Round 16
Dragons 34 d. Cowboys 14

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Cooper set for Origin recall
Sun June 25, 2006
St George Illawarra centre Matt Cooper is set for a State of Origin recall tomorrow after scoring three tries in the Dragons 34-14 victory against North Queensland as they move into the top four of the Telstra Premiership.

Cooper played in the 5th May Test match for Australia and was selected in the opening Origin before injury ruled him out. Eric Grothe Jnr took his position and was solid in the first match to earn a place in the second match where he had an outstanding game. With Braith Anasta's position pretty much up for grabs and the selectors reluctant to select Scott Hill in the pivot position, the temptation to play Gasnier at five-eighth and use Cooper in the centres is certainly one that will be entertained.

Once again the Dragons have proved they are a better side without Trent Barrett and his departure to National League One bound club Wigan Warriors won't be as big a loss as people expect it to be. The Dragons in the last six weeks have played outstanding as a team and are producing the football they are capable of on a consistent basis.

The Dragons got off to a strong start with Mark Gasnier scoring after 10 minutes and Colin Best crossing four minutes later for a 10-0 lead with Aaron Gorrell successful in converting the Best try.

North Queensland fought back admirably with Matt Sing and Josh Hannay crossing for tries in the space of three minutes to reduce the margin back to two points after 25 minutes as Johnathan Thurston was unable to convert either try. The score remained that way until the half-time break.

Thurston leveled the scores five minutes into the second half with a penalty goal but Cooper scored the first of his three tries to give the Dragons back the lead. Gorrell leveled up for the Dragons to lead 16-10.

Neil Sweeney crossed over outwide in the 61st minute and Thurston missed his third conversion attempt, which if successful would have leveled up the scores.

The final ten minutes belonged Gorrell and Cooper as they put the match out of North Queensland's reach to send the Cowboys who were undefeated after five rounds stumbling out of the top eight.

Gorrell scored and converted in the 71st minutes to push the Dragons clear at 22-14 and Cooper put the sealer on the match with a try three minutes from time. Gorrell landed a penalty goal just before time and Cooper finished off a good night for the home side when he scored at the very end.

Dragons coach Nathan Brown after the match said, "We made some blues in the first half, but we really knuckled down in the second and worked hard to get the last tries to win.

"I was more so impressed with our defence. I don't think any of their dangers went through our ruck once, which is great because we worked really hard at training on it."

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