His neck may require more surgery but veteran prop Matt Scott is finally ready to help Jason Taumalolo carry the North Queensland pack in the NRL, coach Paul Green says.
Scott returns to the Cowboys’ starting front-row, pushing John Asiata back to the bench for Saturday night’s clash with third-placed Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
Scott – off contract next season – has confirmed this week that he will need a second neck operation in three years for an ongoing bulging disc complaint.
Concerns for his neck ensured Green started Scott on the bench in last round’s last gasp win over Newcastle – only the Cowboys’ fifth of the year.
It was a triumphant return for Scott who had missed the last four games with the long term neck complaint which also required surgery after North Queensland’s 2015 premiership win.
Green was convinced Scott could help shoulder the load with hard-working lock Taumalolo after the ex-Test prop amassed 96m off the bench against the Knights – 50m more than starting front-rower Asiata.
“We weren’t sure how his neck would handle all the contact …but he seemed to handle it pretty well in the game and pulled up reasonably well,” Green said of Scott’s last round bench start.
Green was excited by the prospect of Scott – who turned 33 this week – starting in the front-row alongside Melbourne recruit Jordan McLean, in his second game back from a long term foot injury.
Especially after Tongan international Taumalolo copped criticism this year for not producing his trademark 200m-plus games in the Cowboys’ season from hell.
“I don’t know whether Jason feels he is under pressure but I suppose he feels he has had to do a fair bit of work for us this year,” Green said.
“But having those two guys (Scott, McLean) as back up is pretty handy.”
Green defended Taumalolo’s 2018 form as second-last North Queensland looked to avoid the NRL wooden spoon in a huge fall from grace for the early season title favourites.
“It is a little bit like the whole team, people expect so much of him,” Green said.
“He is still probably running for more than 150m a game. But people look at stat sheets and say ‘Jason hasn’t run 200m, he mustn’t be playing very well’.
“The expectations on him are probably higher and so when he doesn’t live up to that expectation people are critical.
“But I don’t think he is playing that bad. He’s just not as good as what people expect.”
Scott’s return to the starting line-up sets the stage for an epic front row battle with the fiery Dylan Napa who returns from a knee injury for the Roosters.
