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.

Season summary[edit]

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[edit]

Squad List[edit]

Squad Movement[edit]

2007 Gains[edit]

2007 Losses[edit]

Fixtures[edit]

Pre-season[edit]

Regular season[edit]

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	Aussie 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[edit]

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[edit]

Source:^[1]

Representatives[edit]

The following players played a representative match in 2007

Honours[edit]

League[edit]

Club[edit]

Feeder Clubs[edit]

Queensland Cup[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194 (Willow Sports Complex)