NRL 2023, race for the eight, three spots up for grabs, six in the mix, Raidrers, Rabbitohs, Knights, Eels, Cowboys, Sea Eagles, Jason Taumalolo 250

Three weeks, three spots, no room for error in semi-final scramble

Author: Martin Lenehan NRL Senior Journalist
Timestamp: Tue 15 Aug 2023, 10:38 AM

As if keeping their season alive wasn't motivation enough for the ninth-placed Cowboys, the chance to deliver club legend Jason Taumalolo a win in career game No.250 should have them walking tall in front of the Townsville faithful on Thursday night.

A member of the Cowboys' 2015 premiership side, the hugely respected Taumalolo will become just the fourth man to play 250 games for North Queensland alongside Johnathan Thurston (294), Matt Bowen (270) and Matt Scott (268).

Still going as strong as ever 13 years after making his NRL debut, Taumalolo averages 149 metres per game in 2023 and will need every bit of that and more if the Cowboys are to roll the Sharks and join them on 30 competition points in the process.

"It only feels like yesterday I was playing alongside those guys ['JT' and Scott and Bowen] and now they are retired and I’m that guy that all the younger ones are looking up to," Taumalolo told media on Monday.

"It's a pretty surreal moment for me, it's a big achievement to play 250. I guess I'm officially an old-timer now and I'm pretty proud of what I've done.

'This is a pretty surreal moment for me': Taumalolo hits 250

"Being able to represent the people of North Queensland means a lot to me so to go out there and do it for the 250th time is everything to me."

Locked in a six-way struggle for places 6-8 on the ladder, the Cowboys have two away matches against the Dolphins and Panthers to round out their season so Thursday could be the last chance their devoted fans have to show their support.

Having made it all the way to a preliminary final last year only to be eliminated by the Eels, the prospect of missing the top eight in 2023 doesn't sit well with Taumalolo, who has played finals in eight of his 13 seasons as a Cowboy.

"We're in a position where we have to win all our games but I’m confident in the team we have and we're going to train hard and come up with a good game plan to take on the Sharks," Taumalolo said.

"We're coming off a bye week and a lot of the boys needed a bit of a freshen up so we have come in mentally and physically ready to play Thursday... we know what's on the line."

Two other sides with plenty on the line are the Eels and Roosters - one coming off a horror defeat compounded by an injury to their star playmaker, the other coming off back-to-back wins and set to welcome back a gifted halfback for his first game since Round 7.

Use the NRL's ladder predictor tool to predict the eight finals teams

Mitchell Moses' fractured eye socket added injury to insult as the Eels copped a 54-10 belting from the Broncos at The Gabba, leaving last year's grand finalists teetering in 10th place.

Sam Walker's 80-minute hit-out in NSW Cup showed he was ready to step back into the spotlight for the Roosters after recovering from an ACL sprain.

A finals appearance looked a forlorn hope for the Roosters just a fortnight ago after a loss to the Broncos saw them slump to 14th but consecutive wins over the Sea Eagles and Dolphins have lifted spirits and lifted them three places to 11th.

"It is what it is, you get what you deserve in footy and sometimes things don't go the way you want so just keep fighting now and hopefully we can sneak in there," said Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary, who celebrated his 200th NRL game in Round 24.

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"It's not over and I feel like we are playing some good footy. I haven't really looked at the scenarios [on the ladder], hopefully we can just win and climb up there.

"I think we won eight or nine in a row to finish last year so we know we've got it in us, we just get the boys healthy and go one little step at a time and hopefully things fall into place."

The Roosters' proud record of playing finals in nine of the past 10 seasons serves as a great motivator for Trent Robinson's men as they prepare to confront the Eels, West Tigers and Rabbitohs in their last three games.

Losses to the Dolphins and Dragons earlier in the season may come back to bite them but this is a club accustomed to success and one that won't bow out without a fight.

So much to play for, so much to play out… so buckle up for a wild three-week ride as six teams slug it out for three finals spots.