Cowboys team list: Trial v Rabbitohs
North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Head Coach Todd Payten has named a 22-man squad to face the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Saturday’s trial match at Barlow Park.
The squad is made up of the Cowboys’ leading emerging talents and the top players from the club’s three Queensland Cup feeder teams – Northern Pride, Townsville Blackhawks and Mackay Cutters.
Brendan Elliot will make his first appearance in Cowboys colours, partnering rookie Jordan Lipp in the centres.
Fijian Rugby 7s sensation Iosefo Baleiwairiki is also set to make his Cowboys debut. Baleiwairiki joined the Cowboys in the pre-season after claiming an Olympic Gold Medal in Tokyo.
He will line-up on the wing alongside Laitia Moceidreke, who is also of Fijian heritage.
Utility Daejarn Asi has been named in the halves alongside rising star Jake Bourke. Bourke has spent the pre-season with the NRL squad on a training block and impressed in the Cowboys Young Guns trial last weekend.
The forward pack boasts more NRL experience with only lock Riley Price not to have appeared in the top grade.
Connelly Lemuelu will make his maiden appearance in the second row after switching positions in the pre-season. The 23-year-old has played almost exclusively centre during his time at the Cowboys, but has impressed Payten and his staff after being asked to move into the backrow.
One name diehard Cowboys fans will be excited to see on the team sheet is dummy-half Josh Chudleigh. A long-time fan favourite, Chudleigh played one NRL game for the Cowboys in 2016, before a string of knee injuries plagued his career.
The now 27-year-old has been one of the Queensland Cup’s top players over the last three seasons since returning to the Townsville Blackhawks.
The interchange is made up of feeder club players including former Cowboys Patrick Kaufusi, Jayden Hodges and Kyle Laybutt as well as ex-Cowboys NYC players Ross Bella and Nick Lui-Toso.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 5pm and will be live on FOX LEAGUE and Kayo.
>>> Payten: He was the best on the park by a mile
Cowboys team to play Rabbitohs:
1. Tom Chester
3. Jordan Lipp
5. Iosefo Baleiwairiki
6. Jake Bourke
7. Daejarn Asi
8. Emry Pere
9. Josh Chudleigh
10. Griffin Neame
11. Ben Condon
12. Connelly Lemuelu
13. Riley Price
Interchange
14. Patrick Kaufusi
15. Ross Bella
16. Bernard Lewis
17. Andre Niko
18. Nick Lui-Toso
19. Jayden Hodges
20. Kayleb Milne
21. Zac Laybutt
22. Kyle Laybutt
