JT named for Cowboys trial

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In an odd twist, Johnathan Thurston may yet captain North Queensland in their NRL pre-season trial against Gold Coast Titans in Cairns on Saturday night - despite his fate as Cowboys skipper hanging in the balance.

2011 NRL Trial Matches

Saturday 5/2/2011
Warriors 22 draw with Knights 22, Wingham Park, Greymouth

Friday 11/2/2011
Sea Eagles 18 defeat Sharks 0, Brookvale Oval, Brookvale
Tigers 22 defeat Cowboys 10, Brothers Rugby League Club, Kirwan

Saturday 12/2/2011
Warriors 24 defeat Parramatta 4, International Stadium, Rotorua
Bulldogs 24 defeat Roosters 22, Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Broncos 42 defeat Titans 18, Kougari Oval, Wynnum

Sunday 13/2/2011
Dragons 32 defeat Rabbitohs 10, ANZ Stadium

Friday 18/2/2011
Dragons 28 defeat Bulldogs 14, WIN Stadium

Saturday 19/2/2011
Titans 42 defeat Rabbitohs 4, Coffs Harbour
Eels 30 defeat Tigers 10, Campbelltown Stadium
Broncos 26 defeat Cowboys 4, Alice Springs
Storm 24 defeat Raiders 4, Bega
Panthers 28 defeat Knights 22, Port Macquarie

Saturday 26/2/2011
Broncos v Storm Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe
Bulldogs v Raiders Scully Park, Tamworth
Cowboys v Titans Barlow Park, Cairns
Warriors v Sea Eagles North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Knights v Sharks Olympic Park, Muswellbrook
Panthers v Eels, Centrebet Stadium
Roosters v Tigers, SFS

The classy halfback was on Tuesday named in a strong Cowboys side to tackle the Titans as speculation swirled over his future as leader.

The Cowboys have maintained that a final verdict on Thurston will not be made until just before the official season kick-off against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on March 11.

A player leadership group featuring Matt Scott, Brent Tate, Dallas Johnson and Aaron Payne are believed to have a major say on whether Thurston should remain as skipper in 2011.

Adding to the intrigue, Payne stood in for Thurston in the Cowboys' 26-4 trial loss to the Broncos in Alice Springs last weekend.

Curiously there was no captain named for the trial clash against the Titans - but Cowboys football manager Peter Parr said nothing should be read into that.

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"It is the same thing that I have been saying since the end of last season - we will be making a decision on the captain before the commencement of the season," he said.

"And once the club has decided on who will captain the club for 2011 we will let everyone know."

But Thurston may yet captain the Cowboys trial side in far north Queensland this weekend.

"That would be a question for the coach (Neil Henry) and he will probably make up his mind this weekend - we have a number of players there who are capable of doing that," Parr said.

The season kick-off may be in little more than two weeks' time but Parr said the Cowboys were in no hurry to make a decision on whether Thurston retained the captaincy.

"We will do it internally like we have always done," he said.

"Johnathan is comfortable with the process like he always has been.

"We have our own internal process about how we will go about making our decision.

"That process hasn't changed over a number of years and everybody within the club is comfortable with the process."

Thurston has endured intense scrutiny over his future as skipper after being arrested on a public nuisance charge in Brisbane in September.

It added another chapter to Thurston's colourful history at the Cowboys.

The Test and Queensland Origin No.7 had also been charged with public drunkenness after being arrested outside his Townsville apartment semi-naked in January 2008.

While tongues continue to wag over Thurston's future, Parr said the club had not been distracted by the speculation over their playmaker's future.

"The speculation comes externally, internally we are comfortable with the process," he said.

North Queensland Cowboys: Matthew Bowen, Ash Graham, Will Tupou, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Ray Thompson, Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott, Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Scott Bolton, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Moses Pangai, Ben Jones, Ashton Sims, Ricky Thorby, Leeson Ah Mau, Tariq Sims.