Johnathan Thurston Confirmed for Cowboys Auckland Nines
Johnathan Thurston will make his Auckland Nines debut playing for the North Queensland Cowboys this weekend. After missing out on the first three Auckland campaigns, Thurston will finally get his chance to show off his talent at Eden Park. He will share the captaincy with Gavin Cooper, the imposing Queensland backrower and spearhead a strong squad including some familiar names.
Joining the Cowboys for the Auckland Nines is Jason Taumalolo, the talented Dally M Medallist along with Kangaroos Michael Morgan, Kyle Feldt, Justin O’Neill and rising NRL star Kalyn Ponga. The new recruits including former Melbourne playmaker Ben Hampton along with ex-Titan’s backrower Shane Wright. Ethan Low will also be joining the squad in the back row after a successful recovery from a spinal injury in 2016.
Benji Marshall Makes his Debut for Brisbane Broncos
The Cowboys are scheduled to fly to Auckland on Wednesday. They start off their campaign with pool games against Canberra, the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney. Meanwhile former Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall will make his debut playing for the Brisbane Broncos.
Marshall will be joined by controversial flyer James Roberts who made headlines recently facing allegations of assaulting a Gold Coast nightclub patron. Roberts was picked up shortly after the NRL integrity unit was unable to obtain video footage of the alleged incident. While the matter is still open, the integrity unity said that they would take no action against the athlete at this point in time.
The Broncos Nines squad will be captained by front runner Darius Boyd. He will be joined by hooker Andrew McCullough, Anthony Milford and Corey Oates. The Broncos have also included a few New Zealand internationals including Adam Blair, Jordan Kahu and Australian Kangaroos Matt Gillet. Talented youngsters who showed exceptional pre-season play will join the squad including Frank Molo, Gerome Burns, Alex Barr, Mitch Cronin, Sam Lavea and Matiu Love-Henry.
The full Broncos’ Nines squad is as follows: Darius Boyd, Matt Gillett, Jordan Kahu, Sam Lavea, Benji Marshall, Gehamat Shibasaki, Francis Molo, Anthony Milford, James Roberts, Jonus Pearson, Adam Blair, Matiu Love-Henry, Mitch Cronin, Gerome Burns, Andrew McCullough, Jaydn Su’A, Corey Oates and Alex Barr.
The squad for the North Queensland Cowboys includes: Gavin Cooper (capt), Johnathan Thurston, Jason Taumalolo, Kalyn Ponga, Javid Bowen, Kyle Feldt, Ben Hampton, Shaun Hudson, Michael Morgan, Shane Wright, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Jake Granville, Corey Jensen, Ethan Lowe, Justin O’Neill, Kane Linnett, Coen Hess and John Asiata.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Betway | | 4.9/5 | Up to $60 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 3 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.8/5 | 100% Match | Bet now Review |
| 4 |  | Picklebet | | 4.6/5 | Login to see promotions | Bet now Review |
More About Lauren Ball
An avid writer and sports betting enthusiast, Lauren Ball has found the ideal way to combine the two. As a regular contributor and resident OnlineBettingNZ.co.nz expert, Lauren is now putting her considerable wisdom to good use, and keeps punters informed as to what’s hot and happening in the online betting and sporting world.
From the latest sports results to any upsets or developments in the betting world, Lauren makes it her business to know what’s going on in the industry and share it with those who have the same interests.
You May Also Like:
RLPA Eager To Discuss CBA After Cash Boost
The NRL on Monday announced a cash-rich five-year agreement with Nine Entertainment that is set to give the game a guaranteed annual $400 million money injection until 2027. This has ….
NRL Blasted For NZ Players Stranded In Australia
The NRL has come under fire from NRLW player representatives over several New Zealand players currently stuck indefinitely in Australia. A total of eight players remains stranded in Australia following ….
Ian Foster Open To Manu Code-Switch
All Blacks coach Ian Foster says he’s open to talks with Roosters star Joseph Manu about a possible switch from the NRL to rugby. According to reports in Australia, the ….
NRL To Be Asked To Allow Fainu To Play
The NRL will soon receive a formal request to officially reconsider the suspension handed down to Sea Eagles star hooker Manase Fainu. The Manly star stands accused of having stabbed ….
Ian Foster Happy To Welcome TJ Perenara Back
TJ Perenara had been playing around with the idea of switching to NRL with the Sydney Roosters earlier this year before announcing his return to the All Blacks. While Ian ….