The 2009 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 15th season in the club's history. Coached by Neill Henry and captained by Johnathan Thurston, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 12th place, failing to reach the finals for the second consecutive year.
2009 North Queensland Cowboys season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
NRL Rank | 12th | |||
Play-off result | Missed finals | |||
2009 record | Wins: 11; draws: 0; losses: 13 | |||
Points scored | For: 558; against: 474 | |||
Team information | ||||
CEO | Peter Parr | |||
Coach | Neil Henry | |||
Captain | ||||
Stadium | Dairy Farmers Stadium | |||
Avg. attendance | 17,309 | |||
High attendance | 24,332 (vs. Brisbane Broncos, Round 25) | |||
Top scorers | ||||
Tries | Matthew Bowen (12) Willie Tonga (12) | |||
Goals | Johnathan Thurston (79) | |||
Points | Johnathan Thurston (202) | |||
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Season summary
editThe 2009 season was an improvement on 2008 for the Cowboys, with 11 wins from 24 games. The closeness of the 2009 season meant the Cowboys finished 12th, just three points behind eventual Grand Finalists Parramatta, who finished 8th.
Neil Henry re-joined the club as head coach in 2009, taking over from interim head coach Ian Millward. Henry was an assistant coach at the club from 2002 to 2006, before moving to the Canberra Raiders in 2007 and winning the Dally M Coach of the Year award in 2008. Renowned strength and conditioning coach Billy Johnstone also returned to the club after a stint at the Gold Coast Titans. The club's key off-season recruits included Australian and Queensland representatives Willie Tonga, Antonio Kaufusi and Shannon Hegarty.
After a slow start to the season, the Cowboys enjoyed a strong run of form that included a four-game winning streak. With five rounds to play, they were sitting inside the top eight in 6th position. The club then endured four-game losing streak to end the season, dropping to 12th place.
2009 saw the debut of James Tamou, who joined the club from the Sydney Roosters under-20's side. Tamou would become an Australian and New South Wales representative at the Cowboys and play integral role in the club's maiden premiership victory in 2015.
Milestones
edit- Round 1: Shannon Hegarty, Antonio Kaufusi, Manase Manuokafoa and Willie Tonga made their debuts for the club.
- Round 2: Grant Rovelli made his debut for the club.
- Round 5: Steve Southern played his 100th game for the club.
- Round 5: Steve Rapira made his NRL debut.
- Round 8: James Tamou made his NRL debut.
- Round 15: Michael Bani made his debut for the club.
- Round 17: Luke O'Donnell played his 100th game for the club.
- Round 17: Johnathan Thurston played his 100th game for the club.
- Round 17: Aaron Payne played his 150th game for the club.
- Round 22: Donald Malone made his NRL debut.
- Round 26: Ray Thompson made his NRL debut.
Squad List
editFirst team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
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Head coach Assistant coaches
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Squad Movement
edit2009 Gains
editPlayer | Signed From | Until End of |
---|---|---|
Mitch Achurch | Wests Tigers | 2010
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Clint Amos | Gold Coast Titans | 2010
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Michael Bani | Manly Sea Eagles (mid-season) | 2011
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Shannon Hegarty | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2009
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Antonio Kaufusi | Melbourne Storm | 2011
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Donald Malone | Ipswich Jets | 2010
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Manase Manuokafoa | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2011
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David Pangai | Sydney Roosters | 2009
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Steve Rapira | Warriors | 2010
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Grant Rovelli | Warriors | 2010
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James Tamou | Sydney Roosters | 2010
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Willie Tonga | Canterbury Bulldogs | 2012
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2009 Losses
editPlayer | Signed To | Until End of |
---|---|---|
Daniel Abraham | Mackay Cutters | 2009
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Daniel Backo | Released | -
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Greg Byrnes | Northern Pride | 2009
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Ray Cashmere | Salford City Reds | 2010
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Ben Farrar | Manly Sea Eagles (mid-season) | 2010
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Sione Faumuina | Castleford Tigers | 2010
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Sam Faust | Central Tigers | 2009
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John Frith | Released | -
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George Gatis | Retired | -
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Luke Harlen | Northern Pride | 2009
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Mark Henry | Salford City Reds | 2010
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Keiron Lander | Ipswich Jets | 2010
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Jacob Lillyman | Warriors | 2010
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Jackson Nicolau | Gold Coast Titans | 2009
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Chris Sheppard | Northern Pride | 2010
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Justin Smith | Retired | -
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Ben Vaeau | Easts Tigers | 2010
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Ladder
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
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1 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 548 | 329 | +219 | 38 |
