North Queensland will be hoping to build on the momentum they gained from last week's win over South Sydney when they host the Wests Tigers in Indigenous Round.
The Cowboys snapped a five-game losing streak when they beat the Bunnies at Magic Round, but the performance was far from convincing.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have lost seven matches on the bounce with rookie coach Benji Marshall in a world of pain with injuries and suspensions starting to mount.
NRL NEWS: 2024 NRL live ladder | Every NRL club's updated injury list | Every NRL fixture and result for each club
Will Tom Dearden replace Cameron Munster for the QLD Maroons?
Cameron Munster's injury was the major storyline out of Magic Round with the Melbourne and Queensland star sidelined for up to two months.
The five-eighth was assured of his spot in the No.6 jersey for the Maroons alongside Daly Cherry-Evans, but those plans have been thrown into disarray.
Billy Slater will now be on the lookout for another playmaker with North Queensland's Tom Dearden at the front of the queue.
The Cowboys' co-captain starred in Origin last year as he covered for the injury-enforced absence of Munster and has been in strong form despite his club's struggles so far.
Dearden has scored five tries and provided three assists in his 11 appearances in the NRL, while averaging just shy of 100 run metres to be a constant threat to opposition defensive lines.
A strong performance against the struggling Tigers will likely push the 23-year-old's case for another QLD jersey ahead of Brisbane star Ezra Mam.
MORE: Assessing Ezra Mam's State of Origin chances for Queensland
What channel is Cowboys vs. Tigers on? How to watch or live stream the NRL tonight
Tonight's game is set to be broadcast live and exclusive on Fox League, with coverage due to begin at 5.00pm.
TV channel | Fox League |
Live stream |
This match, and every match across the regular season, will be available for live streaming and replay on Kayo Sports.
What time is the NRL tonight? Cowboys vs. Tigers kickoff time
Friday's game between the Cowboys and Tigers will kick off at 6.00pm AEST on May 24.
The game will be played at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
| Timezone | AEST | NZST |
| Kickoff time | 6.00pm | 8.00pm |
Cowboys vs. Tigers Indigenous Round team lists
| COWBOYS TEAM LIST | TIGERS TEAM LIST |
1. Scott Drinkwater 14. Sam McIntyre | 1. Jahream Bula 14. Jake Simpkin |
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