The North Queensland Cowboys pull off an upset win on the road to defeat competition heavy weights the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Result
North Queensland Cowboys 31
Tries: (5) Murray Taulagi 30th; Valentine Holmes 44th, 46th; Kulikefu Finefeuika 69th; Tom Dearden 77th.
Goals: (4) Valentine Holmes 45th, 48th, 71st, 77th.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 6
Tries: (1) Lachlan Illias 58th.
Goals: (1) Blake Taaffe 60th.
1 Point Field Goals: (1) Scott Drinkwater 39th.
Embed from Getty ImagesReport
With both sides receiving a boost with the return of their State of Origin representatives, the Sunday night battle between the Cowboys and the Rabbitohs was in must win territory for the thirteenth-placed North Queensland side whilst South Sydney attempted to return from their bye week with a victory.
It was a tale of two sides going into this match, with NSW Blues players Damien Cook and Cameron Murray aiming to find the success that alluded them during Game 2 of the Origin series back at clubland, whilst the Cowboys benefitted from the confidence Valentine Holmes, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai and Reuben Cotter brought following their triumph over NSW during the week.
It took a long time for the first points to come in this match, with a full 30 minutes of gritty end-to-end footy proceeding the first- and only- four pointer of the first 40.
It would eventually be the Cowboys who drew first blood with a floating pass from Tom Dearden putting Taulagi over in the corner half an hour into the game.
Adding a slight extra lead going into halftime, fullback Scott Drinkwater slotted a field goal just before the teams headed into the break, leaving the score at an unusual 5-0 to the visitors.
For all the points the first half lacked, the second made up for, beginning with two tries to North Queensland through Holmes within six minutes of the resumption of play.
Lachlan Ilias got one back for the home side, but it was too little too late as the Cowboys piled on two late tries from Kulikefu Finefeuika and Dearden to secure their victory 31-6 and take home the two points.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Valentine Holmes (Cowboys)
2 – Tom Dearden (Cowboys)
1 – Murray Taulagi (Cowboys)
