Rugby league legend Darren Lockyer has slammed the North Queensland Cowboys following their dismal performance against the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday. The Cowboys were comprehensively defeated 42-6, making a staggering 39 missed tackles and 12 errors in a performance that Lockyer described as a “disasterclass.”
Lockyer specifically placed the blame on the club’s forward pack and experienced players like Jason Taumalolo, who has struggled to find his form in the early rounds of the 2024 campaign. Taumalolo’s playing time has significantly decreased, averaging only 35 minutes per game compared to an average of 61 minutes in 2020, despite signing a lucrative contract worth around $950,000 per season.
“When they’re on, they are as good as any team in the competition, particularly their attack,” Lockyer said. “But they just have these lapses. They are lacking an 80-minute performance and a bit of aggression. They are doing their job, but they are not doing it with purpose, and I think that’s telling, particularly when you’re up against a good team.”
Lockyer also pointed to the Cowboys’ lack of physicality in the middle of the park, leading to a significant bench switch ahead of Round 8. Griffin Neame has been named in the starting side, while Taumalolo has been shifted back to the bench alongside Thomas Mikaele, who will make his club debut.
“There are people that are capable, but the physicality is not there,” Lockyer said. “I just feel like some of the older guys need to just take it a bit more personal. When they are out there on the field, they need to show some intensity. It starts with the front-row and works its way back down the scrum from there.”
“A lot of it comes down to attitude… if you get that intensity and get off the line with some purpose and want to be physical, you will bring the rest of the team up with you,” Lockyer concluded.
