1996 North Queensland Cowboys season

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox rugby league team season

| year = 1996

| team_colour = navy

| font_colour = white

| league = NRL

| league_link = ARL

| league_rank = 17th

| league_wins = 6

| league_draws = 0

| league_losses = 15

| points_for = 288

| points_against = 643

| playoff_result = Missed finals

| CEO_title =

| CEO =

| coach_title = Coach

| coach = Graham Lowe

| captain = Adrian Vowles

| stadium = Stockland Stadium

| avg_attendance = 19,366

| high_attendance = 27,096 (vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs, Round 16)

| top_tries = David Bouveng, Kris Tassell (8)

| top_goals = Shane Howarth (21)

| top_points = Shane Howarth (49)

| prev_season = 1995

| next_season = 1997

}}

The 1996 North Queensland Cowboys season was the 2nd in the club's history. Coached by Graham Lowe and captained by Adrian Vowles, they competed in the Optus Cup.

Season summary

After finishing their debut season in last place, there was nowhere to go but up for the Cowboys in 1996. Under new head coach, former New Zealand, Queensland, Manly and Wigan boss Graham Lowe, the club recruited fairly strongly bringing in first grade regulars Jason Death (from Canberra) and Andrew Dunemann (from Gold Coast), former All Black Shane Howarth and New Zealand representatives Se'e Solomona and Whetu Taewa. Dunemann's signing would see him reunite with his brother Ian, the pair becoming the first siblings to play for the club.

Due to the ongoing Super League war, the clubs affiliated with the breakaway competition refused to participate in their Round 1 games, with the Cowboys' opening fixture, against fellow Super League-aligned club the Canterbury Bulldogs, cancelled. After losing their first game of the year against the Sydney City Roosters, the Cowboys picked up their first win of the season a week later against the Sydney Tigers. Seven straight losses followed until a Round 11 victory over the Newcastle Knights was followed by a win over the Cronulla Sharks, the club's first ever back-to-back wins. After four straight losses, the Cowboys ended the season in their strongest form to date, with three wins from their final six games. That included a win over the St George Dragons at Kogarah Oval in Round 21, the club's first win in Sydney. The club would end their second season in 17th place, with six wins from 21 games, tripling their win total from the year before. Steve Edmed, a long time Balmain Tiger who joined the Cowboys for the 1996 season, was named Player of the Year after playing in all 21 games in his lone season with the club.

The club made headlines during the season when Moranbah junior Josh Hannay was named to make his first grade debut at just 16-years old. The selection was later vetoed by the Australian Rugby League as Hannay was not 16 when the year began. Had he played, he would have been the second youngest player to make his senior debut in Australian rugby league history. Hannay would make his debut two years later and go onto play 150 games for the club over nine seasons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/where-are-they-now-josh-hannay/tabid/10874/newsid/64399/default.aspx|title=Where Are They Now: Josh Hannay|date=24 August 2011}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.cowboys.com.au/about/club-history-home/club-history-1996.html |title=Year 2 - 1996 - Cowboys |access-date=20 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820121025/http://www.cowboys.com.au/about/club-history-home/club-history-1996.html |archive-date=20 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}

=Milestones=

Squad list

{{Rls

|squadname=North Queensland Cowboys ARL Squad 1996

|BC1=navy

|FC1=white

|BC2=#c0c0c0

|FC2=black

|source=

|date=

|list1a={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=Faron Anderson}}

|list1b={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=George Bartlett}}

|list1c={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=David Bouveng}}

|list1d={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=CE|name=Paul Bowman}}

|list1e={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=FE|name=Scott Brown}}

|list1f={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Andrew Bulmer}}

|list1g={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=John Buttigieg}}

|list1h={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Michael Coorey}}

|list1i={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=FB|name=Reggie Cressbrook}}

|list1j={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=HK|name=Jason Death}}

|list1k={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=FE|name=Andrew Dunemann}}

|list1l={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=HB|name=Ian Dunemann}}

|list1m={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Steve Edmed}}

|list2a={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Paul Galea}}

|list2b={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=Damian Gibson}}

|list2c={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Leigh Groves}}

|list2d={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=FB|name=Shane Howarth}}

|list2e={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Liam Johnson}}

|list2f={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=LK|name=Peter Jones}}

