Wed January 2, 2008
by Matthew O'Neill
North Queensland forward Luke O'Donnell will resume full training with the Cowboys when they return to the training paddock following Christmas, but he's still unhappy about the way his season ended in 2007.
O'Donnell was enjoying a fine year for the Cowboys where he had gained certain selection in representative sides before suffering a horrific leg injury that tore all three hamstring tendons from his pelvis against the Wests Tigers.
The former Test and NSW Origin lock was picked up in a three-way tackle from Tigers trio Bronson Harrison, Bryce Gibbs and Liam Fulton with Harrison appearing to twist and move O'Donnell's leg in the tackle.
O'Donnell was still angry about the incident and earlier today said,
"It was disappointing for me to see something like that go unpunished or unchecked - no one had to answer for it.
"I wouldn't like to see it happen to anyone else.
"One guy in particular took it a bit far and did something silly. To have guys on me then have a guy come in and grab my leg and see how far he could twist it. It wasn't a real brave act.
"Injuries and accidents happen in a contact sport but it didn't look like a spur of the moment thing.
"It was a pretty weak act."Revenge is the furthest thing on O'Donnell's mind as he'll have a tough job reclaiming his NSW and Australian jumpers following the outstanding form of Greg Bird who shined once given the representative chance. Bird played lock for Australia in their 58-0 drubbing of New Zealand, but the return of Darren Lockyer will see Bird favourite for the lock position. With Braith Anasta firmly entrenched as a selectors pet at Origin level, Bird again will be likely choice as Blues lock unless the NSW selectors finally do away with the Anasta experiment.
When talking about his goals for the 2008 season, O'Donnell said,
"I won't be running around looking for a square up.
"I'm just concentrating on myself and getting my game back in order.
"I've got a lot to look forward to - getting my rep spots back, things like that."O'Donnell was only doing light training prior to Christmas and has been given the all clear to resume full training in the new year.
The work-rate and experience of O'Donnell will be vital for the Cowboys if they are going to push themselves to the next level. North Queensland performed outstandingly well to finish 3rd despite a massive run of injuries, but the likes of O'Donnell are important as they provide a good foil to the brilliance of superstar duo Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen.
Fri April 27, 2007
Source: www.cowboys.com.auToday the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys announced that Australian and New South Wales backrower Luke O'Donnell had extended his agreement with the club until the end of season 2010.
O'Donnell, 26 came to the Cowboys at the beginning of 2004 and won the Cowboys Player of the Year. In 2005 Luke played a big part in the clubs first ever Grand Final. In 2006 he was named Players Player of the year for the Cowboys, during his time here he has played eleven tests for Australia and two matches for New South Wales at State of Origin level.
To have his future settled is important for O'Donnell,
"I'm really pleased to have come to a decision. It was a decision made easier by the great experiences I have had with the coaching and playing staff here at the Cowboys.
"It's a great place to play footy. I'm looking forward to success and winning a premiership with the Cowboys in the future," O'Donnell said.
Toyota Cowboys CEO Peter Parr is elated to have retained the backrowers services,
"Luke is one of the best forwards in the game and a wonderful role model. We are delighted to have a person of his quality remain at the Cowboys for the next three seasons," Parr said.
News sent by:
www.cowboys.com.au
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 2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
North Queensland Cowboys
15 games; 5 tries, 20 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 08] L 18-36 v Gold Coast (A). [LK]
[View] Round 2 [22 Mar 08] L 10-30 v Tigers (H). [LK]
[View] Round 3 [28 Mar 08] L 2-36 v Broncos (A). [LK]
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 08] W 38-14 v Eels (H). [LK]
[View] Round 5 [12 Apr 08] W 20-16 v Dragons (A). [LK]
[View] Round 6 [19 Apr 08] W 48-20 v Warriors (H). [LK]
[View] Round 9 [10 May 08] L 18-24 v Sharks (H). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 10 [17 May 08] L 6-38 v Sea Eagles (A). [LK]
[View] Round 12 [31 May 08] L 18-19 v Panthers (H). [LK]
[View] Round 21 [02 Aug 08] L 20-32 v Roosters (H). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [09 Aug 08] W 36-12 v Bulldogs (A). [SR]
[View] Round 23 [16 Aug 08] L 20-26 v Gold Coast (H). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 08] L 24-38 v Knights (A). [SR] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 25 [30 Aug 08] W 22-10 v Raiders (H). [SR]
[View] Round 26 [06 Sep 08] L 22-28 v Sharks (A). [SR]
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2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
North Queensland Cowboys
4 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 1 [16 Mar 07] W 23-16 v Broncos (A). [SR]
[View] Round 2 [24 Mar 07] W 43-6 v Roosters (H). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t (71st)
[View] Round 3 [31 Mar 07] W 22-18 v Dragons (A). [SR]
[View] Round 4 [07 Apr 07] W 25-24 v Tigers (H). [SR]
======================================================================================================
2006 Tri-Nations Test Series
Australian Kangaroos
5 games; [View] Tri-Nations Match 1 [14 Oct 06] W 30-18 v New Zealand (A). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 2 [21 Oct 06] W 20-15 v New Zealand (H). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 4 [04 Nov 06] L 12-23 v Great Britain (H). [LK]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 6 [18 Nov 06] W 33-10 v Great Britain (H). [LK]
[View] Tri-Nations Final [25 Nov 06] W 16-12 v New Zealand (H). [LK]
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2006 State of Origin
New South Wales Origin
2 games; [View] Origin [24 May 06] W 17-16 v QLD Origin (H). [LK]
[View] Origin [05 Jul 06] L 14-16 v QLD Origin. [LK]
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2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
North Queensland Cowboys
16 games; 4 tries, 16 points.
