Match Details
Match Date	9th Mar, 2013
Opponent	North Queensland
Result	Loss 12-24
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Gosford (Bluetongue Stadium)
Crowd	11,627
Referee	Jason Robinson Gavin Morris

There were no miracles last night. Life without Ben Barba got off to the start Des Hasler was probably anticipating, but it still sent Canterbury fans home cursing.

Sure, there were a few others missing too.

No Sam Kasiano, No James Graham, No Frank Pritchard.

But the absence of Barba was always going to be the biggest talking point - and the biggest difference.

That was until Hasler walked into the media conference after watching his sides sloppy first-up performance and delivered his own dose of reality.

Not even Barba could have saved them, given the possession they turned over.

As Hasler explained. "We were just guilty of too many errors You can't give that to a side like the Cowboys who have got some really experienced campaigners.

"We just gave them possession, cheap possession.

"We turned over quality possession on their tryline and we made too many fundamental errors, and on top of that you start giving away five, six penalties in a row, you just can't get the field position.

" But there was a really bright star who did shine ---- Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston.

As someone said. if he can sidestep Hurricane Sandy, what problem could a game of rugby league present?

You should have seen him in action last night, even with all those contract negotiations hanging over his head.

It was his first match back since the All Stars last month, when he injured his hand and wrist, but you wouldn't have known. He was setting up tries and saving them he was simply in everything.

"And he hasn't had much footy." Cowboys coach Neil Henry said. "He had the All Stars game, but he hasn't been able to play a trial with the club. But the way he started the season tin that All Stars game, he is in fine touch. He has had to overcome a bit of a hand and wrist wrist injury, but he stays on top of his game."

But from the Bulldogs' perspective, don't read, too much into the final scoreline.

They missed Barba and their big forwards, but the ball was what they missed most.

Early on they dominated possession and led the game.

Then they started dropping crucial balls and giving away penalties, and Thurston turned the match on its head.

The Cowboys are a top-four team in the making, and so are the Bulldogs if they stick to what made them so good last year.Even without Barba.

All up, the Cowboys scored four tries to two, but Hasler was right to say his team were their own worst enemies.

As expected, after naming Steve Turner at fullback. Hasler shifted him to the wing and put Drury Low to fullback.

And while the former Raider earned a pass mark from his coach, the side didn't.

The Bulldogs' 120kg rookie David Klemmer caused a pre match controversy when he was forced to switch from jumper 17 to 16 before kick-off because the jersey he was listed to wear didn't fit him.

But he produced a solid first-up performance.

The Cowboys went out with the intention to bomb Turner and in the opening set it brought a try to Ash Graham.

The Bulldogs hit hack through Josh Reynolds and soon after Turner himself finished off some brilliant lead-up work from Josh Morris to put them 10-4 ahead.

Thurston then laid on a try for Gavin Cooper and then created one with a cross-field kick. From there they never looked back.

Source: The Sunday Telegraph

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