|list2g={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Aaron Ketchell}}

|list2h={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Martin Locke}}

|list2i={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=Justin Loomans}}

|list2j={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=HB|name=Jason Martin}}

|list2k={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Jamie Mathiou}}

|list2l={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=Marshall Miller}}

|list2m={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=CE|name=Willie Morganson}}

|list3a={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Glen Murphy}}

|list3b={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Willie Poching}}

|list3c={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Ian Russell}}

|list3d={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=LK|name=Dean Schifilliti}}

|list3e={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=SR|name=Wayne Sing}}

|list3f={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=John Skardon}}

|list3g={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Se'e Solomona}}

|list3h={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=CE|name=Whetu Taewa}}

|list3i={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=WG|name=Kris Tassell}}

|list3j={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=CE|name=Adrian Vowles|captain=y}}

|list3k={{Rls player|nat=AUS|pos=PR|name=Graham White}}

|coach= Graham Lowe

|assistant=Mark Graham (assistant coach)

}}

Squad movement

=1996 Gains=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
style="background:#efefef;"

! style="width:120px;"| Player

! style="width:210px;"| Signed From

Scott Brown{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla Sharks
Jason Death{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra Raiders
Andrew Dunemann{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Chargers|16}} Gold Coast Chargers
Steve Edmed{{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Sydney Tigers
Shane Howarth{{leagueicon|Newtown|16}} Auckland RU
Martin Locke{{leagueicon|South Queensland|16}} South Queensland Crushers
Willie Poching{{leagueicon|Auckland|16}} Auckland Warriors
Se'e Solomona{{leagueicon|Auckland|16}} Auckland Warriors
Whetu Taewa{{leagueicon|Auckland|16}} Auckland Warriors
Kris Tassell{{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury Bulldogs

=1996 Losses=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
style="background:#efefef;"

! style="width:120px;"| Player

! style="width:210px;"| Signed To

Martin Bella{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Chargers|16}} Gold Coast Chargers
Jonathan Davies{{leagueicon|New South Wales|16}} Cardiff RFC
Kevin Ellis{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Chargers|16}} Gold Coast Chargers
Jason Erba{{leagueicon|Sheffield|16}} Sheffield Eagles
Michael Hogue{{leagueicon|psg|16}} Paris Saint-Germain
David Maiden{{leagueicon|cairns cyclones|16}} Cairns Cyclones
Andrew Meads{{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Sydney Tigers
Craig Menkins{{leagueicon|psg|16}} Paris Saint-Germain
Ian Russell{{leagueicon|psg|16}} Paris Saint-Germain (mid-season)
Laurie SpinaRetired

Ladder

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
width=20 abbr="Position×" |

!width=240 |Team

!width=20 abbr="Played" |Pld

!width=20 abbr="Won" |W

!width=20 abbr="Drawn" |D

!width=20 abbr="Lost" |L

!width=20 abbr="Points for" |PF

!width=20 abbr="Points against" |PA

!width=20 abbr="Points difference" |PD

!width=20 abbr="Points" |Pts

style="background: #ccffcc;"

|1

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (P)

|22

1804549191+35836
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|2

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Brisbane Broncos

|21

1704607263+34434
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|3

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px North Sydney Bears

|22

1525598325+27332
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|4

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Sydney City Roosters

|22

1516521321+20031
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|5

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

|21

1425399268+13130
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|6

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Canberra Raiders

|21

1317538384+15427
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|7

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px St. George Dragons

|21

1218443360+8327
style="background: #ccffcc;"

|8

style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Western Suburbs Magpies

|22

1219394434−4025
9style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Newcastle Knights

|21

10110416388+2823
10style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

|21

11010375378−322
11style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Auckland Warriors

|21

10011412427−1522
12style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Sydney Tigers

|22

11011319459−14022
13style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Parramatta Eels

|21

9111404415−1121
14style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Illawarra Steelers

|22

8014403444−4116
15style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Penrith Panthers

|21

7113363464−10115
16style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Western Reds

|21

6114313420−10713
17style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px North Queensland Cowboys

|21

6015288643−35512
18style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px Gold Coast Chargers

|22

5116359521−16211
19style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px South Sydney Rabbitohs

|22

5116314634−32011
20style="text-align:left;"| 16x16px South Queensland Crushers

|21

3018220496−2768

Fixtures

=Regular season=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:75%;"
style="width:75px;"| Date