[View] Round 1 [12 Mar 06] W 36-4 v Broncos (A). [SR]
[View] Round 2 [18 Mar 06] W 20-16 v Sea Eagles (H). [SR]
[View] Round 3 [25 Mar 06] W 40-8 v Storm (H). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 4 [31 Mar 06] W 26-18 v Eels (A). [SR]
[View] Round 5 [07 Apr 06] W 32-12 v Tigers (H). [SR]
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 06] W 18-16 v Knights (A). [SR]
[View] Round 7 [22 Apr 06] L 22-24 v Sharks (A). [SR] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 8 [29 Apr 06] L 18-22 v Roosters (H). [SR]
[View] Round 16 [24 Jun 06] L 14-34 v Dragons (A). [SR]
[View] Round 19 [15 Jul 06] L 8-17 v Panthers (A). [SR]
[View] Round 20 [22 Jul 06] W 26-10 v Broncos (H). [SR]
[View] Round 21 [30 Jul 06] L 20-40 v Roosters (A). [SR]
[View] Round 22 [05 Aug 06] L 14-54 v Bulldogs (H). [SR]
[View] Round 23 [12 Aug 06] L 0-26 v Warriors (A). [SR]
[View] Round 25 [27 Aug 06] W 34-12 v Rabbitohs (A). [LK] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 26 [01 Sep 06] W 22-8 v Eels (H). [LK]
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2006 International Test Matches
Australian Kangaroos
1 games; [View] Bundaberg Rum Test [05 May 06] W 50-12 v New Zealand (H). [SR]
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2005 Tri-Nations Test Series
Australian Kangaroos
5 games; [View] Tri-Nations Match 1 [15 Oct 05] L 28-38 v New Zealand (H). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 2 [21 Oct 05] W 28-26 v New Zealand (A). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 4 [05 Nov 05] W 20-6 v Great Britain (A). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 6 [19 Nov 05] W 26-14 v Great Britain (A). [SR]
[View] Tri-Nations Final [26 Nov 05] L 0-24 v New Zealand. [SR]
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2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
North Queensland Cowboys
26 games; 2 tries, 8 points.
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 05] W 32-22 v Warriors (A). [LK]
[View] Round 4 [02 Apr 05] W 52-18 v Knights (H). [LK]
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 05] L 6-38 v Sharks (A). [LK]
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 05] W 44-20 v Tigers (H). [LK]
[View] Round 7 [23 Apr 05] W 36-22 v Panthers (A). [LK]
[View] Round 8 [30 Apr 05] W 38-18 v Roosters (H). [LK] 4 Pts; 1t (38th)
[View] Round 9 [08 May 05] L 12-50 v Eels (A). [LK]
[View] Round 10 [14 May 05] L 6-23 v Broncos (H). [LK]
[View] Round 12 [27 May 05] W 48-12 v Bulldogs (A). [LK]
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 05] W 56-14 v Sharks (H). [LK]
[View] Round 14 [12 Jun 05] L 4-34 v Dragons (A). [LK]
[View] Round 16 [25 Jun 05] L 22-23 v Raiders (A). [SR]
[View] Round 17 [02 Jul 05] W 24-16 v Warriors (H). [SR]
[View] Round 18 [10 Jul 05] L 18-22 v Knights (A). [SR]
[View] Round 19 [16 Jul 05] L 14-16 v Souths (H). [SR]
[View] Round 20 [23 Jul 05] W 38-18 v Panthers (H). [SR]
[View] Round 21 [31 Jul 05] W 26-24 v Sea Eagles (A). [SR]
[View] Round 22 [05 Aug 05] L 16-36 v Dragons (H). [SR]
[View] Round 23 [14 Aug 05] L 16-28 v Tigers (A). [LK]
[View] Round 24 [20 Aug 05] W 31-28 v Raiders (H). [SR]
[View] Round 25 [28 Aug 05] W 30-16 v Souths (A). [SR] 4 Pts; 1t (2nd)
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 05] W 30-24 v Storm (H). [SR]
[View] Finals Week One [09 Sep 05] L 6-50 v Tigers (A). [SR]
[View] Finals Week Two [17 Sep 05] W 24-16 v Storm. [SR]
[View] Qualifying Finals [25 Sep 05] W 29-0 v Eels. [SR]
[View] Grand Final [02 Oct 05] L 16-30 v Tigers. [SR]
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2004 NRL Telstra Premiership
North Queensland Cowboys
1 games; [View] Round 1 [13 Mar 04] L 20-24 v Sea Eagles (H). [LK]
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O'Donnell, Luke
