Mason centre of Cowboys' attention
IF North Queensland Cowboys coach Neil Henry can get 50 strong minutes out of his newest recruit
tomorrow night, he'll be a satisfied man.
Willie Mason did not arrive in Cairns with the rest of the Cowboys yesterday and will travel instead by bus with the club’s second-strong squad.
Cowboys ride into CairnsAnd while he will line up against the Pride to start with, it will be Mason’s 20 minutes in the Cowboys’ main trial tomorrow against the Warriors that will interest Henry most.
"He hasn’t done much contact work so to play him in that trial (against the Pride) which will probably be a little bit slower, a little bit less intense than the Warriors game will be a good start for him," Henry said on arrival in Cairns yesterday.
Pictures: Cowboys and Warriors in Cairns
"I think he’ll aim for about 50 minutes. We’ll get him for 20 or 30 minutes in the game against the Pride and then we’ll aim for at least 20 minutes against the Warriors.
"We’re doing that with a few of our forwards.
"Antonio Kaufusi’s been called in (to the main squad) now, he was going to have a run in that (Pride) trial too but Manase Manuokafoa’s got a small break in his hand so he won’t be playing."
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The injury is a blow for Manuokafoa, who played most of last season with the Pride in the Queensland Cup after being recruited to the Cowboys from South Sydney.
"If it was a competition he could have played. There’s no point in risking him," henry said.
"He’s very disappointed because he was very strong down in Mackay (in the Cowboys’ first trial last weekend) and he certainly earned his spot in that first 17 for the game against the Warriors."
Henry will be a keen onlooker in the first game, not only because of Mason’s involvement but to check on the progress of several Pride recruits.
"They’ve got a number of players with NRL experience in their side," Henry said. "Jaiman Lowe up front there, they’ve got Mark Dalle Cort who’s played for the Cowboys before – Jaiman has as well.
"They’ve got Brenton Bowen there as well, Ando (Brett Anderson). Kaine Manihera on the wing as well, so there’s a few players there we’ll be looking at."
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