Dented pride will look to be restored against the Melbourne Storm on Friday, according to young North Queensland Toyota Cowboys tyro Coen Hess.
The young Queenslander was referencing the Cowboys' second-half last-start capitulation against the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium, the visitors kept scoreless in the second 40 following a promising opening period where they went into the break 16-6 to the good.
Hess knows the Storm will present another significant challenge, the ladder-leading Melburnians having another whale of a season to be leading the competition after 21 rounds.
“As a forward pack, we took that performance against the Roosters a bit personally – they ran hard up the middle and outmuscled us,” Hess said.
“We’ll definitely look to turn that around against a quality team … and we’ll be playing with a lot of pride.”
Hess, 20, is expected to come off the interchange bench against the Storm, the 20-year-old lining up for his 26th National Rugby League game, this fledgling NRL career including 16 tries.
Tonight's game kicks off at 7.50pm at 1300SMILES Stadium.