2 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 575 | 428 | +147 | 381 |
3 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 514 | 467 | +47 | 36 |
4 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 505 | 348 | +157 | 33 |
5 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 549 | 459 | +90 | 32 |
6 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 511 | 566 | −55 | 32 |
7 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 508 | 491 | +17 | 30 |
8 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 476 | 473 | +3 | 29 |
9 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 558 | 483 | +75 | 28 |
10 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 566 | 549 | +17 | 27 |
11 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 515 | 589 | −74 | 27 |
12 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 558 | 474 | +84 | 26 |
13 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 489 | 520 | −31 | 22 |
14 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 377 | 565 | −188 | 20 |
15 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 359 | 568 | −209 | 14 |
16 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 382 | 681 | −299 | 14 |
1 The Bulldogs were deducted 2 competition points after an interchange breach in Round 2.
Fixtures
editPre-season
editDate | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 February | Trial 1 | Warriors | North Harbour Stadium | 28 – 32 | - | - | - | |||
28 February | Trial 2 | Penrith Panthers | Barlow Park | 18 – 18 | - | - | - | |||
Legend: Win Loss Draw |
Regular season
editStatistics
editName | App | T | G | FG | Pts |
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Clint Amos | 4 | - | - | - | - |
Michael Bani | 9 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Scott Bolton | 24 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
Matthew Bowen | 20 | 12 | - | - | 48 |
Travis Burns | 20 | 4 | - | - | 16 |
Ben Farrar | 10 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
Ashley Graham | 16 | 4 | - | - | 16 |
Ben Harris | 8 | - | - | - | - |
Shannon Hegarty | 5 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Antonio Kaufusi | 22 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Donald Malone | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Manase Manuokafoa | 12 | - | - | - | - |
Luke O'Donnell | 17 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
Aaron Payne | 16 | 4 | - | - | 16 |
Steve Rapira | 16 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Grant Rovelli | 13 | - | - | - | - |
Matthew Scott | 23 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Steve Southern | 20 | 3 | - | - | 12 |
James Tamou | 12 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Ray Thompson | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Johnathan Thurston | 23 | 11 | 79 | - | 202 |
Willie Tonga | 19 | 12 | - | - | 48 |
Shane Tronc | 24 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Anthony Watts | 14 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Carl Webb | 22 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
Dayne Weston | 2 | - | - | - | - |
John Williams | 17 | 10 | 4 | - | 48 |
Ty Williams | 17 | 5 | - | - | 20 |
Totals | 98 | 83 | 0 | 558 |
Source:[1]
Representatives
editThe following players have played a representative match in 2009
City vs Country | ANZAC Test | State of Origin 1 | State of Origin 2 | State of Origin 3 | Prime Minister's XIII | Four Nations | |
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Luke O'Donnell | City |
- |
New South Wales |
New South Wales |
- |
Prime Minister's XIII |
-
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Matthew Scott | - |
- |
- |
- |
Queensland |
Prime Minister's XIII |
-
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Johnathan Thurston | - |
Australien |
Queensland |
Queensland |
Queensland |
Prime Minister's XIII |
Australien
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Willie Tonga | - |
- |
- |
Queensland |
Queensland |
- |
-
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Honours
editLeague
edit- Dally M Halfback of the Year: Johnathan Thurston
- RLIF Halfback of the Year: Johnathan Thurston
Club
edit- Paul Bowman Medal: Luke O'Donnell
- Player's Player: Luke O'Donnell
- Club Person of the Year: Clint Amos
- Rookie of the Year: Steve Rapira
- Most Improved: Scott Bolton
- NYC Player of the Year: Dane Hogan
Feeder Clubs
edit- North Queensland Cowboys - 9th, missed finals
- Mackay Cutters - 12th, Wooden Spoon
- Northern Pride - 2nd, Runners-up