With both clubs hit hard by Origin selections, Sunday’s clash between the Roosters and Cowboys will be a battle of squad depth as much as anything else as they each look to extend current winning runs.
North Queensland will be minus their two co-captains Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter, who are joined by Murray Taulagi, Valentine Holmes and Jeremiah Nanai in Maroons camp, while hooker Reece Robson is with the Blues.
The Roosters are heaviest hit in the pack, with key big men Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton and Spencer Leniu all called away for state duty, while versatile outside back Joseph Sua'ali’i is out too. They also lost James Tedesco at the 11th hour after he was called into the team as a late replacement for Dylan Edwards.
The Tricolours bounced back from a Magic Round loss to the Sharks in convincing fashion last week with a 44-16 trouncing of the Raiders.
Todd Payten’s Cowboys, meanwhile, can make it three in a row with a victory at Allianz Stadium, where in its previous life as the Sydney Football Stadium, they won just eight times in 23 trips.
North Queensland’s 20-6 win over the Roosters last year snapped a prior five-game winless run against them.
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Team News
Roosters: No further changes after James Tedesco was ruled out by the Roosters and called into the Blues Origin camp following an injury to Dylan Edwards. Luke Keary, who was in NSW camp as a backup option to Nicho Hynes, has also been released from state duty for the game and will play at five-eighth. Joey Manu will go to fullback with Michael Jennings called into the centres, while Blake Steep debuts off the bench.
Cowboys: A late change sees young gun Tom Chester ruled out (hamstring) with 18-year-old Jaxon Purdue called into the starting side to make his NRL debut at centre. Braidon Burns gets another shot on the wing after an impressive club debut in Round 11 while Thomas Duffy is 18th man.
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Stat Attack
- The Cowboys have lost three of their past four games at Sydney venues.
- Roosters centre Joseph Manu has scored six tries in his past five games.
- The Cowboys have scored 70 points in their past two games.
- Roosters halfback Sam Walker has scored 58 points in his past four games at Allianz Stadium.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.