2012 North Queensland Cowboys season

The 2012 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 18th in the club's history. Coached by Neil Henry and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2012 Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 5th placed and were knocked out in the second week of the finals by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, for the second year in a row.

2012 North Queensland Cowboys season
NRL Rank5th
Play-off resultLost Semi Final
(v Manly Sea Eagles, 12-22)
2012 recordWins: 15; Draws: 0; Losses: 9
Points scoredFor: 597; Against: 445
Team information
CEOPeter Jourdain
CoachNeil Henry
Captain
StadiumDairy Farmers Stadium
Avg. Attend.14,637
High. Attend.21,307 (vs. Brisbane Broncos, Finals Week 1)
Top scorers
TriesAshley Graham (21)
GoalsJohnathan Thurston (90)
PointsJohnathan Thurston (192)
< 2011 2013 >

Season summary

The Cowboys were aiming to build on its 7th place finish in 2011, after a near-wooden spoon 2010 season only prevented by the Melbourne Storm salary cap breach, with a strong 2012 season.

The season did not start well, with the Cowboys producing one of their worst performances in almost ten years as they lost 18-0 to the Gold Coast Titans at home, with a completion rate of only 35%, the worst on record.[1][2][3] In Round 2, the Cowboys defeated the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, with Matthew Bowen scoring the match-winning try on his 30th birthday.

Despite the opening loss, the Cowboys went on to produce a consistent, never once dropping out of the top eight from Round 3 onwards. They records big victories over the Parramatta Eels in Round 3 (42-6), the Sydney Roosters in Round 7 (50-12), the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 9 (30-6), the Canberra Raiders in Round 16 (40-18) and the Warriors in Round 23 (52-12). They ended the regular season on four game winning streak, finishing in 5th place, their highest finish since 2007.

In Week 1 of the finals, the Cowboys defeated the Brisbane Broncos 33-16, with Michael Morgan scoring a hat-trick, the first halfback to do so in a finals game. It was their third win over Brisbane in 2012. A week later they were eliminated by Manly in controversial circumstances.

Club legend Aaron Payne announced his retirement at the end of the 2012 season, he became a life member at the club after playing his 200th game for the Cowboys. Earlier in the season, Matthew Bowen became the first player to play 250 NRL games for North Queensland.

Milestones

Squad List
North Queensland Cowboys NRL Squad 2012
First team squad Coaching staff

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice captain(s)

Updated: 29 July 2012
Source(s): Player Profiles, NRL Team,

Squad Movement

2012 Gains
Player Signed From Until End of
Luke Harlen Northern Pride
2012
Kane Linnett Sydney Roosters
2013
Robert Lui Wests Tigers
2013
Anthony Mitchell Sydney Roosters (mid-season)
2013

2012 Losses
Player Signed To Until End of
Isaak Ah Mau Redcliffe Dolphins
2013
Leeson Ah Mau St George Illawarra Dragons
2013
Clint AmosRetired
-
Michael Bani Canberra Raiders
2012
Jack Cooper Cairns District Rugby League
2012
Shannon Gallant Berkeley Eagles
2012
Dylan Smith Mackay Cutters
2012
Willie Tonga Parramatta Eels
2013
Will Tupou Western Force
2013

Ladder
2012 NRL season
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2418062568369+19940
2 Melbourne Storm (P) 2417072579361+21838
3 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2416082559438+12136
4 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 2416082497403+9436
5 North Queensland Cowboys 2415092597445+15234
6 Canberra Raiders 24130112545536+930
7 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24121112445441+429
8 Brisbane Broncos 24120122481447+3428
9 St. George Illawarra Dragons 24110132405438-3326
10 Wests Tigers 24110132506551-4526
11 Gold Coast Titans 24100142449477-2824
12 Newcastle Knights 24100142448488-4024
13 Sydney Roosters 2481152462626-16421
14 New Zealand Warriors 2480162497609-11220
15 Penrith Panthers 2480162409575-16620
16 Parramatta Eels 2460182431674-24316