! style="width:55px;"| Round

! style="width:170px;"| Opponent

! style="width:115px;"| Venue

! style="width:50px;"| Score

! style="width:320px;"| Tries

! style="width:280px;"| Goals

! style="width:50px;"| Attendance

style="background:#cfecec

|23 March

style="text-align:center;"|Round 1{{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury BulldogsStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|Cancelled due to Super League clubs refusing to playstyle="text-align:center;"|
style="background:#FFBBBB

|30 March

style="text-align:center;"|Round 2{{leagueicon|Eastern Suburbs|16}} Sydney City RoostersStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|2 – 40Howarth (1/1)style="text-align:center;"|16,186
style="background:#CCFFCC

|6 April

style="text-align:center;"|Round 3{{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Sydney TigersStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|17 – 2Tassell (2), Peter JonesCressbrook (2/4), Howarth (1 FG)style="text-align:center;"|15,912
style="background:#FFBBBB

|14 April

style="text-align:center;"|Round 4{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra RaidersBruce Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|10 – 66Bartlett, TaewaHowarth (1/2)style="text-align:center;"|9,115
style="background:#FFBBBB

|21 April

style="text-align:center;"|Round 5{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane BroncosANZ Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|14 – 58Skardon, Tassell, VowlesHowarth (1/3)style="text-align:center;"|18,609
style="background:#FFBBBB

|27 April

style="text-align:center;"|Round 6{{leagueicon|North Sydney|16}} North Sydney BearsStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|6 – 50SkardonHowarth (1/2)style="text-align:center;"|20,864
style="background:#FFBBBB

|5 May

style="text-align:center;"|Round 7{{leagueicon|Manly|16}} Manly Sea EaglesBrookvale Ovalstyle="text-align:center;"|4 – 46EdmedCressbrook (0/1)style="text-align:center;"|5,227
style="background:#FFBBBB

|11 May

style="text-align:center;"|Round 8{{leagueicon|Illawarra|16}} Illawarra SteelersStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|8 – 24Tassell (2)Cressbrook (0/2)style="text-align:center;"|15,289
style="background:#FFBBBB

|25 May

style="text-align:center;"|Round 9{{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta EelsStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|12 – 26Loomans, TassellCressbrook (1/2), Poching (1/1)style="text-align:center;"|12,088
style="background:#FFBBBB

|9 June

style="text-align:center;"|Round 10{{leagueicon|Eastern Suburbs|16}} Sydney City RoostersSFSstyle="text-align:center;"|14 – 38I. Dunemann, Tassell, VowlesPoching (1/3)style="text-align:center;"|9,287
style="background:#CCFFCC

|15 June

style="text-align:center;"|Round 11{{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle KnightsStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|26 – 10Loomans (2), Death, Murphy, TassellCressbrook (3/3), I. Dunemann (0/1), Poching (0/2)style="text-align:center;"|14,153
style="background:#CCFFCC

|22 June

style="text-align:center;"|Round 12{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla SharksStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|16 – 10Bouveng, Cressbrook, GibsonCressbrook (2/3)style="text-align:center;"|22,014
style="background:#FFBBBB

|29 June

style="text-align:center;"|Round 13{{leagueicon|Balmain|16}} Sydney TigersParramatta Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|16 – 18Coorey, A. Dunemann, GibsonCressbrook (2/2), Poching (0/1)style="text-align:center;"|4,257
style="background:#FFBBBB

|6 July

style="text-align:center;"|Round 14{{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Penrith PanthersStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|0 – 21style="text-align:center;"|25,068
style="background:#FFBBBB

|14 July

style="text-align:center;"|Round 15{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} Western Suburbs MagpiesCampbelltown Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|32 – 40Miller (2), Cressbrook, A. Dunemann, Loomans, MorgansonCressbrook (2/3), Vowles (2/2), Poching (0/1)style="text-align:center;"|5,281
style="background:#FFBBBB

|20 July

style="text-align:center;"|Round 16{{leagueicon|South Sydney|16}} South Sydney RabbitohsStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|20 – 22Bowman, I. Dunemann, LoomansHowarth (3/3), Vowles (1/1)style="text-align:center;"|27,096
style="background:#CCFFCC

