2007 North Queensland Cowboys 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.

2007 North Queensland Cowboys season
NRL Rank3rd
Play-off resultLost Preliminary Final
(v Manly Sea Eagles, 6–28)
recordWins: 15; draws: 0; losses: 9
Points scoredFor: 547; against: 618
Team information
CEOPeter Parr
CoachGraham Murray
Captain
StadiumDairy Farmers Stadium
Avg. attendance20,108
High attendance25,926 (vs. Brisbane Broncos, Round 18)
Top scorers
TriesMatthew Bowen (22)
GoalsJohnathan Thurston (78)
PointsJohnathan Thurston (196)
< 2006 2008 >

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
Player Signed From
Brett Anderson Parramatta Eels
Matthew Bartlett Melbourne Storm
Ben Farrar Parramatta Eels
Sione Faumuina Warriors
Karl Johnson North Sydney Bears
Scott Minto Brisbane Broncos
Jackson Nicolau Melbourne Storm
Jason Smith Canberra Raiders
Ben Vaeau Brisbane Broncos
Colin Wilkie Melbourne Storm

2007 Losses
Player Signed To
Clint Amos Gold Coast Titans
Jason BarsleyReleased
Gavin Cooper Gold Coast Titans
Mark Dalle Cort Celtic Crusaders
Brett Firman Penrith Panthers
Josh Hannay Cronulla Sharks
Ben Lowe South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brent McConnell Brisbane Broncos
Travis NortonRetired
Mitchell Sargent Newcastle Knights
Matt Sing Hull F.C.
Daniel Strickland University Saints RLFC
Robert TanieluRetired

Ladder
2007 NRL season
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Melbourne Storm 2421031627277+35044
2 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 2418061597377+22038
3 North Queensland Cowboys 2415091547618−7132
4 New Zealand Warriors 24131101593434+15929
5 Parramatta Eels 24130111573481+9228
6 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24120121575528+4726
7 South Sydney Rabbitohs 24120121408399+926
8 Brisbane Broncos 24110131511476+3524
9 Wests Tigers 24110131541561−2024
10 Sydney Roosters 24101131445610−16523
11 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24100141463403+6022
12 Gold Coast Titans 24100141409559−15022
13 St George Illawarra Dragons 2490151431509−7820
14 Canberra Raiders 2490151522650−12820
15 Newcastle Knights 2490151418708−29020
16 Penrith Panthers 2480161539607−6818

Fixtures

Pre-season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
17 FebruaryTrial 1 Canberra RaidersBrowne Park10 – 28---
24 FebruaryTrial 2 WarriorsLeprechaun Park32 – 14B. Bowen (2), Bolton, M. Bowen, Payne, LillymanThurston (4/6)-
3 MarchTrial 3 Manly Sea EaglesBarlow Park10 – 14Bolton, Justin SmithThurston (2/2)-

Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
16 MarchRound 1 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium23 – 16Graham (2), M. Bowen, HenryThurston (3/5), M. Bowen (1 FG)50,416
24 MarchRound 2 Sydney RoostersDairy Farmers Stadium43 – 6B. Bowen (2), M. Bowen (2), Thurston (2), O'DonnellThurston (6/6), Graham (1/1), Payne (1 FG)21,396
31 MarchRound 3 St George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium22 – 18B. Bowen, Bowman, Graham, ThurstonThurston (3/4)10,232
7 AprilRound 4 Wests TigersDairy Farmers Stadium25 – 24Graham (2), M. Bowen, SweeneyThurston (4/4), M. Bowen (1 FG)21,879
15 AprilRound 5 WarriorsMt Smart Stadium14 – 34B. Bowen, M. Bowen, ThurstonThurston (1/3)11,260
23 AprilRound 6 South Sydney RabbitohsDairy Farmers Stadium6 – 10BowmanThurston (1/1)17,768
28 AprilRound 7 Manly Sea EaglesDairy Farmers Stadium30 – 26M. Bowen (2), B. Bowen, Farrar, Ja. SmithThurston (5/6)18,682
7 MayRound 8 Gold Coast TitansCarrara Stadium24 – 10M. Bowen, Bowman, JensenThurston (6/6)17,806
12 MayRound 9 Penrith PanthersDairy Farmers Stadium12 – 22Anderson, BoltonThurston (2/2)17,393
19 MayRound 10 Parramatta EelsParramatta Stadium14 – 44Faumuina, Graham, MintoGraham (1/3)10,182
25 MayRound 11 Canterbury BulldogsSuncorp Stadium26 – 16M.Bowen (2), Faumuina, TroncThurston (5/5)15,412
2 JuneRound 12 Cronulla SharksDairy Farmers Stadium26 – 24Williams (2), Minto, Scott, SweeneyThurston (3/5)20,075
9 JuneRound 13 Sydney RoostersAussie Stadium30 – 64M. Bowen (2), Bartlett, Southern, TroncGraham (5/5)4,186
16 JuneRound 14 Melbourne StormDairy Farmers Stadium12 – 58B. Bowen, M. Bowen, WilliamThurston (0/3)20,023
23 JuneRound 15 Canberra RaidersCanberra Stadium28 – 24B. Bowen (2), M. Bowen (2), ThurstonThurston (4/5)11,263
Round 16Bye
7 JulyRound 17 WarriorsDairy Farmers Stadium18 – 12Sione Faumuina, Graham, WebbThurston (2/2), Graham (1/1)19,864
13 JulyRound 18 Brisbane BroncosDairy Farmers Stadium16 – 24Graham (2), M. BowenGraham (2/3)25,926
22 JulyRound 19 South Sydney RabbitohsTelstra Stadium14 – 20M. Bowen, Graham, MintoThurston (1/3)10,022
30 JulyRound 20 Wests TigersLeichhardt Oval10 – 54Bartlet, Ju. SmithThurston (1/2)17,101
4 AugustRound 21 Canberra RaidersDairy Farmers Stadium28 – 22Farrar (2), Graham, M. Bowen, ThurstonGraham (2/5), Thurston (0/1)15,791
13 AugustRound 22 Penrith PanthersCUA Stadium30 – 26Graham (3), B. Bowen, M. Bowen, Ju. SmithThurston (3/5)7,618
18 AugustRound 23 St George Illawarra DragonsDairy Farmers Stadium24 – 14M. Bowen, Bowman, Cashmere, Ja. SmithThurston (4/4)18,721
24 AugustRound 24 Newcastle KnightsEnergyAustralia Stadium34 – 18Graham (2), M. Bowen, Sweeney, Thurston, WilliamsThurston (5/6)12,264
31 AugustRound 25 Canterbury BulldogsDairy Farmers Stadium38 – 32Farrar, Williams, Ju. Smith, ThurstonThurston (7/7)24,050
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
8 SeptemberQualifying Final Canterbury BulldogsDairy Farmers Stadium20 – 18Thurston (2), BowmanThurston (4/4)24,004
16 SeptemberSemi Final WarriorsDairy Farmers Stadium49 – 12Farrar (2), M. Bowen, Cashmere, Graham, Henry, Ja. Smith, WilliamsThurston (7/7), Bowman (1/1), M. Bowen (1 FG)21,487
22 SeptemberPreliminary Final Manly Sea EaglesSFS6 – 28LillymanThurston (1/1)32,611
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Statistics
NameAppTGFGPts
Brett Anderson11--4
Matthew Bartlett132--8
Scott Bolton61--4
Brenton Bowen169--36
Matthew Bowen2722-391
Paul Bowman2151-22
Ray Cashmere242--8
David Faiumu20----
Ben Farrar117--28
Sione Faumuina183--12
Sam Faust13----
John Frith1----
Ashley Graham221812-96
Mark Henry102--8
Rod Jensen61--4
Jacob Lillyman211--4
Scott Minto143--12
Shane Muspratt3----
Jackson Nicolau1----
Luke O'Donnell41--4
Aaron Payne27--11
Matthew Scott231--4
Jason Smith203--12
Justin Smith243--12
Steve Southern191--4
Neil Sweeney113--12
Johnathan Thurston251078-196
Shane Tronc172--8
Ben Vaeau8----
Carl Webb181--4
Ty Williams157--28
Totals109914622

Source:[1]

Representatives

The following players played a representative match in 2007

ANZAC TestState of Origin 1State of Origin 2State of Origin 3Trans-Tasman Test
Matthew Bowen
-
-
-
Queensland
-
David Faiumu
New Zealand
-
-
-
New Zealand
Jacob Lillyman
-
Queensland
Queensland
-
-
Johnathan Thurston
Australia
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland
-
Carl Webb
-
-
Queensland
Queensland
-

Honours

League

Club

Feeder Clubs

Queensland Cup

References
  1. "NRL 2007 - North Queensland Cowboys - Rugby League Project".

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