Elinya Chenery reviews the North Queensland vs Newcastle clash.
Result
North Queensland Cowboys 18
Tries: (3) Reece Robson 9th); Kyle Feldt 25th; Tom Dearden 64th
Goals: (3) Valentine Holmes 10th, 26th, 66th
Newcastle Knights 16
Tries: (3) Greg Marzhew 12th; Dominic Young 47th; Lachlan Fitzgibbon 56th
Goals: (2) Lachlan Miller 13th, 57th
Report
The late Saturday night game had a lot riding on it for both sides, with the Cowboys attempting to break a three-game losing streak and Newcastle anxiously waiting to see how returning captain Kalyn Ponga would slot back into the side.
It was a strong start for both sides on a warm Saturday evening in Townsville, with Reece Robson grabbing first points of the night within 10 minutes of kick off, before the Knights hit back through prolific try-scorer Greg Marzhew only minutes later. The remaining half hour of the first half was low-scoring and relatively uneventful, with only one more four-pointer scored by Kyle Feldt before the break.
The second 40 well and truly made up for the first half’s lack of drama, with Murray Taulagi sent to the sin bin only six minutes after play resumed – for what can only be described as a brain explosion – when he shoulder charged Newcastle winger Dane Gagai without the ball. It didn’t take long before the Knights capitilised on the one man advantage, with Ponga setting Dom Young up for an easy stroll over the line to bring the visitors back into the game.
Only seconds before Taulagi returned to the field, Newcastle made use of their extra man once again, with Lachlan Fitzgibbon showing up the Cowboys’ defence to give the Knights the outright lead for the first time.
The match went right down until the very last play of the night, but in the end, the 64th minute try by Tom Dearden and Valentine Holmes’ pinpoint kicking was enough for the home side to hang on at 18-16.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Kyle Feldt (Cowboys)
2 – Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys)
1 – Greg Marzhew (Knights)
