Scott Drinkwater's return from a three-week suspension could not be more timely as the North Queensland ace lines up against the Dolphins' Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in a battle of former Cowboys fullbacks.
Tabuai-Fidow initially won the No.1 battle to begin 2022 in Townsville, before a knee injury sidelined the speedster and consigned him to a return via utility in the interchange.
When Drinkwater came in as his replacement after earlier falling behind Tom Dearden and Chad Townsend as a halves option, the fleet-footed fullback accelerated the Cowboys' attack and drove them to a season-high six-game win streak.
From there, coach Todd Payten's future decision for the fullback spot was set in stone. Drinkwater finished the season with 11 tries and 16 try assists, and organised a defensive line that finished second-best overall in for-and-against.
The 25-year-old was rewarded with a four-year contract extension for his efforts, while Tabuai-Fidow was told he could test the market before signing with the NRL's newest franchise for 2023.
In a Good Friday battle of speed versus flare, Payten has ranked his fullback's stature up with their club captain.
"He's become our most influential player outside of Jase (Taumalolo) the last four months," Payten said of Drinkwater.
"It's what he provides with direction, talk and ball movement when we've got the ball.
"He earnt that contract extension by the way he played his footy, coming into the team after round four and certainly lit it up.
"He got better and better every week and he makes players around him better too."
A quick turnaround to forget a narrow golden point loss to Canterbury is just what the doctor ordered for Payten's side, who welcome back hard working forward Reuben Cotter from a knee injury.
The prop bolsters a forward pack missing regulars Jordan McLean (hamstring), Heilum Luki (hamstring), James Tamou (foot) and Jeremiah Nanai (suspension) with North Queensland still yet to name their strongest 17 through six rounds of the season.
Payten acknowledged their oppositions hot start to 2023 as a "classic" team coached by Wayne Bennett and expects his former Cowboys players to lead the charge.
"The red mist will be close to the surface with Tommy Gilbert," he said.
"Connelly (Lemuelu) is a real handful when he carries the ball and he's defending really well.
"Coming up against your former team you always want to prove a point and I expect that no different from those three."
