5 things you need to know: Round 20

The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys travel to Sydney to take on the Wests Tigers in a prime-time showdown at Leichhardt Oval.

1. REVERSING HISTORY

There have been few unhappier hunting grounds for the Cowboys than Leichhardt Oval. North Queensland have been victorious in just one of eight clashes with the Tigers at their spiritual home ground. That win came in the Cowboys’ first Leichhardt visit back in 2000, an 18-8 victory which included a try by current head coach Paul Green.

2. WELCOME BACK

Cowboys captain Michael Morgan will return tonight after a three-week lay off with a concussion. Morgan has been named at five-eighth and will partner young gun Jake Clifford in the halves. The skipper’s return sees John Asiata move back to the bench after filling the No.6 jersey admirably over the last three games.

3. OUT WIDE

Coen Hess had never started an NRL game in the centres before last week’s clash with Cronulla, but the 22-year-old looked anything but out of place. Hess ran for 130 metres from 16 carries and made 13 tackles without a miss. He will line up in the centres again tonight against the Tigers.

4. GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

The Cowboys will look to level the 2019 ledger with the Tigers after going down in a golden point heartbreaker in Round 14. A late Jake Clifford penalty goal sent the game to extra time, but Benji Marshall sealed the win for the Tigers with a field goal in the 84th minute.

5. RUNNING MAN

Cowboys lock Jason Taumalolo is once again having a historic season. Taumalolo leads the NRL in average running metres per game at a huge 213, three in front of superstar Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The Cowboys lock has run for at least 200 metres in nine of his 13 appearances this season, including a string of six straight games between Round 10 and 15.