Luckless centre Tautau Moga hasn't played an NRL match for 10 months but will have to wait at least a little longer for a breakthrough game after missing selection in the Knights side to meet North Queensland on Saturday in Townsville.
Moga, whose last NRL game was ironically against the Cowboys in a 42-6 win on August 22 last year, came under strong consideration for a recall after teenage star Bradman Best was forced out of the team after being stood down and told to self-isolate for seven days following a breach of bio-security regulations last weekend.
But Knights coach Adam O'Brien ultimately opted to re-instate former Cowboys outside back Enari Tuala to play against his old club after leaving him out of the side that defeated Brisbane last weekend.
"Tau was really close with Bradie [Best] going out but I thought with Enari going up against the Cowboys, I decided to go that way," O'Brien said.
"I'm really keen to give Tau an opportunity but the other guys haven't done anything wrong either so it's a tough one."
O'Brien revealed he is trying to organise some sort of a game for the fringe players against the Cowboys in Townsville prior to the NRL clash but it's unclear at this stage whether it will come off. As it stands, Moga is likely to be the 18th man and will be right in the frame should anything happen to an outside back leading into the game.
Meanwhile, the Knights are again concentrating on themselves and refusing to buy into the concerns around the Cowboys' poor form leading into the game.
After conceding 34 points in the opening 36 minutes in going down to Wests Tigers last weekend, the Cowboys' playing style was labeled "old and stale" by Channel Nine's Phil Gould, who suggested it is going to get "very ugly" for them before the season is over.
They have conceded 99 points in their past three games.
But Knights backrower Lachlan Fitzgibbon, who came through his first game in 13 weeks with no ill-effects against the Broncos, said complacency won't be an issue for his side.
"I don't think there will be any complacency," he said.
"We definitely weren't at our best against the Broncos. We had a video session that highlighted that and the periods of the game where we need to be much better.
"They are a quality side and they're not having much luck on the scoreboard. I watched their game last weekend and they didn't start too well but they came home strong in the second half. I'm sure they will come out fast so we have to be ready."
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