coach)
Steve Hooper (Strength & Conditioning Trainer)
Legend:
(c) Captain(s)
(vc) Vice-captain(s)
Squad Movement
2007 Gains
2007 Losses
Ladder
Fixtures
Pre-season
Regular season
Date
Round
Opponent
Venue
Score
Tries
Goals
Attendance
16 March
Round 1
Brisbane Broncos
Suncorp Stadium
23 – 16
Graham (2), M. Bowen , Henry
Thurston (3/5), M. Bowen (1 FG)
50,416
24 March
Round 2
Sydney Roosters
Dairy Farmers Stadium
43 – 6
B. Bowen (2), M. Bowen (2), Thurston (2), O'Donnell
Thurston (6/6), Graham (1/1), Payne (1 FG)
21,396
31 March
Round 3
St George Illawarra Dragons
WIN Stadium
22 – 18
B. Bowen , Bowman , Graham , Thurston
Thurston (3/4)
10,232
7 April
Round 4
Wests Tigers
Dairy Farmers Stadium
25 – 24
Graham (2), M. Bowen , Sweeney
Thurston (4/4), M. Bowen (1 FG)
21,879
15 April
Round 5
Warriors
Mt Smart Stadium
14 – 34
B. Bowen , M. Bowen , Thurston
Thurston (1/3)
11,260
23 April
Round 6
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Dairy Farmers Stadium
6 – 10
Bowman
Thurston (1/1)
17,768
28 April
Round 7
Manly Sea Eagles
Dairy Farmers Stadium
30 – 26
M. Bowen (2), B. Bowen , Farrar , Ja. Smith
Thurston (5/6)
18,682
7 May
Round 8
Gold Coast Titans
Carrara Stadium
24 – 10
M. Bowen , Bowman , Jensen
Thurston (6/6)
17,806
12 May
Round 9
Penrith Panthers
Dairy Farmers Stadium
12 – 22
Anderson , Bolton
Thurston (2/2)
17,393
19 May
Round 10
Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Stadium
14 – 44
Faumuina , Graham , Minto
Graham (1/3)
10,182
25 May
Round 11
Canterbury Bulldogs
Suncorp Stadium
26 – 16
M.Bowen (2), Faumuina , Tronc
Thurston (5/5)
15,412
2 June
Round 12
Cronulla Sharks
Dairy Farmers Stadium
26 – 24
Williams (2), Minto , Scott , Sweeney
Thurston (3/5)
20,075
9 June
Round 13
Sydney Roosters
Sydney Football Stadium
30 – 64
M. Bowen (2), Bartlett , Southern , Tronc
Graham (5/5)
4,186
16 June
Round 14
Melbourne Storm
Dairy Farmers Stadium
12 – 58
B. Bowen , M. Bowen , William
Thurston (0/3)
20,023
23 June
Round 15
Canberra Raiders
Canberra Stadium
28 – 24
B. Bowen (2), M. Bowen (2), Thurston
Thurston (4/5)
11,263
Round 16
Bye
7 July
Round 17
Warriors
Dairy Farmers Stadium
18 – 12
Sione Faumuina , Graham , Webb
Thurston (2/2), Graham (1/1)
19,864
13 July
Round 18
Brisbane Broncos
Dairy Farmers Stadium
16 – 24
Graham (2), M. Bowen
Graham (2/3)
25,926
22 July
Round 19
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Telstra Stadium
14 – 20
M. Bowen , Graham , Minto
Thurston (1/3)
10,022
30 July
Round 20
Wests Tigers
Leichhardt Oval
10 – 54
Bartlet , Ju. Smith
Thurston (1/2)
17,101
4 August
Round 21
Canberra Raiders
Dairy Farmers Stadium
28 – 22
Farrar (2), Graham , M. Bowen , Thurston
Graham (2/5), Thurston (0/1)
15,791
13 August
Round 22
Penrith Panthers
CUA Stadium
30 – 26
Graham (3), B. Bowen , M. Bowen , Ju. Smith
Thurston (3/5)
7,618
18 August
Round 23
St George Illawarra Dragons
Dairy Farmers Stadium
24 – 14
M. Bowen , Bowman , Cashmere , Ja. Smith
Thurston (4/4)
18,721
24 August
Round 24
Newcastle Knights
EnergyAustralia Stadium
34 – 18
Graham (2), M. Bowen , Sweeney , Thurston , Williams
Thurston (5/6)
12,264
31 August
Round 25
Canterbury Bulldogs
Dairy Farmers Stadium
38 – 32
Farrar , Williams , Ju. Smith , Thurston
Thurston (7/7)
24,050
Legend : Win Loss Draw Bye
Finals
Date
Round
Opponent
Venue
Score
Tries
Goals
Attendance
8 September
Qualifying Final
Canterbury Bulldogs
Dairy Farmers Stadium
20 – 18
Thurston (2), Bowman
Thurston (4/4)
24,004
16 September
Semi Final
Warriors
Dairy Farmers Stadium
49 – 12
Farrar (2), M. Bowen , Cashmere , Graham , Henry , Ja. Smith , Williams
Thurston (7/7), Bowman (1/1), M. Bowen (1 FG)
21,487
22 September
Preliminary Final
Manly Sea Eagles
SFS
6 – 28
Lillyman
Thurston (1/1)
32,611
Legend : Win Loss Draw Bye
Statistics
Source: [ 1]
Representatives
The following players played a representative match in 2007
Honours
League
Club
Feeder Clubs
References
External links
The club Home ground Culture League Important Figures Titles Seasons
Other competitions Affiliations
19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194 (Willow Sports Complex )