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The 2010 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 16th season in the club's history. Coached by Neil Henry and co-captained by Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Scott, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2010 Telstra Premiership, finishing in 15th place and failing to make the finals for the 3rd consecutive year.

Season summary

Prior to the kick-off of the 2010 season, the media's attention surrounded the Cowboys' signing of ex-Australian international forward, Willie Mason on a one-year deal. The controversial figure was one of the team's most consistent players in 2010 but would leave the Cowboys at season's end to join English Super League side Hull Kingston Rovers.

2010 resulted in a very poor season for the Cowboys who recorded just five wins from 24 matches, although four of those wins came against teams that would participate in the 2010 finals series. Had the Melbourne Storm not been deducted premiership points for salary cap breaches earlier in the year, the Cowboys would have received the wooden spoon. During the season the side went on a three-game losing streak, two four-game losing streaks and ended the season on a run of six straight losses.

Highlights during the season included a golden point extra time victory over the Newcastle Knights in Round 20, in which rookie winger Will Tupou scored the match-winning try and the debuts of 18-year-old Michael Morgan and 17-year-old Jason Taumalolo, who would go on to play integral roles in the Cowboys' first Premiership win in 2015. Taumalolo was the youngest player to ever make his debut for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys' season of disappointment only got worse when Johnathan Thurston was arrested in Brisbane for drunk and disorderly behaviour during the off-season. His captaincy role at the Cowboys was under review, but no further action was taken. Furthermore, CEO Peter Parr was removed from his role and relegated to football operations manager.

During the off-season the club underwent a major overhaul of personnel, releasing 15 players and signing a number of new recruits for 2011, including Queensland and Australian representatives Dallas Johnson and Brent Tate.

Milestones

• Round 1: Willie Mason made his debut for the club.
• Round 4: Leeson Ah Mau and Shannon Gallant made their debuts for the club.
• Round 4: Will Tupou made his NRL debut.
• Round 6: Carl Webb played his 100th game for the club.
• Round 7: Isaak Ah Mau made his debut for the club.
• Round 9: Matthew Bowen scored his 100th try for the club.
• Round 9: Dane Hogan and Michael Morgan made their NRL debuts.
• Round 16: John Williams played his 50th game for the club.
• Round 16: Arana Taumata made his debut for the club.
• Round 18: Scott Bolton played his 50th game for the club.
• Round 24: Jason Taumalolo made his NRL debut.
• Round 25: Matthew Scott played his 100th game for the club.
• Round 25: Ty Williams played his 150th game for the club.
• Round 26: Matthew Bowen played his 200th game for the club.

Squad List

Squad Movement

2010 Gains

Player	Signed From	Until End of
Isaak Ah Mau	Easts Tigers	2011
Leeson Ah Mau	Warriors	2011
Shannon Gallant	Wests Tigers	2011
Willie Mason	Sydney Roosters	2010
Arana Taumata	Wests Tigers (mid-season)	2011
Will Tupou	Brisbane Broncos	2011

2010 Losses

Player	Signed To	Until End of
Matthew Bartlett	Lakes United	2010
Brandon Boor	Released	-
Travis Burns	Penrith Panthers	2011
Shannon Hegarty	Retired	-
Antonio Kaufusi	Newcastle Knights (mid-season)	2012
Manase Manuokafoa	Parramatta Eels (mid-season)	2011
David Pangai	Western Suburbs Rosellas	2010
Anthony Perkins	Released	-
Shane Tronc	Brisbane Broncos	2011
Dayne Weston	Burleigh Bears	2010

Ladder

2010 NRL season v t e
Pos.	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	St. George Illawarra Dragons (P)	24	17	0	7	2	518	299	+219	38
2	Penrith Panthers	24	15	0	9	2	645	489	+156	34
3	Wests Tigers	24	15	0	9	2	537	503	+34	34
4	Gold Coast Titans	24	15	0	9	2	520	498	+22	34
5	New Zealand Warriors	24	14	0	10	2	539	486	+53	32
6	Sydney Roosters	24	14	0	10	2	559	510	+49	32
7	Canberra Raiders	24	13	0	11	2	499	493	+6	30
8	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	24	12	0	12	2	545	510	+35	28
9	South Sydney Rabbitohs	24	11	0	13	2	584	567	+17	26
10	Brisbane Broncos	24	11	0	13	2	508	535	−27	26
11	Newcastle Knights	24	10	0	14	2	499	569	−70	24
12	Parramatta Eels	24	10	0	14	2	413	491	−78	24
13	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	24	9	0	15	2	494	539	−45	22
14	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	24	7	0	17	2	354	609	−255	18
15	North Queensland Cowboys	24	5	0	19	2	425	667	−242	14
16	Melbourne Storm	24	14	0	10	2	489	363	+126	0

Melbourne were deducted eight premiership points and barred from receiving premiership points for the rest of the season due to gross long-term salary cap breaches.

