COACH David Maiden has rung in the changes after his team's record-breaking loss at the weekend, naming a ­much ­different squad for the Pride's Queensland Cup clash against Tweed Heads on ­Saturday.

While the Pride lost 60-12 – easily its worst defeat in just over two seasons of the statewide competition – Maiden wielded the axe on relatively few players, with several changes forced by injury and the return of Cowboys’ players to their feeder club.

Pictures: Northern Pride 2010

Five Cowboys head back to the Pride this week, with Michael Bani and Steve Southern casualties of North Queensland’s 33-8 loss to the Dragons last Friday.

The pair joins Clint Amos, Nick Slyney and Manase Manuokafoa in the Pride side, with James Tamou winning promotion back to the Cowboys’ NRL side.

"Michael Bani will be a valuable addition to our squad," Maiden said.

"Sonny (Taputoa Rea) is probably unlucky, he was keen and he got involved last week and tried hard."

Rea was a late call-up to the Pride squad after Brett Anderson was ruled out with chicken pox on match eve and played a substantial part in the game after Brenton Bowen was injured.

But with Anderson due back to training tomorrow and Bowen cleared of a broken rib, Rea has missed out on a recall.

Cowboys coach Neil Henry said he was looking for consistency from Southern who had been "up and down" for the NRL side so far this year and Tamou deserved his chance after shining with the Pride.

Maiden said he was "more than happy" to have Southern available for what is shaping as a crunch match for the Pride.

"He’s played for us before and he’s more than willing to come back and pass on knowledge and assistance to the younger guys," Maiden said. "He always performs well. He’s a guy that will roll his sleeves up and do the hard yards, and that’s what we need right now."

The other major change for the Pride is in the halves, with new signing Theeran Pearson named at five-eighth to cover for Ryan Stig (ankle).

With Pearson only a few training runs into his stint with the Pride last week, Maiden resisted the temptation to rush him into the side after Stig rolled his ankle at training, instead shifting Clint Amos into the halves.

"We need a specialist half in there with a good pass and (Pearson) delivers that," Maiden said. "Obviously, (the suspended) Quincy (To’oto’o-ulugia) can deliver that too, but (Pearson) gets his opportunity now."

Mark Dalle Cort and Cowboys squad member Dane Hogan have been dropped, along with Kaine Manihera and Jay Aston, while Ben Fitzpatrick makes way for Chey Bird, who returns from a broken hand.

Pride: 1. Chey Bird, 2. Michael Bani, 3. Brett Anderson, 4. Jamie Frizzo, 5. Brenton Bowen, 6. Theeran Pearson, 7. Chris Sheppard, 8. Ben Laity, 9. Clint Amos, 10. Jaiman Lowe, 11. Steve Southern, 12. Mark Cantoni, 13. Rod Griffin. Interchange: 14. Jason Roos, 15. Nick Slyney, 16. Noel Underwood, 17. Manase Manuokafoa.

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