Fixtures

Pre-season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
4 FebruaryTrial 1 Brisbane BroncosDolphin Oval22 – 28Bolton, Segeyaro, Thompson, UlugiaFoster (2/2), Faifai Loa (1/2)4,500
11 FebruaryTrial 2 St George Illawarra DragonsNIB Stadium18 – 12Cooper, Graham, Linnett, WintersteinGraham (1)8,588
18 FebruaryTrial 3 Gold Coast TitansVirgin Australia Stadium28 – 36Faifai Loa (2), Pangai (2), ThurstonThurston (3/4), Cooper (1/1)-
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
3 MarchRound 1 Gold Coast TitansDairy Farmers Stadium0 – 18--16,311
9 MarchRound 2 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium26 – 28Bowen (2), Johnson, Segeyaro, TateThurston (4/5)43,171
17 MarchRound 3 Parramatta EelsDairy Farmers Stadium42 – 6Graham (3), Bowen, Cooper, Linnett, Scott, TaumaloloThurston (5/8)8,239
24 MarchRound 4 Cronulla SharksDairy Farmers Stadium14 – 20Bowen, Cooper, GrahamThurston (1/4)11,364
2 AprilRound 5 Canberra RaidersCanberra Stadium22 – 6Graham (2), Tate, ThompsonThurston (3/4)12,135
8 AprilRound 6 Melbourne StormDairy Farmers Stadium18 – 42Bowen, Cooper, TamouThurston (3/3)20,206
14 AprilRound 7 Sydney RoostersTIO Stadium50 – 12Bowen (2), Taumalolo (2), Winterstein (2), Faifai Loa, Graham, ThompsonThurston (6/8), Bowen (1/1)10,008
28 AprilRound 8 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium16 – 20Graham (2), SegeyaroThurston (2/3)12,213
4 MayRound 9 St George Illawarra DragonsDairy Farmers Stadium30 – 6Bowen, Linnett, T Sims, Tate, ThompsonThurston (3/6), Bowen (2/2)15,006
12 MayRound 10 Newcastle KnightsHunter Stadium32 – 12Graham (2), Cooper, Morgan, ThompsonThurston (6/6)18,191
19 MayRound 11 Penrith PanthersDairy Farmers Stadium30 – 28Bowen, Cooper, Ashley Graham, A Sims, WintersteinBowen (5/7)11,648
27 MayRound 12 Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium18 – 26Ashley Graham, Glenn Hall, WintersteinThurston (3/3)13,059
1 JuneRound 13 Gold Coast TitansSkilled Park12 – 28Paterson, TaumaloloThurston (2/2)12,092
Round 14Bye
15 JuneRound 15 Brisbane BroncosDairy Farmers Stadium12 – 0Cooper, LinnettThurston (2/2)20,367
23 JuneRound 16 Canberra RaidersDairy Farmers Stadium40 – 18Hall (2), Bolton, Graham, Linnett, Thompson, WintersteinThurston (5/6), Bowen (1/1)14,344
1 JulyRound 17 WarriorsMt Smart Stadium18 – 35Cooper, Graham, LinnettBowen (3/3)15,374
Round 18Bye
14 JulyRound 19 Melbourne StormAAMI Park20 – 16Linnett (2), TateThurston (4/4)10,688
23 JulyRound 20 Wests TigersDairy Farmers Stadium29 – 16Cooper, Faifai Loa, Hall, Mitchell, TateThurston (4/5), Bowen (1 FG)12,357
28 JulyRound 21 Canterbury BulldogsANZ Stadium18 – 32Linnett, Thurston, WintersteinThurston (3/3)18,652
4 AugustRound 22 Manly Sea EaglesDairy Farmers Stadium6 – 8LinnettThurston (1/1)14,401
11 AugustRound 23 WarriorsDairy Farmers Stadium52 – 12Graham (3), Bowen, Cooper, Linnett, Payne, Tate, WintersteinThurston (8/9)13,616
20 AugustRound 24 St George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium32 – 22Linnett (2), Bowen, Graham, ThurstonThurston (6/6)9,245
25 AugustRound 25 Newcastle KnightsDairy Farmers Stadium22 – 14Bowen, Tate, ThurstonThurston (5/5)15,119
2 SeptemberRound 26 Cronulla SharksToyota Stadium36 – 22Graham (2), Cooper, Segeyaro, Tate, TaumaloloThurston (6/7)16,829
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
8 SeptemberQualifying Final Brisbane BroncosDairy Farmers Stadium33 – 16Morgan (3), Bowen, TateThurston (6/7), Bowen (1 FG)21,307
14 SeptemberSemi Final Manly Sea EaglesAllianz Stadium22 – 12Tamou, WintersteinThurston (2/2)16,678
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Statistics
NameAppTGFGPts
Scott Bolton141--4
Matthew Bowen261312278
Gavin Cooper2610--40
Kalifa Faifai Loa62--8
Ashley Graham2421--84
Glenn Hall234--16
Dallas Johnson261--4
Blake Leary1----
Kane Linnett2412--48
Robert Lui1----
Anthony Mitchell81--4
Michael Morgan134--16
Mosese Pangai1----
Cory Paterson31--4
Aaron Payne251--4
Joel Riethmuller10----
Matthew Scott181--4
James Segeyaro143--12
Ashton Sims251--4
Tariq Sims71--4
James Tamou242--8
Brent Tate239--36
Jason Taumalolo175--20
Ray Thompson185--20
Ricky Thorby15----
Johnathan Thurston24390-192
Antonio Winterstein268--32
Totals1091022642

Source:[4]

Representatives

The following players have played a representative match in 2012

All Stars matchCity vs CountryANZAC TestState of Origin 1State of Origin 2State of Origin 3
Matthew Bowen
Indigenous All Stars
-
-
-
-
-
Cory Paterson
Indigenous All Stars
-
-
-
-
-
Aaron Payne
NRL All Stars
-
-
-
-
-
Matthew Scott
-
-
-
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland
Tariq Sims
-
Country
-
-
-
-
James Tamou
-
-
Australia
New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales
Brent Tate
NRL All Stars
-
-
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland
Johnathan Thurston
Indigenous All Stars
-
Australia
Queensland
Queensland
Queensland

Honours

League

Club

Feeder Clubs

National Youth Competition

Queensland Cup

References
  1. Titans punish sloppy Cowboys - ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  2. Woeful Cowboys thrashed by Titans | NRL, Rugby League, NRL Scores, NRL Ladder | Fox Sports
  3. Cowboys on lowest rung after horror handling performance against Titans | The Courier-Mail
  4. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-2012/north-queensland-cowboys/summary.html

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