Rugby League: Overconfidence biggest danger against rebuilding Cowboys

By PETER JESSUP

Former Warrior David Myles does not regard today's assignment against his old team on their increasingly formidable home ground as anything like Mission: Impossible.

"The Warriors are never going to be easy anywhere again," Myles said, "but we're just worrying about ourselves and getting our game plan right. If we stick to it we'll go a long way towards beating them."

The 26-year-old takes the key role of five-eighth for the North Queensland Cowboys, replacing the injured Nathan Fien, and admits that coming up against Stacey Jones and Motu Tony around the ruck is a formidable task.

He was a back utility in his three years at Auckland, but has trained at centre and five-eighth since shifting to the Cowboys in the off-season, and feels he's ready for the job.

"This is a good test for me. I'm hoping I'll be able to cement my position in the team, and playing well here would go a long way towards that."

Brought over by then-Warriors coach Mark Graham in 1999 after the Gold Coast Chargers folded, Myles was very much on the outer last year and played only three games, when they were under serious injury pressure.

He wasn't surprised to be released at the end of the season and is happy to be back in the better weather and closer to family.

There's a good feeling within the Cowboys, a belief that they're rebuilding and gathering some momentum, and Myles is glad to be a part of that.

"We started the season strongly [wins over Manly and Souths and a close loss to Brisbane] then had a bit of a hiccup last week [belted 32-0 by the Roosters]. Our defence had been going in the right direction but we just blew it last weekend and we need to smarten that up against the Warriors."

The insight he and former Warriors co-captain Kevin Campion share about their old team may count for a little against individuals, but will mean nothing against the team, he said.

"The coaches analyse everything play-by-play anyway so he [Graham Murray] will be telling me more about the Warriors than I can tell him. But Campo and I will know a little about what to expect from individuals, what each person does."

He expects a hard and fast game, regardless of the conditions.

Warriors coach Daniel Anderson yesterday put big prop Iafeta Palea'aesina into the lineup in place of Sione Faumuina because he expects a heavier ground, and the possibility of rain will mean a tighter game.

Five-eighth Lance Hohaia is out with a groin strain suffered in training and Tony comes forward.

Brent Webb is the replacement at fullback in his first game after breaking his thumb in pre-season.

Webb had performed well in training last week and would be ready if tested, Anderson said. That's likely, though Myles was not renowned as a field kicker.

Anderson felt the history that Myles and Campion had with the club counted for little. "We didn't have set plays then and we still don't. They will know a bit about our motivation and attitude, but that's changed since they were here."

The Warriors have every right to be confident about collecting two competition points given their superior form, talent and the home ground advantage. They have won nine of the 14 encounters between the clubs, and it was 34-6 in the same game last year.

Maybe the greatest danger is over-confidence; the Cowboys having won before at Ericsson when they weren't supposed to - 24-0 in 1999.

Anderson said they tried to take the same approach into every game regardless of the opponents.

"There are no slack preparations. We're confident all right, but we know we can't take anything for granted. If we don't turn up to play they'll sting us."

The competition was tight this season due to a levelling-out of the talent share.

How they line up

* New Zealand Warriors: Brent Webb, Henry Fa'afili, John Carlaw, Clinton Toopi, Francis Meli, Motu Tony, Stacey Jones, Jerry Seuseu, P. J. Marsh, Mark Tookey, Awen Guttenbeil, Logan Swann, Monty Betham (capt); interchange, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Evarn Tuimavave, Vinnie Anderson, Wairangi Koopu.

* North Queensland Cowboys: Ty Williams, Neil Sweeney, Josh Hannay, Paul Bowman (capt), Matt Sing, David Myles, Chris Sheppard, Jamie McDonald, Leigh McWilliams, Jaiman Lowe, Kevin Campion, Chris Muckert, Glenn Morrison; interchange, Scott Whiting, Michael Luck, Daniel Strickland, Paul Rauhihi.

* Curtainraiser 12.30pm; main game 3pm.

NRL points table and fixtures