Cowboys: Team Preview

While some other clubs have been prominent in the market in the past 12 months, picking up or letting go players for the 2010 campaign, things have been much quieter up Townsville way. The major inclusion is Willie Mason and the jury remains out as to whether he is the buy of the year or the Roosters have done well offloading him. After comfortably missing the finals last year, losing more games than they won, the Cowboys are quietly confident that they have a squad in place capable of at least making the finals. Whether that's the case remains to be seen.

What has to go right: It's a given that Johnathan Thurston will again lead from the front for the Cowboys but for them to have any chance of being contenders in 2010 they need fullback Matt Bowen to stand up. Bowen's past couple of years have been ruined by knee injuries and if the pattern continues it's hard to see the Cows finishing any higher than mid-table.

What could go wrong: Neil Henry and Peter Parr have taken a massive punt bringing Mason to Townsville, Parr having admitted soon after the deal was signed off that the feeling among the fans as to whether they should have picked him up was running about 50-50. If Mason endures another poor season on the field, or worse stuffs up again off it, then Henry and Parr will have to deal with plenty of complaints from their supporters as well as plenty of ridicule from outside the club.

Nightmare headline: Silly Willie in trouble again

Sportal prediction: 8th