The man who needs to step up in post-JT era

It’s life after Johnathan Thurston for the Cowboys. And follows a horror year in which they finished 13th, just four points clear of the wooden spoon. Yet there’s optimism about the season ahead. They have a forward pack the envy of the competition, and welcome Dally M recipient and premiership-winning fullback Ben Barba after his stellar season with St Helens.

It was an inspired recruitment drive, with Josh McGuire, Nene Macdonald, Tom Opacic and Kurt Baptiste providing wonderful depth and competition within the squad. But they’ll need a big year from their go-to man Michael Morgan if they’re to return to the finals. Morgan’s already shown he relishes being the main shot-caller, having steered the Cowboys to the 2017 Grand Final after Thurston succumbed to a season-ending injury. And he looks to have the players around him to go one better in 2019.

Cowboys to win the premiership

They could only do it once while Immortal-in-waiting Johnathan Thurston was pulling the strings, and yet I’ve tipped them to win the competition in their first year without him. That would be bold, if not for the masterful recruitment effort of the Cowboys ahead of the 2019 season. Kangaroos lock Josh McGuire adds aggression, mongrel, go-forward and most importantly 100 per cent effort to their forward pack. Even Wally Lewis admitted he was in shock the Broncos let him go.

With McGuire joining the likes of Jason Taumalolo, Jordan McLean and Matt Scott, plus back-rowers of the ilk of Coen Hess and Gavin Cooper, they’ll have the competition’s best pack. Michael Morgan has always played his best football when he’s the dominant playmaker, and they also have no shortage of big bodies in the backline to get their sets rolling from out of their own end. With Ben Barba putting the polish on their attacking plays, and the two best finishers in the game outside him in Nene Macdonald and Kyle Feldt, they are in for a bumper year.

North Queensland Cowboys NRL 2019 Draw

Teams they play twice: Dragons, Broncos, Sharks, Raiders, Storm, Bulldogs, Titans, Rabbitohs, Wests Tigers.

Teams they play once: Warriors, Eels, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Knights, Panthers.

Day-by-day breakdown: Thursday - Four, Friday - Eight, Saturday - Nine, Sunday – Three.

Five-day turnarounds: 1 (Rd 19).

Kick-off: North Queensland won't leave the Sunshine State in the first four rounds - hosting the Dragons, playing the Broncos in Brisbane before returning to Townsville for duels with the Sharks and Raiders. It should be an early advantage in the warmer earlier rounds for the Cowboys after a long summer training in the tropical heat.