NRL: Scott looks forward to 'funny' Walters

Kevin Walters. Photo / Getty Images

The looming departure of Neil Henry still stings Matt Scott but it has not stopped the North Queensland co-captain giving Kevin Walters the thumbs up as his replacement.

Canberra assistant and ex-Cowboy Andrew Dunemann is reportedly the dark horse for the North Queensland vacancy, with Paul Green and Trent Barrett also believed to be in the mix.

But Scott said Walters would be a good fit at the Cowboys after being reminded that Melbourne and test captain Cameron Smith had endorsed the former Storm assistant as the man to replace Henry this week.

"No doubt he would be good for the place," Scott said. "I haven't had much to do with Kevvy.

"But he's a great bloke, a pretty funny guy. I am sure anyone who has been coached by him would endorse him as well."

Not that Scott did not feel for Henry, who was told after North Queensland's last round loss to Brisbane that he would not be required in 2014.

"It's disappointing it had to end this way," he said. "He's been around this club for a long time and I have had him as an assistant in the Origin arena as well - he's a good mate of mine.

"But it comes with the territory when you are not winning, you come to expect it."

Asked if the players were feeling guilty about Henry's dumping, Scott said: "I don't think so.

"It is one of those things. It works both ways. If a player is not playing well they get dropped or their contract doesn't get extended."

Scott was also dealing with the sad news of former Cowboys coach Graham Murray's passing on Sunday after a second heart attack.

"It's devastating. It's a tragedy. He gave me my debut jersey back in 2004 and [I] played a lot of years under him," he said.

However, Scott said the Cowboys still had the desire to make an unlikely finals tilt despite being six points out of the eight with six games left following last round's 18-16 loss to Brisbane.

But North Queensland (13th; 6-12) must start by downing ladder leaders South Sydney in Townsville tonight.

"They have really been a standout this year in the NRL," Scott said.

"It's a big challenge for us and obviously we need to play better than we did on Friday night [against Brisbane].

"I think there was enough to take out of that game that if we can improve on that, and keep moving forward, we can give it a shake."

Meanwhile, Canterbury's NRL encounter with Penrith has been switched to Saturday, August 31, following the ANZ Stadium fixture clash with the AFL blockbuster between the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn.

The western Sydney derby had been slated to be played 24 hours earlier, only for the AFL to announce on Tuesday that the rematch of last year's grand final would now be played on the same day. Earlier this year the venue told them they could have the choice of what night to play that weekend.

The decision was taken to allow likely minor premiers Hawthorn to have an extra day's turnaround ahead of the opening round of the finals.

The move left the NRL red-faced and after two days of intense negotiations with the Nine Network, who were to show the Bulldogs game and the club, a compromise has been reached.

- AAP