Fixtures

Pre-season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals	Attendance
12 February	Trial 1	Wests Tigers	Tiger Park	4 – 28	Manuokafoa	J Williams (0/1)	5,000
20 February	Trial 2	Warriors	Barlow Park	6 – 28	Geia	J Williams (1/1)	8,000
27 February	Trial 3	Gold Coast Titans	Richardson Park	22 – 4	O'Donnell (2), Bani, J Williams	J Williams (2/3), Thurston (1/1)	9,879
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw

Regular season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals	Attendance
12 March	Round 1	Brisbane Broncos	Suncorp Stadium	24 – 30	Graham, Thurston, Tonga, T Williams	Thurston (4/4)	48,516
20 March	Round 2	Penrith Panthers	Dairy Farmers Stadium	28 – 20	Bolton (2), Bani, Tonga	Thurston (6/6)	13,335
26 March	Round 3	St George Illawarra Dragons	WIN Stadium	8 – 33	Graham	Thurston (2/2)	13,267
3 April	Round 4	Gold Coast Titans	Dairy Farmers Stadium	32 – 18	Tonga (3), O'Donnell, Thurston	Thurston (6/6)	15,551
10 April	Round 5	Wests Tigers	Dairy Farmers Stadium	16 – 23	Bolton, Tonga, Watts	Thurston (1/1), J Williams (1/3)	16,273
17 April	Round 6	Newcastle	EnergyAustralia Stadium	18 – 36	Gallant, Graham, J Williams	J Williams (3/3)	14,205
23 April	Round 7	Parramatta Eels	Dairy Farmers Stadium	18 – 24	Bolton, Graham, Tonga	Thurston (3/3)	11,335
1 May	Round 8	Melbourne Storm	Dairy Farmers Stadium	6 – 34	Bolton	Graham (1/1)	19,853
10 May	Round 9	Sydney Roosters	SFS	32 – 14	Bani (2), Bowen, Tonga, Watts, J Williams	J Williams (3/5), Graham (1/1)	6,478
15 May	Round 10	Warriors	Mt Smart Stadium	12 – 24	Bani, Bolton	Thurston (2/2)	10,800
	Round 11	Bye
29 May	Round 12	Manly Sea Eagles	Dairy Farmers Stadium	20 – 24	Graham (2), O'Donnell, Tupou	Thurston (2/4)	13,538
7 June	Round 13	South Sydney Rabbitohs	ANZ Stadium	4 – 32	Graham	Thurston (0/1)	9,688
12 June	Round 14	Canberra Raiders	Dairy Farmers Stadium	16 – 8	Morgan (2)	J Williams (4/4)	12,058
19 June	Round 15	Melbourne Storm	AAMI Park	12 – 58	Gallant, Tamou	Thurston (2/2)	10,661
26 June	Round 16	Cronulla Sharks	Dairy Farmers Stadium	19 – 20	Mason, Scott, Webb	Thurston (3/4, 1 FG)	13,063
	Round 17	Bye
12 July	Round 18	Parramatta Eels	Parramatta Stadium	24 – 36	Tonga (2), Taumata, Tupou	Thurston (4/4)	11,177
19 July	Round 19	Wests Tigers	Leichhardt Oval	16 – 26	Graham, Harris, Taumata	Thurston (2/3)	11,364
24 July	Round 20	Newcastle Knights	Dairy Farmers Stadium	28 – 24	O'Donnell (2), Tonga, Tupou, Watts	Thurston (4/5)	12,146
30 July	Round 21	Penrith Panthers	CUA Stadium	16 – 24	Graham, Tonga, Tupou	Thurston (2/3)	7,080
6 August	Round 22	Brisbane Broncos	Dairy Farmers Stadium	26 – 34	Ah Mau, Bolton, Hogan, T Williams	Graham (5/5)	20,148
14 August	Round 23	Gold Coast Titans	Skilled Park	18 – 37	T Williams (2), Watts	J Williams (3/3)	14,032
21 August	Round 24	Canterbury Bulldogs	Dairy Farmers Stadium	20 – 22	T Williams (2), Rovelli, J Williams	J Williams (2/4)	11,742
28 August	Round 25	Canberra Raiders	Canberra Stadium	4 – 48	Bani	J Williams (0/1)	11,434
4 September	Round 26	Sydney Roosters	Dairy Farmers Stadium	8 – 18	Bowen, T Williams	J Williams (0/2)	12,033
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Statistics

Source:

Representatives

The following players have played a representative match in 2010

Honours

League

• NYC Team of the Year: James Segeyaro

Club

• Paul Bowman Medal: Matthew Scott
• Player's Player: Matthew Scott
• Club Person of the Year: Jeff Reibel
• Rookie of the Year: Leeson Ah Mau
• Most Improved: James Tamou
• NYC Player of the Year: Jason Taumalolo

Feeder Clubs

National Youth Competition

• North Queensland Cowboys – 4th, lost semi final

Queensland Cup

• Mackay Cutters – 6th, lost preliminary final
• Northern Pride – 4th, Premiers

References

1. Stuart Honeysett and Brent Read (23 April 2010) Shocking end to the Melbourne Storm era The Australian
2. "NRL 2010 - North Queensland Cowboys - Rugby League Project".

External links

19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194 (Willow Sports Complex)

• North Queensland Cowboys seasons
• 2010 NRL season by club