Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Lo, it came to pass that James Tamou was tackled. He played the ball quickly and Jake Granville passed the ball bullet-like to Johnathan Thurston, who slotted it straight between the posts. That was the end of just one game, but what it meant was the end of a 20-year journey for the North Queensland Cowboys, a journey that was started in 1994 by the likes of Doug Kingston, Kerry Boustead and Ronnie McLean, who had a vision, put the people of the north first and said, 'We can do this.' In heaven, 'Big Mussy' would have been up there having a beer with 'Muzza', Graham Murray, a previous coach, over the success that they saw when they took this thing through.

The thing about the Cowboys is that they are not just a football team; they are not just a football club; they are part of our community. There are blokes like Ray Thompson, who was the 18th man for both the Melbourne game and the grand final. He really wanted to play for the Townsville Blackhawks in their grand final but was unable to. He is the epitome of the Cowboys. He is a local boy, a Torres Strait Islander, plays for the Kumuls and tackles like a demon. There are blokes like Glenn Hall, who finished his career this year. He has been a fantastic servant to our club after winning a premiership with Manly. He will be sadly missed, but we hope that he stays in town. Lastly, Peter Parr is easily the best signing in our football club. (Time expired)

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