Hopefully this will mean the Cowboys are a disenchanted rabble on saturday
GRAHAM MURRAY is on his last legs as North Queensland coach, with tomorrow night's match against Manly shaping as his last in charge of the club.
Amid a betting plunge this week on Murray being the first NRL coach to be sacked this season, the Herald understands it is no longer a case of if but when the Cowboys will cut ties with him. Next week is shaping as the likely time for the club to make its move. With the opening Origin match on Wednesday night, the decision to part ways with Murray could be made without the level of scrutiny that usually accompanies the sacking of a coach.
North Queensland also have a bye next weekend, so everyone at the club could get used to a change before the team has to play again.
After three successive losses, the Cowboys are desperate to arrest their slide to second-last on the table and have little option but to do something drastic.
They will face a Sea Eagles side missing just NSW fullback Brett Stewart with an undermanned team that does not include Queensland representatives Johnathan Thurston, Carl Webb and Jacob Lillyman and injured fullback Matt Bowen.
The club tried to do the right thing and let Murray see out the final year of his contract, even though a decision not to re-sign him was taken before the season began. But it hasn't worked and they are now prepared to act in an attempt to get something out of this season.
The Cowboys lost their first three games of the season, then won their next three after announcing that Canberra mentor Neil Henry would take over next season but they have since lost their past three and it is common knowledge that Murray has lost the support of the players.
Murray's falling-out with some of his leading players was a reason behind the initial decision to replace him at the end of the season, and their relationship has not improved.
GRAHAM MURRAY is on his last legs as North Queensland coach, with tomorrow night's match against Manly shaping as his last in charge of the club.
Amid a betting plunge this week on Murray being the first NRL coach to be sacked this season, the Herald understands it is no longer a case of if but when the Cowboys will cut ties with him. Next week is shaping as the likely time for the club to make its move. With the opening Origin match on Wednesday night, the decision to part ways with Murray could be made without the level of scrutiny that usually accompanies the sacking of a coach.
North Queensland also have a bye next weekend, so everyone at the club could get used to a change before the team has to play again.
After three successive losses, the Cowboys are desperate to arrest their slide to second-last on the table and have little option but to do something drastic.
They will face a Sea Eagles side missing just NSW fullback Brett Stewart with an undermanned team that does not include Queensland representatives Johnathan Thurston, Carl Webb and Jacob Lillyman and injured fullback Matt Bowen.
The club tried to do the right thing and let Murray see out the final year of his contract, even though a decision not to re-sign him was taken before the season began. But it hasn't worked and they are now prepared to act in an attempt to get something out of this season.
The Cowboys lost their first three games of the season, then won their next three after announcing that Canberra mentor Neil Henry would take over next season but they have since lost their past three and it is common knowledge that Murray has lost the support of the players.
Murray's falling-out with some of his leading players was a reason behind the initial decision to replace him at the end of the season, and their relationship has not improved.
