After a disappointing fall from grace in 2024 the Warriors have found their mojo again this season with halves Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita leading the way.
The classy playmakers have led their side to wins in five of their past six matches after a lacklustre first-up loss to the Raiders in Las Vegas and head to Magic Round full of confidence.
The Cowboys won't be lacking self-belief either after piling on seven tries in 33 minutes to blow the Titans off the park in the second half in Round 8.
The Cowboys own one of the great Magic Round moments with Murray Taulagi’s freakish pass for Scott Drinkwater to score against Wests Tigers in 2023 and a dose of that trickery could go a long way towards delivering a fifth win on the trot.
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Team News
Warriors: A late change an hour before kick-off with hooker Sam Healey called onto the interchange to make his NRL debut with Te Maire Martin sliding to 18th man. Ali Leiataua is out after picking up an ankle injury in Thursday’s field session. In his absence, Adam Pompey moves back into the centres with Edward Kosi being brought in on the left wing. As well as Leiataua, the other two players omitted from the extended squad at the 24-hour deadline were Tanah Boyd and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava.
Cowboys: The Cowboys are 1-17 with no late changes. Todd Payten goes with the same 17 that defeated the Titans last Saturday, with Harrison Edwards to wear jumper No.15 after he was a late promotion to the bench last weekend. Zac Laybutt is 18th man.
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Stat Attack
- The Warriors have won four of their last five games against the Cowboys.
- Cowboys second-rower Jeremiah Nanai has scored seven tries in seven games at Suncorp Stadium.
- The Warriors have lost six of their past seven games at Suncorp Stadium.
- Cowboys centre Jaxson Purdue has scored six tries in his last six games.
- The Warriors can equal their best start to a season after eight games with a win.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the