|26 July

style="text-align:center;"|Round 17{{leagueicon|Gold Coast Chargers|16}} Gold Coast ChargersCarrara Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|24 – 14Bowman, Howarth, LoomansHowarth (6/6)style="text-align:center;"|5,777
style="background:#FFBBBB

|3 August

style="text-align:center;"|Round 18{{leagueicon|Auckland|16}} Auckland WarriorsEricsson Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|6 – 52DeathHowarth (1/1)style="text-align:center;"|14,600
style="background:#CCFFCC

|9 August

style="text-align:center;"|Round 19{{leagueicon|South Queensland|16}} South Queensland CrushersStockland Stadiumstyle="text-align:center;"|11 – 6Miller (2)Howarth (1/3, 1 FG)style="text-align:center;"|24,989
style="background:#FFBBBB

|17 August

style="text-align:center;"|Round 20{{leagueicon|Western Reds|16}} Western RedsWACAstyle="text-align:center;"|4 – 30TaewaHowarth (0/1)style="text-align:center;"|5,889
style="background:#CCFFCC

|25 August

style="text-align:center;"|Round 21{{leagueicon|St George|16}} St George DragonsKogarah Ovalstyle="text-align:center;"|24 – 20Gibson (2), Johnson, LoomansHowarth (3/4, 1 FG), A. Dunemann (1 FG)style="text-align:center;"|9,062
style="background:#FFBBBB

|1 September

style="text-align:center;"|Round 22{{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury BulldogsBelmore Ovalstyle="text-align:center;"|22 – 50Death, Locke, Loomans, MorgansonHowarth (3/4)style="text-align:center;"|6,595
colspan="11" | Legend: {{legend2|#CCFFCC|Win|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#FFBBBB|Loss|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#FFFFCC|Draw|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend2|#cfecec|Bye|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

Statistics

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
style="width:10em"|Namestyle="width:3em"|Appstyle="width:3em"|Tstyle="width:3em"|Gstyle="width:3em"|FGstyle="width:3em"|Pts
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Faron|Anderson}}1|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|George|Bartlett|George Bartlett (rugby league)}}61|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|David|Bouveng}}51|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Paul|Bowman|Paul Bowman (rugby league)}}62|
|8
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Scott|Brown|Scott Brown (rugby league)}}6|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Andrew|Bulmer}}1|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|John|Buttigieg|John Buttigieg (rugby league)}}9|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Michael|Coorey}}111|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Reggie|Cressbrook}}15212|
|32
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Jason|Death}}203|
|12
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Andrew|Dunemann}}162|
|19
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Ian|Dunemann}}132|
|8
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Steve|Edmed}}211|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Paul|Galea}}5|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Damian|Gibson}}114|
|16
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Leigh|Groves}}2|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Shane|Howarth}}12121349
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Liam|Johnson|Liam Johnson (rugby league, born 1977)}}61|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Peter|Jones|Peter Jones (rugby league, born 1972)}}191|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Aaron|Ketchell}}6|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Martin|Locke}}111|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Justin|Loomans}}218|
|32
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Jason|Martin|Jason Martin (rugby league)}}12|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Jamie|Mathiou}}4|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Marshall|Miller}}64|
|16
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Willie|Morganson}}42|
|8
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Glen|Murphy|Glen Murphy (rugby league)}}151|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Willie|Poching}}16|
|2|
|4
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Ian|Russell|Ian Russell (rugby league)}}1|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Dean|Schifilliti}}10|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Wayne|Sing}}15|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|John|Skardon}}32|
|8
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Se'e|Solomona}}4|
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Whetu|Taewa}}122|
|8
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Kris|Tassell}}98|
|32
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Adrian|Vowles}}2123|
|14
style="text-align:left;"|{{sortname|Graham|White|Graham White (rugby league)}}1|
class="sortbottom"

! Totals !! !! 52 !! 38 !! 4 !! 288

Source:{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/arl-1996/north-queensland-cowboys/summary.html|title = ARL 1996 - North Queensland Cowboys - Rugby League Project}}

Honours

=Club=

References

{{reflist}}

{{North Queensland Cowboys}}

{{1996 in rugby league}}

{{coord|19|18|58|S|146|42|43|E|type:event_region:AU-QLD|display=title|name=Willow Sports Complex}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1996 North Queensland Cowboys Season}}

Category:North Queensland Cowboys seasons

North Queensland Cowboys